Wuhan to Guangzhou

Friday 1-17 and Saturday 1-18

Friday was a day of just trying to pass time.  As we were waiting for Teagen’s passport and then would be flying out that evening, we primarily just hung out at the hotel.  Fortunately Teagen’s favorite show was on quite a bit in the morning.  I’ve now determined it is about a logger who wants to cut down the trees and 2 bears who are trying to save the forest.  The comedy is more along the lines of Bugs Bunny-Elmer Fudd.  We also did our regular walk to a nearby store where we bought Ramen noodles, Coke, and a can of milk for lunch.  At another store I was able to find at least a couple of souvenirs as I wanted to get Teagen something from her hometown.  

We left the hotel to pick up Teagen’s passport at 3 and then headed to the airport for our 7:15 flight.  About half way there, Teagen throws up.  And gets a bloody nose.  I was actually relieved to discover that her nose was bleeding, as this was preferred to thinking that she was throwing up bright red blood.  Our rep pulled over in a hospital parking lot; while I got Teagen cleaned up he borrowed a mop to clean out the backseat. Upon arriving at the airport, we found our flight delayed about 1.5 hours.  We had dinner there of some good noodle soup.  We then rode the moving walkways to the end of the concourse, walked back and repeated.  Unfortunately it wasn’t until the just before boarding the flight that I discovered that vending machines in China can sell beer!  Today we even saw a vending machine of wine.

This morning we spent 2 hours waiting in in lines for Teagen’s medical exam.  She had to do 4 different rooms—including a blood draw, which they would not let me in the room for.  We’ll find out on Tuesday if everything is clear.  If she tests positive for TB, they will require an x-ray, which clears about 99% of kids.  She also had her photo taken for her visa and I completed that paperwork. 

Guangzhou is a much more beautiful city than Wuhan.  It is not nearly as crowded and has “character”.  There are palm trees and the high should be upper 60’s today.  Perhaps the best part is that there are other families here from our agency and a representative who works only with CHSFS.  We are going to do sightseeing as a group in the next couple of days.  One of the families from Minnesota adopted a girl who is nearly 4.  While we did paperwork, Teagen shared a packet of raw sugar crystals with her.