Today we got a US Consulate Appointment in Guangzhou and the green light to purchase tickets! We thought it would be an easy thing to get tickets but it became an all day process. We ended up working through a wonderful travel agent who was recommended to us by our agency and the process got much less complicated at that point. She was familiar with all of the nuances in purchasing a lap ticket for Grace, and getting us a timely connecting flight from Guangzhou to Beijing. If the connecting flights to the city you are flying home from are longer than 12 hours apart, you don't get the international baggage allowance. And I'm certainly counting on that 2 bag/person allowance to bring home some goodies for us, family, and Grace! With only a few flights home it was like a puzzle that had to fit masterfully together and we are happy with the results.
Of course, how happy can you really be when you know you will be traveling for 25.5 hours home with a baby on your laps who you love dearly but who will most likely struggle with that flight as much if not more than us! We'll be flying into Hong Kong and then home via Beijing. Our travel group has to meet in Hong Kong so unfortunately we won't be able to tour all of the wonderful sites in Beijing - including the Great Wall, Tiannamen Square, and the Forbidden City. We could have come early but it just got too long and complicated to be away from our boys and we really don't feel badly at all. This trip is about Grace and we'll enjoy touring Hong Kong instead which we've heard is a beautiful city! We'll save Beijing for another year, hopefully on a return journey with Grace to see her homeland.
Then it will be on to Nanchang (within 3 days), which is the capital city of Jiangxi Province where we will pick up Grace. We'll spend about a week there with the Chinese side of the adoption before flying to Guangzhou to handle the American side of the adoption where we will spend our final week. There will be lots to see, lots to eat, and lots to do, but honestly, all we're really excited about at this moment is getting our Grace Lu!
Of course, how happy can you really be when you know you will be traveling for 25.5 hours home with a baby on your laps who you love dearly but who will most likely struggle with that flight as much if not more than us! We'll be flying into Hong Kong and then home via Beijing. Our travel group has to meet in Hong Kong so unfortunately we won't be able to tour all of the wonderful sites in Beijing - including the Great Wall, Tiannamen Square, and the Forbidden City. We could have come early but it just got too long and complicated to be away from our boys and we really don't feel badly at all. This trip is about Grace and we'll enjoy touring Hong Kong instead which we've heard is a beautiful city! We'll save Beijing for another year, hopefully on a return journey with Grace to see her homeland.
Then it will be on to Nanchang (within 3 days), which is the capital city of Jiangxi Province where we will pick up Grace. We'll spend about a week there with the Chinese side of the adoption before flying to Guangzhou to handle the American side of the adoption where we will spend our final week. There will be lots to see, lots to eat, and lots to do, but honestly, all we're really excited about at this moment is getting our Grace Lu!
