So Exhausted!!

Where do I start? First, a 4-hour flight from Houston to Newark. Then a 16-hour trek from there to Hong Kong. Actually it really wasn't so bad. It was a huge plane, and each passenger had his/her own monitor, complete with a menu of every movie, tv show, video game imaginable. I watched two movies, listened to music, watched about about 9 sit-coms and napped and ate intermittently (We received 4 rounds of food during the flight.)

Hong Kong airport--confusing. But Mama and I figured it out, finally. We bought our train tickets for the next day, and managed to end up using the good, government-sanctioned taxis instead of the questionable guys who try to approach you as soon as you step through customs.

After a night's stay in the Kowloon International hotel, we explored the harbor area of Hong Kong and bought Maggie a big teddy bear for Monday. We then hopped on the train to Guangzhou. But it wasn't that easy. Lots of standing in line and waiting. And to see the two of us hefting our giant suitcases onto that train was a sight, I'm sure.

Anyway, with great relief we met out guide, Kathy, at the East Guangzhou train station. We were shuttled to the White Swan hotel where Kathy gave us the run-down for the week and a tour of hotel and Shamian Island. The Island is one of the first places that Europeans and other non-Chinese were allowed to settle as they traded with China and the area. It is absolutely gorgeous, with huge twisted old oaks and colonial-style buildings, even some old churces. Much more laid back than Hong Kong! Our two rooms overlook the widest stretch of the Pearl River.

The big news, though, is that tomorrow at 2:00 we get Maggie at the Civil Affairs Office!! We'll let you know how it goes!!!

Now I'm going to use the remainder of my prepaid hour of Internet service to try and upload photos.