Day 2 (or at least I think it is – sleep deprivation apparent)
Ok so we are here! China now has two more bodies to add to its 1.5 Billion! Two funky smelling, sweaters on teeth, sleepy bodies; yay for them!So I must admit that last time we flew to China we were very fortunate to have upgraded to First class — with all of my accumulated frequent flyer points from many years of work travel — which ended up being mostly business class as we went from KC to Chicago, to Tokyo, to Beijing.
At that time we applauded ourselves for how we got to pretend we were rich and famous and were doted on because (as we naively thought) the stewardess perceived massive amounts of wealth must be had by us to be able to afford such expensive seats. We took it all in! We ate what ever they offered, drank whatever they had on the cart because, after all, it was FREE! We selected movies from a cart, had smoked salmon, drank champagne, yes…we were rich! Ok not really but let me dream, ok?
This time however, we were to be relegated to lowly coach with all the “common folk”, whom for some reason just needed to get to China.
So what’s the point? Adoptive parents and other non-regular international travelers, GO WITH COACH!
Here’s why. I slept at least 9 hours of the 15 ½. Yes I was sleepy, but I knew I wasn’t going to miss anything if I was asleep and, I didn’t! Small cramped seats, a guy in front of me adjusting his reclined seat into my knees at least 75 times, sub-par food even for an airplane and cranky stewardesses were all the order of the day (or night or whatever it was is). As I see it, the flight is a time to crash (not literally!), I mean go to sleep.
First Class makes you think you have to “take it all in” and if you sleep you’re missing something. Well I didn’t miss a thing because there was nothing to miss!
The Airport and To Hotel:
So after 10 months of an exchange student from China in my house in Kansas telling me there was nothing beautiful in America, it was always boring, the food was intolerable, and well frankly, “your dogs are sooooo ugly ……… and they stink!”, I was wondering if I was really up for a nice meet and greet at the airport from a someone I had seen is just over a month.
Ellen In The Bread Taxi
Lixinyin (Ellen as we know her) was visible as we rode down the escalator just off the plne. This is somewhat surprising as people in China know how gather en mass at the site of any sore of a device that looks like’s the thing that keeps us in line at a movie. And when I say “en mass”, I mean, historic Beatles at JFK landing mass!
Ellen and her mother had found a way to be right up front and center. They patiently waited as we gathered up our 4 large suitcases (1 for Christe, 1 for Oslo, 1 for ‘gifts’ for the adoption process and her make-up, body lotion, hair goo, eye-lash mutilator-ripper-outer-thingy, snacks she’ll never eat, crossword puzzle books, scope whitening mouthwash, etc) and ½ of one for me) and made our way through customs.
Customs amounted to us picking an aisle for “something to declare” or “nothing to declare”. My wife suggested that my desire to go with the “something to declare” line because I felt I was finally ready to offer up my never-to-be-known before secret love of Celine Dion, was not only not funny but that I was not allowed to speak …….ever again.
I think she was cranky a little. She claimed to have only slept 2 hours on the flight. WHATEVER! The ambien kicked her butt for at least 6!
Ellen and her Mom were so lovely (I mean that really, I’m not worried about them reading this). I think they made fun of us a bit for the amount of luggage we had but quickly got us to the taxi stand where I explained we wanted, “Mien boa che chu” or Loaf of Bread Taxi. I think she was initially shocked that I knew that but quickly we were moved to the waiting spot for a mini-van.
On the way to the hotel I snapped a quick photo of a car we passed. It seems to be very popular to put large stickers (decals) on the side of the smallest car you can find, which I guess makes it sporty-er. I hope this one isn’t foreshadowing the weather we’re in for!
Weather Forecast?!
Ellen’s Mom did not stay with us but Ellen accompanied us on the 1+ hour ride to the hotel, check-in, and inspection of room and now decision by Christe to take a nap before we head out to the suburbs to eat dinner with Ellens mom and Dad.
