Flying to Guangzhou

So, this picture pretty much sums up yesterday! We spent the entire day doing what should have been a quick flight to Guangzhou.  We were delayed for four hours at the airport--and the most annoying kinds of delays--changing the flight time at the gate every hour for four hours. At the very last second, all of a sudden, every Chinese person waiting for the flight at our gate got up and ran away---literally RAN.  Michelle and I said, "ummmm, what just happened?" Fortunately we were able to figure out that they abruptly had changed our gate to a location downstairs, and the flight was now in "final boarding!" Nothing like a little notice!  So, we went downstairs and  . . . .were sweetly invited to board early so we could get the girls settled in their seats pleasantly. Yeah, no. That would have been my dream version. Actually, we were nearly trampled going downstairs, had to squeeze the girls, a stroller, our luggage and us on a tram, and were taken to an outdoor jetway where people pushed past us to board. We lugged everything UP the jetway only to be told to take the stroller back DOWN the jetway so they could gate check it. We were the last ones seated on the plane, pouring sweat, and feeling like we had just been through the running of the bulls at Pamplona. :-) We finally got to the hotel around 11:00 p.m.

BUT, we are here in Guangzhou, finally! We are staying in the same hotel we stayed in when I adopted Ellie, in a charming part of Guangzhou called Shamian Island. We will do some walking around and swimming today, and then tomorrow have a tour of a big safari park! Here are some pics of our travel day.

Looking at her first airplane ride!

FINALLY off the plane!!!