The Road to Guangzhou

Nelson gave us a "Sleepy Morning" today. We didn't have to do anything until 10:30 when we were scheduled to be at the passport office. Molly got the memo and we all slept until 8:00 AM! Getting the daughter's passports was anticlimactic after some of the events of the last couple of days. We all went to a nondescript white marble building a few miles from the hotel. Inside were rows of windows staffed by a couple of uniformed government employees. The rest of the room was filled up with waiting room furniture and a big display with pictures of official looking people shaking hands and looking official. When Nelson called our name we went up to the window and gave them our passports and adoption decree. They handed us Molly's brand-spanking new Chinese passport, Nelson checked our name off list, and called the next family. The passport picture is the one they took a few moments after we became a family. It is not the most flattering of pictures as she is still teary eyed from learning her new last name would be "Rainford Dreibelbis". Speaking of which, you should see what "Amalia May Rainford Dreibelbis" looks like in Chinese characters. A sight to behold and a clear abomination of Chinese nomenclature.



The rest of the afternoon was leisurely lunching and socializing before we headed to the airport. Once there, Nelson took care of everything. He some how had the porters from the Gloria helping us get all our luggage herded to the right window, arranged all our tickets, and got the bags checked without paying any over-weight fees (our 24 pieces of luggage must have actually weighted one ton).

Molly was extremely patient as we made our way through security and onto the plane (boarding a Chinese domestic flight is nearly identical to US flights, except they don't make you take off your shoes). However, once the doors were closed and we were in full taxi, Molly's bowels decided they had held long enough and that it was time to move things along. The flight between Nanchang and Guangzhou is only 55 minutes, but there was no way we were going to make the entire flight in this condition. Once the seatbelt sign went off, I drew the short straw and got to attempt my first full diaper change at altitude. To no one's surprise, Boeing 727 lavatories do not have a changing table. Having limited skills, I chose the floor at the back of the plane rather than the higher degree of difficulty maneuver of changing on a closed toilet seat. Molly generally cooperated and joined me in crying through the entire process.

It is good to be back in Guangzhou. Compared to Nanchang, Guangzhou is a growing, clean, and brightly colored town. There are traffic signals, smooth highways (although the horn is still the preferred method of communication), and lots of new buildings going up. It helps the weather is much better. The White Swan also seems much nicer the second time around. Cheryl pointed out that the first time it all seemed so foreign and strange, but this time it is comfortable and luxurious.

The White Swan is located on the banks of Pearl River and surrounded by large white colonial buildings. The US consulate is a few blocks away and entire area caters to international tourists. We ate dinner at a Thai restaurant next to a big table of Germans (not a table of big Germans). Cheryl's lemonade drink even came with flower that Julia enjoyed putting in her hair. This part of the trip will be a far cry from Feng Cheng.



Tomorrow we are headed off to start the Visa process for the daughters. According to Nelson we will be doing a lot of paperwork. I also anticipate that we will be doing some shopping.

Until we have more.

Love Jon, Cheryl, and the Unsinkable Molly May