| Today we start the most wonderful trip of our life. We have been to London, Paris, Honolulu, and Sydney but nothing will compare to this trip to China. What makes this trip so wonderful is we will be getting our daughter and finally becoming parents. We have been married for 11 years and trying to have a child off and on for nine of them. In a few days it is really going to happen. What is going to make it more special is the girl that has been referred to us seems so wonderful. I can't wait to meet her. It doesn't seem real yet, but it will happen soon. This morning is starting off very early. We have a 7:55 AM flight from DFW to Chicago. After that, we fly to Beijing and land at 2:35 PM tomorrow. I had to get up at 4:00 AM because we have an hour drive to my in-laws to drop off our cat and be taken to the airport. With the 13 hour time difference, it will take us almost 18 hours to get to Beijing. |
| Adoption Journal |
| 10/24/2003 - Traveling To China |
| 10/25/2003 - Beijing |
| 10/26/2003 - Travel From Beijing To Hefei |
| View From Holiday Inn Hefei |
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| I know why they say "don't drink the water." When I drew my bath water, it was brown. After I was done with my bath, there was dirt in the bottom of the tub. I tried to get money out of two ATM's with two different bank cards. No luck. An American at the hotel who has been here a while said use the Bank of China. I tried to get directions and my wife and I did an unsuccessful hunt for the Bank of China ATM. Two more days until we are parents!!!! It is still hard to believe that it is finally going to happen. |
| We found a map in our hotel room in Beijing which had the Bank of China on it. We walked there after breakfast, but it was closed and didn't have an outside ATM. We will have to hope that we can find an ATM in Hefei the will use our card. At 8:15 we got on the bus to the airport. We met the other families that are in our group. There are 11 families in the bus and one already in Hefei. We got to Hefei at around noon. When the plane was landing, my eyes came close to tears because I was thinking that this is the place that I will meet my daughter. The airport was uneventful. After we got to the Holiday Inn (H.I.) in Hefei, I was finally able to find an ATM that would take my card. Good ole Bank of China. The ATM was attached to the H.I.. The H.I. room is extremely nice. As we walked in the room, a stroller and crib was already in the room. Although it doesn't feel like we are getting Julianna tomorrow, the stroller and crib make it seem a little more like it is going to happen. Tomorrow will be a busy day. 9:30 AM will be the time of paperwork, and more importantly, meeting Julianna. I hope I can sleep tonight. |