Well...what a day it has been! It began innocently enough. After having slept through the night (yeah!) Livie and I woke up at about 7:30 am. She got dressed while I showered and got ready. Bags were packed and the four of us were happily on our way to the airport by about noon. Our goal was to get to the airport and all settled, and then we would grab a bite to eat. After having arrived at the Hongqiao Airport we parked and lugged the luggage and the kids into the terminal. We began looking for our flight on the board, but could not find it. Hmmmm...now that's odd. Kim went and checked on the status of our flight and found out that we were AT THE WRONG AIRPORT!!! Our flight was leaving from the Pudong Airport. What was to be a leisurely trip to the airport turned into a manic time of shlepping the luggage and kids back to our van (thankfully Kim had the insight to ask her driver, Xiao He, to help us at the airport, so he had not left already), loading everything back into the van and making a made dash to the complete oppostite side of Shanghai to catch our flight. Xiao He drove very fast...I mean carefully to the airport, and I only had to hold my breathe and pray - while closing my eyes - a few times. I told Kim that it was as though we were stuck in a version of "The Amazing Race!"
We made it safely to the Pudong Airport, unloaded once more, checked in and walked to our gate (which, by the way, was at the end of a VERY, VERY long terminal!). At the gate we met up with Charlene and Rachael, who are an adoptive mom/expat mom and daughter from Shanghai. Rachael was adopted from Fuling the year before Livie. Charlene and her family have only lived in Shanghai for about a year and a half, and Charlene is already quite fluent in Chinese. I am very happy to have her in our group!
We all checked into our hotel, the Holiday Inn Chongqing. I wish we were at the Marriott or Hilton (where we stayed in 2005), but this will be fine I am sure. The six of us grabbed a bite of dinner in the hotel restaurant and then it was bathtime/bedtime for the girls.
Tomorrow is a big day as our group will be visiting the Zoo (love those pandas!) and then we will go to the Civil Affairs Office following lunch. Once at the Civil Affairs office we will each be given the opportunity to review our childrens' files.
Sorry that I don't have any photos, but I oh-so-geniously left the cable for my camera back at home. I am borrowing a camera from Kim, but the SIM card doesn't work in my laptop (figures!) and I will need to upload my photos to Kim's laptop and then send them to myself as an attachment. Hopefully I will get this done tommorrow and will be able to post some photos of Chongqing and the girls.
Mary
6 comments:
Wow, that must have been a bit stressful when you found out that you were at the wrong airport. Glad you made your flight. Looking forward to pictures. Have a great time.
I can imagine the shock you & Kim were in upon finding out you were at the wrong airport. Brilliant of Kim to ask Xiao He to stay so you could all settle things.
Oh my, that car trip will be something you will laugh about in the future, but how scary!
Glad you made it safe and sound!
Boy does that sound familiar! We fly into one airport in Shanghai and out of the other so I can relate to your craziness! Hope the rest of your trip goes smoothly!
Wowee woman, you sure have a flair for adventure along the way. So glad to hear that alls well that ends well with the mix up. I cannot wait to see your photos and to hear all about what you are able to find and see. Hugs to all of you ladies and sending my love from New Jersey :)
Love
me
we stayed at the holiday Inn for both adoptions we loved it...I wish I was there with you guys
jealous in florida
jolene
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