Further Adventures in Travel

We're fine and in Nanjing, so unless you enjoy vicarious misery, you can just skip to the next post. Things went fine with our altered schedule to Chicago until, no surprise, we arrived in Atlanta and were put in a holding pattern. After holding, we enjoyed sitting on the ramp waiting for a gate, and missed our flight to Chicago. We tried to get on the next flight, but we were stand by way down the list, so we weren't called, and we finally dragged into a Comfort Inn well after 11 pm, and had to be back at the airport before six, because we were still on the super special security, because we still hadn't completed our original trip.

We considered even spending the night at the airport, since we'd only have five hours to sleep at the hotel, but I decided the security problem with having to leave Sarah or me awake to watch the luggage, and the "Super Max Federal Prison" experience of having the lights on all night made it worth the hassle. It was worth it, we all got five good hours of sleep, which was important the next day.

We caught a seven a.m. Delta flight to Chicago O'Hare, went to baggage and were very happy to find our checked bag. Then we walked all the way to the United counter, to discover that we were part of a minority of the group on the Amercian flight, so we walked all the way to American.

My kids hauled all their own luggage on five hours of sleep. We were so happy we'd packed light.

The flight was long, fourteen and a half hours of flight time, plus all the time to board and unload a 777. We had no trouble at the SARS checkpoint, or at immigation or customs, and found the Foreign Affairs Officer for the University of Nanjing without incident.

About 18 teachers arrived that afternoon for this summer program, and there are a number of children, including a boy only a couple of years younger than James, which is good. We had to wait for another flight before loading onto a bus for Nanjing, but we left about 4:00 pm, and arrived at about 8:30 pm.

The Guodong airport in Shanhai is relatively new, and bigger than O'Hare. The bus sat about 18, and although we were packed in with our luggage like sardines, it was airconditioned. The weather is exactly like home, hot and muggy. We arrived in Nanjing at about 8:30 pm, and were immediately ushered up to a welcome buffet.

Thoughout this first 50 hour travel period, my kids were so good it was unbelievable. They slept sitting up when they could, they did not complain, and even when I knew they were exhausted, they were very pleasant through the banquet.

I'd left my camera on the bus, but I wished I'd brought it in to the banquet. The food was truly amazing to see. Dish after dish, each one more exotic than the last, but the oraganizer also knew there'd be children there, so there were things kids liked, like sweet and sour pork and corn.

I ate a pigeon egg in front of James. I ate spicy noodles. I ate strange and wonderful things, I ate things that were not so memorable.

We have a room, it has two single beds, so James and I slept in the same little bed. But it was air conditioned, and, a tremendous blessing, it has internet access, which was hooked up today. This afternoon we have orientation for teaching that starts Monday.

I have asked the Foreign Affairs Officer to help me find church services for tomorrow.

We're here, we're all okay, and I'm happy that we are here.