As nice as a trip to China is(and it does have it's high points) it is so much better to get home. With that in mind we said goodbye to our travel group and hopped in a van bound for the Guangzhou airport for our 10:30pm flight to Hong Kong. When I was booking our flight home (on the United website)it was $200 pp cheaper to fly from GZ change planes in Hong Kong with a 12 hour layover than drive or train trip to Hong Kong and fly from there ON THE SAME FLIGHT!!!!
We were flying Dragon Air. DA has the coolest logo. Seriously, google it. And that is where the coolness of Dragon Air ends! We get to the front of the line and check our 3 pieces of luggage to San Francisco. Once we were finally checked in for our flight(after standing in line forever) and waded thru immigration, customs and security(oh my!) and seated somewhat comfortably on the plane, they announced a one hour delay due to traffic. So our flight left at 11:30pm instead of arriving in Hong Kong at 11:30 as scheduled. You know you are in trouble when they start serving drinks and snacks before you take off.
We arrived in HK sometime around 12:30 and were off to our last hotel of this trip, Sky City Marriott. But we had to figure out how to get to their shuttle. We had to go thru immigration and customs. Even though we were still in China
technically. By now it is 1 am and immigration is down to 4 officers and about 5 planes have landed. So we waited in an hour long line to clear customs and immigration from China to China.
Let me take this moment to sing the praises of sweet Serenity. She was a trooper this whole trip. Even the long march home.
By the time we actually get to our hotel and into our room it is 2 am. The three of us take quick showers and hit the sheets. I have several Hank the Cowdog books on my iphone and they are wonderful for winding down your mind to help you fall asleep.
We were up and out the hotel room door by 8:30am. I am glad we booked using points because I would have hated to pay for less than 7 hours in a hotel room. We had a very nice breakfast at their buffet and were back on the shuttle and back to the airport.
Remember earlier when I said I booked on the United website and we checked out bags thru to San Francisco? Throw out everything you may think that means because it doesn't. When we got to the United counter to have our boarding passes printed things kind of fell apart. But bless my sweet hubby's heart he took care of everything. We couldn't find the luggage claim tags we had received in GZ so she could make sure our luggage would make the plane.(???) After calling and tapping on the computer and a good bit of time, everything was hunky dorey and she was able to print our passes. Let me say here and now she was a very pleasant lady never seeming irritated at us or annoyed at the situation.
Back thru immigration, customs and security(oh my!) on a tram, down the hall to the gate and walked right on the plane. Boom, boom, boom! Now we settle in for a 12 + hour flight. I won't bore you with the agonizing details but I will say that Belle is mommy's girl and this trip was no different. She was none too pleased when I had to use the 'ladies' on the plane.
Landed safe and sound in the good ole USA, hallelujah! We were off the plane and headed to (say it with me) immigration, customs and security (oh my!) But is was all good because Belle was a citizen! We got in the line for immigration, choosing the US citizen line and when we came round the first bend(you know how those lines are back and forth, back and forth) there was an officer. We showed him the sacred 'do not open no matter what' brown envelope and he opened the rope and led us to a special window. The officer asked us a few questions, and directed us to 'window 40' . Window 40 officer gave us a form, told Matt not to fill it out and we could have a seat until called. So we did. There were (I think) a total of 6 adoption families on the plane. We were #2 waiting to be called. Pretty quickly we were called up to another window, bing, boom, bang we were through and on our way to customs. We pick up luggage go thru the customs line and over to re check our luggage.
At this point we were flying standby thanks to a gift from some good friends that work for United. So again it took some time to figure things out. But it was all settled and looked like we could make the next flight east to Chicago instead of waiting 9 hours for a direct Pittsburgh flight. So we checked out luggage there and then it was back thru security, down the hall, round the bend, over the river and thru the woods to our gate. We waited about 15 minutes and were told, yes there was room for us on this flight.
This was the only time Belle got really fussy. And let me tell you I do not blame her one iota! To her tiny body it is the middle of the night and she wants to go to bed! But we made it to Chicago pretty much unscathed waiting for the last leg of out journey.
Did someone mention LEG? Let me tell you friends, my legs were swollen up tighter than a tick. It was amazing to look at not so amazing to feel. And remember Belle loves her mommy so I was trudging her the whole way.
So we get to our gate for the Pittsburgh flight just as they were loading. We were 13,14 and 15 on the standby list of a full flight. Believe it or not one of us could have got on the flight. I was just as glad to not make that flight since the next one was only 2 hours later. I needed a break from airplanes and airplane food. So we made the trek to the next gate. Again Serenity was being a trooper, always concerned how her sister was doing. She is such a gem.
At the next gate I saw a Starbucks and gladly ponied up the dough to get Serenity and I Frappacinos! MMMM icy goodness. Matt struck out in search of food. Successfully slaying the wild hotdog and ensnaring the cunning deep dish pizza, he ensured his family was fed. And then I used one of our carry-ons to put my puffy tootsies up!
We made the next flight no problem and I even had an open seat beside me. We landed in Pittsburgh just after midnight making our total journey time 24 hours and 15 minutes!
Dean and Nikki picked us up and we were bound for home sweet home. Thank You Jesus!
This is how we spent 24 hours! Either in the Saddle or just in my arms.
