Good news, we have good internet here, so, it will make it so much easier to blog and skype with people! Well,our flight to Taiyuan went great, 1 hour max. The China Southern airplane was AWESOME! The one picture is of me and our guide in line at the Beijing airport waiting for our boarding passes.I need to figure out how to post a picture and then type under it for captions. Anyone who uses blogger, please post and tell me how to do it! SSSOOOO much leg room in the China Southern Planes!
And another thing, we won't get Chloe until tomorrow morning at 9:30, so less than 12 hours....I had a feeling that would change because of the flight arrival time. So, we met up with another couple who is also getting their daughter tomorrow. We wanted to grab something to eat, and asked the front desk where there was a KFC or McDonalds. She told us 10 by taxi or 10 walking(????) So, we waited forever for a taxi and not one stopped. So we started walking, and walked, and walked. We walked 1 MILE to this McDonalds! 1 mile, 40 minutes-who said 10 minutes???? But, boy was it worth it! For Dan and I to eat, cost $5 US! And we had a cab hailed as soon as we stepped out the front of Mcdonalds! Time to get back-5 minutes, cost 2 bucks. One thing about this area, and this is for you Chanda, brush up on your Mandarin and have a guide book handy-VERY LITTLE english is spoken here. If you stay at the Shanxi Grand, there is a convienience store right beside on the left. We bought diapers, bottled water, chips, 4 sodas, 2 packs cookies, all this for $6!!!
I have had about 100 near heart attacks between yesterday and today with our drivers-EVERYONE has the right away here-I swear we were going to be hit or hit someone a thousand times. You just wouldn't believe it until you experienced it.
We are to meet our guide tomorrow morning at 8 am to go to the bank and exchange our money, then a 15 minute ride to the Shanxi Civil Affairs building where we will FINALLY meet Chloe!
We had our first experience today at the airport of people wanting to take pictures with us. A woman was rushing over with a little girl and plopped her in between us. Then, she had the little girl take a picture of her plopped between us! A few minutes later she brought 5 more kids to get their pictures taken. We were ready with pens to sign autographs, but unfortunately we weren't asked :)
Well, it is now 9:52 at night here, and we still need to unpack and get ready for her tomorrow. Our guide said we could possibly be able to do all the paperwork tomorrow instead of going back on Tuesday. Next update, I promise LOTS of pictures and hopefully video of GOTCHA DAY! Love reading your comments!
Glad to see you made it! We can't wait to see pictures of you with your little girl!!!
ReplyDeleteBubba & Amanda
AAAHHHHH! I can't believe you are there already! I just finished posting to yesterday's entry and here is a new one. Glad you made it safe and sound. Just a few hours until Chloe.....
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Susan Harpring
YAY!!! Wow- it sounds like you guys have had quite an experience so far.
ReplyDeleteAbout the captions and pictures, I just download my pictures and after they have posted to the page, I go back and type under them. Very primitive, but it works for me. If there is a better way, I have yet to find it.
I continue to think about you guys and hope for good things :)
Hello!! Its Lily's mom!! Wow, just 2 short months ago we were right where you are now!! I was laughing when I saw the crib in your room...yep, we had that same one!! Make sure you check out the Chinese restaurant on the second floor, its really yummy and cheaper than the western store on the first floor lobby area. Also, room service was like $4.00. I remember how alone I felt in Taiyuan! Its a lot different than Beijing. NOBODY speaks English. I played charades a lot! The internet is actually better where you are than at the White Swan. SO....if you have any Gotcha Day videos, post them while you are in Taiyuan. I could not get a video to download in Guangzhou. If you have some free time after you get Chloe, go to the park just down the road. Its the one with a lake and amusement park. Its nice and quiet. Chloe would like it. Ok, I think I have written a book...BUT if you have any questions..please post them or email me. I am going to be following your journey every day!!! Can't wait to see Gotcha Day pics!!!!!
ReplyDeletePS. who is your guide??..if its Helen, tell her the Weathers (YuanYuan's mother and father) say hello. : )
ReplyDeleteDanny and Angie,So glad you made it there safely.I have been looking at the blog every few hours.I am so proud of you two.Can't wait to see you two with Chloe in the middle.I will continue to pray (AND WATCH) for your safe return.Luv ya's,Shell
ReplyDeleteOh thanks for all the tips, Angie! Keep them coming! I haven't started to learn any Mandarin so I guess I'd better get going on that or bring a little translator or something! I am so so so excited for you. I love seeing the pictures of the inside of the hotel room too - and to hear they have good internet there. Hopefully we'll be staying there. Now if you can just get some sleep! Can't wait to read your next post and see Chloe's beautiful face!! Will be praying everything goes smoothly tomorrow.
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