Shanghai

Fourteen hours is a really long time to be on an airplane! We all watched a bit of movies/TV, slept, ate, watched the clock and did more of the same. We finally arrived at our hotel (Sheraton, Daning) around 3pm Friday afternoon (3am EST). David, Andrew and I walked out with the intent of getting Pizza Hut to bring back (we could see it out the window) but their version of Pizza Hut has a very different menu . . . So we ended up with Burger King. We are not very adventurous when it comes to REAL Chinese food. Grace slept forever but the rest of us were awake off and on starting at least at 3am. The hotel breakfast buffet opened at 6:30 am - this is probably the only scenario under which you could get us (other than David) up and going so early on a Saturday morning. Today's activities included: navigation of the metro system (pretty similar to DC's and it helps that it has a button for "English" to translate the ticket screens), walking down Nanjing Road (long pedestrian shopping area), walking along the Huangpu River along the "Bund" (according to our guide book, this is the heart of colonial Shanghai and has very Western-style architecture), took a train ride under the river through a tunnel with a neon light show (guidebook said everyone should do this . . . I'm not so sure I'd put it on the must list), lots more walking on the other side of the river to find the ferry to get back across, lots more walking to find the Yu Gardens and Bazaar (very cool Asian architecture in a touristy area in an old part of the city), more walking and walking back to the Metro and back to our hotel. Andrew managed to take a decent nap on top of Matthew's head and shoulders during all this walking. I'll try to add some pictures once I can figure out how to hook up Grace's camera. It is 5pm here now. I'm not sure how much longer we will hold out!

Travel planning . . .

We are at the end of the line and wrapping up final loose ends before we leave for China on Thursday morning. This blog is one of those final tasks. There are also some incomplete tasks related to setting up the Zuni thing I purchased and the VPN account details that are supposed to make it possible for us to access and use the Internet. Assuming that all works out, I will use this blog to provide updates of our China travel and meeting Elizabeth. Below is a general outline of our travel plans. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers and wish us luck! Thursday-5/16: fly from Dulles-Chicago-Shanghai Friday-5/17: arrive Shanghai (approximately 2pm China time); drag ourselves to hotel and recover Saturday-5/18: tour around Shanghai Sunday-5/19: more touring Shanghai; take high speed train from Shanghai to Nanjing (one of ancient capitols of China) Monday-5/20: "family day" in Nanjing; This is when we will meet Libby! Tuesday-5/21: finalize adoption paperwork back at civil affairs office Wednesday-5/22: free day Thursday-5/23: free day Friday-5/24: receive various required official documents; David flies to Beijing with M, G, and A. I will fly to Guangzhou with Libby Saturday-5/24: David and kids tour Beijing and Great Wall and fly home Sunday evening; Libby has required medical Exam in Guangzhou Sunday-5/26: free day Monday-5/27: read TB test; free day Tuesday-5/28: U S Consulate appointment Wednesday-5/29: receive Elizabeth's U S visa; she will become U s citizen when we land back in the U s. Thursday-5/30: fly from Guangzhou-Beijing-Dulles, VA.