....is how we view the trip to Guangzhou after leaving Guilin today. We were sad to leave, as it meant not seeing our friends anymore until they travel to the United States early next year, but it also meant it was the last day with our guide, Bob!
We decided to start the day a little later than normal and didn't get the kids up until just before 8:00 am. Ann Marie was the first up, but since I didn't finish the blog until around midnight I slept a little longer. After getting everyone up and dressed we headed down for a late breakfast to find the restaurant almost empty! Good timing meant no lines at the egg station! After a leisurely breakfast we headed back upstairs to finish our packing as we had a noon checkout and a departure for the airport of 1:00 pm. The photo here is of the morning before, so take this and subtract about 90 percent of the people! Yippie!
Around 11:00 we headed downstairs to meet with our friends and their daughters for one last time before we left Guilin. We decided to grab a quick bite for lunch before leaving for the airport and Brian took us to a neat little place just behind the hotel called the American Grill and Pizza. I wish we had found this place earlier as the food was outstanding! We will be putting this one on the map for more of our friends who are travelling here in the very near future as the club sandwich, the hamburgers, the hot dogs and all the other goodies left everyone with a smile on their face! As lunch was running a bit long, I headed back into the hotel to find Bob and had him join us as we finished.
With lunch finished, we headed back into the hotel to complete our goodbyes, which were sad, but came with the comfort of knowing that it was not forever. We loaded the van and were quickly on our way to the Guilin Airport. Our flight was at 3:50 and Bob's was at 5:30. We were headed to Guangzhou and he was headed to Nanjing to guide another family in their adoption process. After flawlessly negotiating airport security and some great conversation with our new friend Bob, we were headed down the gangway to the plane and off to last step in completing Declan's adoption!
The fun was not over by far though, as we quickly realized that rows 31 and 32 were not in the back of the plane, but in the front! The rows started at 31, yet we didn't realize that until we were at about row 38! I am glad Ann Marie looked up and noticed or I would have been at the back of the plane staring back at about 100 determined locals between me and my seat! After some tossing of luggage and some patient passengers, we all settled down for the short ride to Guangzhou International Airport. Savannah , Aiden and I in one row and Declan and Mom in another. The flight was short and trouble free and in no time we were unloading again and on the trek for baggage claim! Once the bags were procured (first 4 off the conveyor baby!), we met up with our new guide, Leigh, who has no idea what she has to live up to after Bob! :-) We were loaded and on our way in no time with a couple of sleepy kids in tow and a family in need some space and rest!
We made our way to the China Hotel, which happens to be a J.W. Marriott, and is located in the heart of Guangzhou and in close proximity to not only a McDonald's for the kids, but a Starbucks for Ann Marie and I! Guess who will be donning the sandals early in the morning for a cup o' joe from our friends with the Tall, Venti and Grande! The hotel is absolutely perfect for our last leg of the trip, as anyone who has been on a trip for over a week with 3 kids in one motel room, as it came with 2 rooms (one king, two doubles) and two bathrooms (God bless adjoining rooms!), plus we are on the Executive Lounge floor which gives Ann Marie and I free drinks in the evenings! After a quick in room meal and baths, the kids are settling down and we are getting ready to do the same.
Tomorrow we have an early morning for some medical tests and then a free afternoon which may find us in one of the local parks and definitely catching up on afternoon naps. Not much else to report, but with a new family member adjusting quite well, that's always a good thing!
So till next time......
Michael (Didn't we reduce our baggage in Guilin?), Ann Marie (Grande vanilla latte skinny with an extra shot please!), Savannah (Now can we swim?), Aiden (Why do I have to share my bed and Savannah doesn't?), and Declan (wǒ huì shuō yī-diǎn yīng-wén) Kennedy
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| Dad and Declan check the fēijī as it taxis out to the runway |
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| Savannah and Aiden with Bob before we depart for Guangzhou |
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| The China Hotel in Guangzhou |
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| The lobby in the China Hotel is elegant |
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| Savannah was amazed at the cloud deck |
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| Why is it that she always gets the window seat? |
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| Mom and Dad's room! |
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| The Kids room! |
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| Dad, can we shut the door tonight? |
We decided to start the day a little later than normal and didn't get the kids up until just before 8:00 am. Ann Marie was the first up, but since I didn't finish the blog until around midnight I slept a little longer. After getting everyone up and dressed we headed down for a late breakfast to find the restaurant almost empty! Good timing meant no lines at the egg station! After a leisurely breakfast we headed back upstairs to finish our packing as we had a noon checkout and a departure for the airport of 1:00 pm. The photo here is of the morning before, so take this and subtract about 90 percent of the people! Yippie!
Around 11:00 we headed downstairs to meet with our friends and their daughters for one last time before we left Guilin. We decided to grab a quick bite for lunch before leaving for the airport and Brian took us to a neat little place just behind the hotel called the American Grill and Pizza. I wish we had found this place earlier as the food was outstanding! We will be putting this one on the map for more of our friends who are travelling here in the very near future as the club sandwich, the hamburgers, the hot dogs and all the other goodies left everyone with a smile on their face! As lunch was running a bit long, I headed back into the hotel to find Bob and had him join us as we finished.
With lunch finished, we headed back into the hotel to complete our goodbyes, which were sad, but came with the comfort of knowing that it was not forever. We loaded the van and were quickly on our way to the Guilin Airport. Our flight was at 3:50 and Bob's was at 5:30. We were headed to Guangzhou and he was headed to Nanjing to guide another family in their adoption process. After flawlessly negotiating airport security and some great conversation with our new friend Bob, we were headed down the gangway to the plane and off to last step in completing Declan's adoption!
The fun was not over by far though, as we quickly realized that rows 31 and 32 were not in the back of the plane, but in the front! The rows started at 31, yet we didn't realize that until we were at about row 38! I am glad Ann Marie looked up and noticed or I would have been at the back of the plane staring back at about 100 determined locals between me and my seat! After some tossing of luggage and some patient passengers, we all settled down for the short ride to Guangzhou International Airport. Savannah , Aiden and I in one row and Declan and Mom in another. The flight was short and trouble free and in no time we were unloading again and on the trek for baggage claim! Once the bags were procured (first 4 off the conveyor baby!), we met up with our new guide, Leigh, who has no idea what she has to live up to after Bob! :-) We were loaded and on our way in no time with a couple of sleepy kids in tow and a family in need some space and rest!
We made our way to the China Hotel, which happens to be a J.W. Marriott, and is located in the heart of Guangzhou and in close proximity to not only a McDonald's for the kids, but a Starbucks for Ann Marie and I! Guess who will be donning the sandals early in the morning for a cup o' joe from our friends with the Tall, Venti and Grande! The hotel is absolutely perfect for our last leg of the trip, as anyone who has been on a trip for over a week with 3 kids in one motel room, as it came with 2 rooms (one king, two doubles) and two bathrooms (God bless adjoining rooms!), plus we are on the Executive Lounge floor which gives Ann Marie and I free drinks in the evenings! After a quick in room meal and baths, the kids are settling down and we are getting ready to do the same.
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