Beijing to Nanjing

From Beijing to Nanjing

Today was not what I’d call great, but it ended well. I woke up at 3 am, and then woke everyone else up. We left our hotel at 11:30, and I got very teary eyed. I really love Beijing, and I know for a fact, we will come back someday. We really connected with our guide, especially Kacie.

We arrived at the airport, and we checked our luggage. I then had to go back to open one of my suitcases. Our gift to the orphanage director was a very nice zippo lighter with a Seattle Mariner’s emblem. I had seen that other parents had used this idea, and when I found one with a Mariner’s logo, I thought it was perfect. You know where this is going….lighters are not allowed on domestic flights in China. I had to leave the lighter with our guide. I then had no main gift for the director, only candy and post cards that went with the lighter as just side gifts. I was mortified. But, we were supposed to leave at 2:10 and land in Nanjing at 3:50—plenty of time to get something somewhere. We had lunch at the airport. I’m already tired of Chinese food. Would you believe that’s about all they have here? Seriously….I don’t mind Chinese food, but for every meal everyday? Not my thing.

We walked to the gate and saw that our flight was delayed. It was to leave at 2:50. No big deal, we sort of expected it. We boarded at 3:00. We sat and sat, then it was announced we had to wait another 40 minutes. An HOUR later, we were still sitting on the plane. Then another announcement, this time no English translation, but from the reaction of the people on board, we knew it was bad. A flight attendant explained there would still be a delay and no departure time. A man in a pink shirt was very angry and tried to get off the plane. Lots of drama. Long story short, we left Beijing at 5:40pm. We sat on the plan for 2 hrs 40 min, and the flight was only 1 hr 30 min.

We finally made it to Nanjing at 7:10pm, 3.5 hours late. Our guide was here waiting, as well as a driver. It was a 30 min ride to our hotel, The Mandarin Garden. Nanjing is very lively. Oh, and it’s HOTTER and MORE HUMID than Beijing! So at night everyone is out. There are lots of lights and lots of stores near our hotel. We were hungry and tired. And then the heavens parted….There is a Burger King right by our hotel! Praise the Lord! Kacie and I high-fived—American Food! And there’s KFC and Haggen Daas right next door. YES!

We walked into our hotel room, and guess what was set up? A crib! I have no pictures really to post from today, and I’m too tired to go through them anyway. It’s almost 9:30, and it’s been a long day. We don’t need our gifts until Tuesday, and the new guide said she will work it out. Praise God, again!

So here’s what you want to know: We get Tyson tomorrow (Monday) at 10:30 am! That will be 7:30pm Sunday night for you. After we get him, we will go to a store to get supplies for Tyson, like diapers, bottled water, etc… It will be a busy day. Please be praying for us. We are nervous, excited, exhausted, you name it.

Pictures tomorrow, promise!!!
Jolene