|
TRIP TO CHINA
Itinerary |
December 23 | December 24 | Jia Day! |
December 26 | December 27 | December 29 | December
30 | December
31 | January
1 | January
2 | January
3 | January
4
|
Saturday,
December 23, 2006
SOMEWHERE OVER CHINA
“We’re all somewhere over China
Heading’ east of Headin’ west
Takin’ time to live a little
Flying so far from the nest.”
-Jimmy Buffett
We are here. 3 flights, over 20 hours of flying, three
countries-wow! The girls were really good on the flights
although they used up all of their computer time on the very
first flight. Anna was particularly fascinated by the ice flows
somewhere over Hudson Bay; I finally had to take the camera away
from her. Our flights were very close to each other; we actually
had to run through the airport in Tokyo. So I guess we can now
say we have been to Japan-for 15 minutes. Yes, with each flight
things changed. From Ft. Lauderdale to Detroit we got a can of
Pringles and a soda. On the flight from Detroit to Tokyo they
were very understaffed, the very nice steward told us that a lot
of people call in sick at the holiday time and so there was 4 of
them to serve 300 people. Nevertheless we got dinner, snack and
breakfast – which was a choice of an omelet or fried rice.
One thing I thought was funny, while running through the airport
in Tokyo is that at the end of the moving sidewalks there was an
animated voice that says “the road stops here” kind of ominous,
don’t you think? |
Anna’s ice flows over Hudson Bay
Avian flu forms
|
On the flight to
China we were handed hot, wet washcloths for our faces. Believe
me, by that point we needed more than that to feel clean. On
this flight we saw several people wearing surgical face masks
and had to fill out documents promising we don’t have Avian Flu
(that’s bird flu for Mrs. P’s kids.) We got dinner on this
flight too, I wasn’t hungry so I declined but I was sitting next
to Anna who ordered chicken and got parts of the chicken that I
find hard to describe. She’s a trooper though, ate every piece!
Customs had three stations and the people were very solemn and
dignified but did not ask any questions and did not go through
our baggage.
We were met by our guide, a Mr. Nelson Li. He picked us up along
with one other woman traveling alone to get her daughter. On the
way to the hotel he gave us directions including making sure
that when we went out Jia-Li had on four layers of clothes (it
is around 50 f) and said that people will come up and count the
layers on her and scold you if they think she is underdressed.
We passed amazing sights! Tons of neon lights and countless tiny
apartments that you could see right into, each with clothes
hanging out to dry in the smog filled air.
Our hotel is quite the contrast. We are at the famous White Swan
Hotel for one night before we travel on to Wuhan, then we will
be back here for the remainder of our trip. This hotel is known
for being the place where people adopting Chinese children stay.
They have a playroom for the kids, and it is an adoption
tradition that the adopted children get their picture taken on
one of the “red couches” of the White Swan hotel. It is also
famous for its very elaborate buffet breakfasts, which we will
be enjoying in the morning.
We leave tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. to fly to Hubei Province and the
city of Wuhan. This is where we will finally meet Jia-Li on
Christmas day!
|
Okay Mrs. P’s kids, (this one is for you Mr. Larson) 100
American dollars = 770 yen, if your room service sandwich
costs 128 yen, how many dollars does it cost? Anna was
faced with this Math question tonight and decided it was
too expensive for her. |
I’d like to end
every post by thanking special people in our lives, tonight our
thanks go out to the members of the FCC group who have supported
us throughout this process, because of you I feel like an expert
tonight! |
“The journey of a thousand miles
must begin with a single step”
-Lao-Tzu
Web site by
myadoptionwebsite.com
|
