So, our departure from Nanning was nothing short of an unexpected adventure. Our dear friends came to take us to the airport, deciding to leave our hotel at 3:30pm for our 6:30pm flight. Traffic in Nanning has been heavier these days, with a subway system being developed. Our driver had a great minivan for all of us, so we sprawled out with our three friends, setting off for the hour drive to the airport. After about 10 minutes, the driver quickly pulls over. Van running hot. Need water (for the van, not for us). Everyone out of the van.
Our van driver runs off to get a case of water. Phew. Situation looking better.
After the driver and one of our friends tend to the van, they decide it needs a rest. We headed into a nearby bank to wait. Hannah loved it, playing peeking games with her sisters.
Soon, it was time to get into our rested van and head to the airport. Only the van driver thinks that maybe it might be better to switch vans. My friends start asking me if I had ever missed a flight in China before, and what our details were for the adoption on Saturday in Guangzhou. Hmmm. I still wasn't too worried, However, it was getting late and traffic was heavy. Our driver decided we will in fact switch vans. Now, my friends are saying that we will have 20 minutes to get to our gate before it closes. With 4 kids. And Nana. And luggage. One mentions that maybe the flight will be delayed.... We make it to the airport, and our friends find out our flight is delayed, leaving at 7:30pm instead of 6:30pm. Phew.
We say goodbye to our friends, get through security, and head to the gate. But, our flight isn't listed at the gate yet. Two other flights are. We settle in at the gate, after taking a walk, and chatting with the 2 other families who are also heading from Nanning to Guangzhou before heading home to the states. Soon, there are ALOT of people at the gate. Lots of loud talking, which I can't understand. We *think* that maybe the flight is delayed again, but can't be sure. Then, we see a meal cart being pushed through the airport. Surely, that isn't for us. The gate attendant says something across the loud speaker, and people start heading to another gate. Ugh, I should have tried harder at Chinese school! Our travelmates find out that the reason people sprinted to the other gate was for free meals, to compensate us for the inconvenience of our flight delay, which will now leave after 9:50pm.
For 6 tired travelers, this gesture meant ALOT.
We enjoyed our dinners and company. Yes, company. It was getting late, passengers were getting bored, and we were becoming a spectacle. Blond Caucasian with 4 gorgeous Chinese girls. In my broken Chinese, I could tell them the girls were my kids, and my mom was their grandmother. But, this led to more questions. I think I was asked if my husband was Chinese, and if we lived in Guangzhou or Nanning.
I think there was something about the girls' father having black hair. And maybe why they didn't have blue eyes.
We all laughed as we tried our best to communicate in our own languages. People started taking pictures. I tried to mime. More laughing.
But it was really starting to get late, and soon I had children falling asleep on the floor.
Sometime after 10:00pm, we were allowed to get onto a plane, which we were told was delayed from stormy weather in Beijing. Sitting on that plane was a gift by that point, and we don't even know how long we had to sit on the runway because we all fell asleep. At some point we took off, landed, and got ourselves to the front of the plane to see that we were parked on the tarmac. At 1:00am. With 4 children. And Nana. I'm.not.kidding.
Luckily, no one wiped out on the stairs leading off the plane (Mia had an incident falling off the bus stairs at school this year so this was a real possibility), and we made it on another bus to the terminal to find our guide. We made it to our hotel around 1:30pm, to the softest beds I think possible. Hello Guangzhou. What an adventure. And we would do it all again for our littlest sweetness, Hannah Joy Wanyao.
Our van driver runs off to get a case of water. Phew. Situation looking better.
After the driver and one of our friends tend to the van, they decide it needs a rest. We headed into a nearby bank to wait. Hannah loved it, playing peeking games with her sisters.
Soon, it was time to get into our rested van and head to the airport. Only the van driver thinks that maybe it might be better to switch vans. My friends start asking me if I had ever missed a flight in China before, and what our details were for the adoption on Saturday in Guangzhou. Hmmm. I still wasn't too worried, However, it was getting late and traffic was heavy. Our driver decided we will in fact switch vans. Now, my friends are saying that we will have 20 minutes to get to our gate before it closes. With 4 kids. And Nana. And luggage. One mentions that maybe the flight will be delayed.... We make it to the airport, and our friends find out our flight is delayed, leaving at 7:30pm instead of 6:30pm. Phew.
We say goodbye to our friends, get through security, and head to the gate. But, our flight isn't listed at the gate yet. Two other flights are. We settle in at the gate, after taking a walk, and chatting with the 2 other families who are also heading from Nanning to Guangzhou before heading home to the states. Soon, there are ALOT of people at the gate. Lots of loud talking, which I can't understand. We *think* that maybe the flight is delayed again, but can't be sure. Then, we see a meal cart being pushed through the airport. Surely, that isn't for us. The gate attendant says something across the loud speaker, and people start heading to another gate. Ugh, I should have tried harder at Chinese school! Our travelmates find out that the reason people sprinted to the other gate was for free meals, to compensate us for the inconvenience of our flight delay, which will now leave after 9:50pm.
For 6 tired travelers, this gesture meant ALOT.
We enjoyed our dinners and company. Yes, company. It was getting late, passengers were getting bored, and we were becoming a spectacle. Blond Caucasian with 4 gorgeous Chinese girls. In my broken Chinese, I could tell them the girls were my kids, and my mom was their grandmother. But, this led to more questions. I think I was asked if my husband was Chinese, and if we lived in Guangzhou or Nanning.
I think there was something about the girls' father having black hair. And maybe why they didn't have blue eyes.
We all laughed as we tried our best to communicate in our own languages. People started taking pictures. I tried to mime. More laughing.
But it was really starting to get late, and soon I had children falling asleep on the floor.
Sometime after 10:00pm, we were allowed to get onto a plane, which we were told was delayed from stormy weather in Beijing. Sitting on that plane was a gift by that point, and we don't even know how long we had to sit on the runway because we all fell asleep. At some point we took off, landed, and got ourselves to the front of the plane to see that we were parked on the tarmac. At 1:00am. With 4 children. And Nana. I'm.not.kidding.
Luckily, no one wiped out on the stairs leading off the plane (Mia had an incident falling off the bus stairs at school this year so this was a real possibility), and we made it on another bus to the terminal to find our guide. We made it to our hotel around 1:30pm, to the softest beds I think possible. Hello Guangzhou. What an adventure. And we would do it all again for our littlest sweetness, Hannah Joy Wanyao.
Cindy we Too with Both my Girls from China Always Had Delays on The Planes for some reason ,i Believe it part of our Adventure Story to tell them one Day on what Happen when we got our Daughter .GOD Bless you All on your journey Home & CONGRADULATIONS Again Sweet MAMA :) ~Denise Pettit with 2 BEAUTIFUL Chinese Girls 5 & *8 years old
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you saw Xiao Xiao! Our plane was late too which was a blessing since we were traveling with a sick kid and barely got there in time.
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