China Dreaming

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June 18, 2005

Friday, and we're on the road again

We're all still unpleasantly ill, but we got up this morning with a new sense of purpose. We're finished dealing with the Chinese authorities, and it's time to move on to Guangzhou and start dealing with the more familiar, if still Byzantine, US federal government. We ate breakfast in the Sampan, where the A/C was broken and the high chairs were all taken, then returned to the room and started packing, wondering how in the world all this stuff ever fit into two bags.

At 9:30, I went down to the 3rd floor to begin working on our paperwork. What was supposed to take "an hour or so" took nearly three, as we all filled out medical forms, visa requests and assorted Federal pencil-jockey certificates. Imagine filling out your taxes. Now take out all the fun and enjoyment, and make the room warm. You'll get the idea.

We all amused each other by cracking jokes about some of the questions on the forms. For instance, asking an infant visa applicant about military service leads to some truly comic possibilities. Then, paperwork done, we returned to the rooms to finish packing.

Lara had done a yeoman's job while I was downstairs. Together, we finished filling the suitcases and carryons, swept the room three times for leftovers (finding a few important ones, like the laptop power cable), and then stacked the bags outside. Then, we rested and snacked, playing with Emma. When she's sick, Emma's pretty easy to get along with. She sits and plays quietly, and doesn't interact very much with anyone. This means Mama and Daddy got a nice rest until 2:30, when we went downstairs to get on...wait for it...a bus to the airport. Yeehaw!

The ride was an uneventful forty minutes, followed by another thirty to forty minutes of standing around while tickets and boarding passes were sorted out and distributed. We passed through security nearly uneventfully -- my Vick's inhaler managed to trigger the metal detector, but darned if I know why. Then, at gate six, we sweltered for another hour or so, chugging "orangeate" and narfing Chex Mix, until they bused us down the tarmac to our waiting plane.

If the airport was nearly un-air conditioned, the plane was the polar opposite. "Polar" would be an apt word, too. The air was so humid, and the A/C so chilly, that every vent on the craft ejected small clouds of vapor, the mist dissipating through the cabin in an eerie sort of way. But you can bet that we were relieved to be in the cool air.

After a short wait, the plane taxied down the runway, and we were off for Guangzhou. Emma dropped off to sleep almost immediately, while we both struggled with head congestion that felt as though our skulls were going to implode for the entire hour flight. The flight was a China Eastern job, an Airbus A319 with more than the standard legroom between seats, a cool anime-inflected safety video, and a smart-aleck entertainment report as "news" during the flight. The in-flight snacks deserve special mention -- strawberry drink, water, some type of little biscuits, and raisins. The raisin package invited consumers to "Feel free to toke the Oriental flight." I kid you not.

As darkness fell, we touched down in Guangzhou, taxied for what seemed like half an hour, and disembarked, walking up the long jetway into the cool, sleek confines of White Cloud Airport, and feeling like we had reached familiar territory again. It wasn't home, but we were willing to settle for "familiar feeling." We journeyed to the baggage claim, retrieved our luggage (all of it, this time, including Bert and Pam's bags!), and then got the second nice surprise in Guangzhou.

The bus that pulled up was a spiffy metalflake blue job, with ice-cold air and luxuriant leather seats. Our carryons were stowed in the hold, and we reclined our seats for 45-minute ride to Shamian Island and the White Swan Hotel. All around us, Guangzhou rose up, tall, modern, and sleek. Of course, any city looks better in the dark, but Guangzhou seemed nicer even that Beijing. At the hotel, we piled out and into the lobby. A quick check-in later, we were in our room.

The room was impressive, but we were more interested in dinner, especially Emma. Our bags were yet to arrive from the airport, so we ordered up room service. Something like $50 for two burgers, fries, Sprites and a bowl of congee for the kid. Not only is the room posh, but the room service prices are posh, as well. Never mind, it was food, and it was reasonably quick.

The food arrived on a white linen-clad table, laid out by a waiter wearing a tux. Pretty spiff, let me tell you. We dined heartily, Emma alternating bites of cooled congee with attempts to maul a french fry. After 45 minutes, our bags arrived, and we prepped a bottle. The kid went down and out only about an hour behind schedule, and Mom and Dad followed right along after.

Posted by brlittle at June 18, 2005 09:27 PM

Comments

Posted by: Kristen Eshleman at June 20, 2005 10:38 PM

Posted by: Lisa at July 3, 2005 03:16 AM

Posted by: Mary at July 10, 2005 01:18 AM