Trip to China
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Sunday, March 30, 2008 THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UNBELIEVABLE! The good~ Today was a much better day weather wise and it was wonderful to see the sun. Our group headed off to the Summer Palace where we walked the grounds and were able to take a dragon ride across the lake. The architecture was beautiful! And we were able to see the magnolia trees in bloom. After that we headed to the pearl factory where I tried to restrain myself. Actually I bought a small pair of earrings for Maggie and something for myself. I had the most fun shopping for a friend of mine. (Kim, I will send you a picture) We then had yet another Chinese meal. I like Chinese food, but I think tomorrow we will head to Pizza Hut or KFC. All of the families then headed to the airport to go to their provinces. (see airport story below) Now for the bad and the unbelievable~ I will try to do justice to the continuing luggage story, but Kristy and I think a video would be the only way to really see the humor of it all. This morning our guide tells me that she has good news. The flight our luggage was sent on from Chicago will be in an early enough for us to possible get it put on our flight to Chengdu. At this point Kristy and I still think that our luggage may still be in Chicago, but we remained hopeful. So at the airport we check in one of our carry ons because our liquids couldn't be carried on. We then check in, see the other families off, and go down to the baggage area to claim our luggage. The flight had just arrives, so we waited, and waited....and waited some more, but no luggage was there by 4pm, which is when we needed to run back and catch our other flight. So I try to go to the baggage claim office (not a fun place where no one speaks English) and 2 men argue back and forth and I get nowhere. I grab the papers from them and we join our guide. She talks to the baggage men on the phone as she is not allowed in that area, and they tell her that they will let her know in 2 hours if our luggage made it. Right here is where I need to tell you how wonderful and helpful our guide Maggie was through all of this. She tells us to run to catch our flight which she now tells us is very far away. OK, still need to go through security. Should be no problem, right? We almost get through and one of our bags gets taken away. She calls us to another table and we assume that they are going to open it and search it, but the man rubs it, and writes Kristy's name down on a list. Then we were given the bag. Are you getting a clear picture? Wait it gets better. We need to be at C 17 . So we have to rum from C 1 to C 17 dragging our luggage behind us. Because Kristy's running shoes are in her checked luggage, she has on a pair with not a lot of traction, so she is slipping on the brand new granite floors. Think...Amazing Race. We make the flight and we sit down and just laugh because what else can we do? I wish that this was the end of my story. After Kristy gets stopped leaving the baggage area with our backpack, she is asked for a ticket that she is not sure she still has. No one told us to keep it. Luckily she finds it and we meet our guide Jack. He happily tells us that Maggie called and our luggage is in Beijing and will arrive in the morning, but probably not until after we meet my Maggie. So he takes us to the local Carrafor (Wal-Mart) and we literally run around the store grabbing things. We think that our guide has had too many cups of coffee today because he is literally running and we are trying to keep up with him. Let me digress for a moment. The driver pulls off to the side of the road to drop us off at the store. He happens to stop by a man picking through a large dumpster. We have to cross 6 lanes of traffic and he says, "Oh, no traffic lights, be careful." Ok, we dodge cars and bikes (think Frogger) and make it into the store. Now we have to explain that we need diapers...he wasn't sure what I was talking about. We also bought some water and some much needed chocolate.

Me in front of the entrance to the Summer Palace One of the many houses on the grounds. Taking a dragon boat ride. Boys, this one's for you! View of the Kunming Lake...so beautiful! Kristy packing our 1 checked piece of luggage.

We passed by the beautiful Holiday Inn and then saw our hotel...let's just say what it lacks in cleanliness, it makes up for in space. We are getting great great at the optimism thing. I am sorry if this is long, but so was our day. I had to put it down so I wouldn't forget. God has certainly been teaching us who is in control, and has reminded us daily of what is really important here. Tomorrow I will meet my daughter and not lost luggage or a dirty hotel room, can diminish the feelings I have about that moment. I can't believe that she and I are sleeping under the same stars tonight and that my dream is about to come true. Thank you for your prayers and your wonderful comments...keep them coming. We meet Maggie in the morning and can't wait to share pictures~ Denise

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