We are on our way to Hong Kong

In about 2 hours we leave to catch our train. This sounds like it is going to be another adventure. 4 escalators up and 4 back down with a wheel chair = no fun. Please be thinking about us as we make this last part of our journey. When I am on the plane from Hong Kong to Detroit....I will be a happy man. Even more so when we are on the plane to Detroit. Not so much that I want to leave China, I am just ready to be done with the nerve racking travel. If I could speak more languauges it would be easier, but I don't so I have to struggle through it. My next post should be from home...I leave you with a great picture...thanks everyone.

 

Brian

Consulate appointment done

We had our consulate appointment this morning...it went well. Although we were the last family called. This was our last appointment...thankfully. Tomorrow we pick up Josiah's Visa/Passport and head by train to Hong Kong. Thursday morning we fly out of Hong Kong around 9am...we should get to Detroit around noon time. This is where Josiah becomes a US citizen. Then we fly to Moline around 3PM and get to Moline around 3:45...thankfully....I have been looking forward to this for a few weeks now. I can't wait to sleep in my own bed and eat our food. I don't know how much more internet I will have so if nothing else I will see everyone soon.

 

Brian

TB test OK

Today we went back to the medical exam room and they checked Josiah's TB shot from Saturday. Everything was OK. We also went to the Jade and pearl market, however, Josiah was misbehaving a little so it wasn't very enjoyable. Plus it was hard to bargain and keep track of the family. However, at the pearl market we were able to get a picture of Josiah with Paige's hair...there were people all around laughing at us. Also pictured is our good friend Cormack. He really really helped us on Saturday night. He stayed very close to me and he and I talked almost the whole night. He speaks English (with a british accient), Cantonese, Mandarin, and he is studying German...he even goes to School on Sunday's for additional studying. Well we are getting close to the end of the road here in China, tomorrow we have our consulate appointment and wednesday we receive Josiah's visa packet and head out to Hong Kong via train. Please be thinking about us on Wednesday and Thursday as I really don't know what to expect in Hong Kong. My little bit of Mandarin will not do me much good in Hong Kong as they speak Cantonese. Josiah is taking a nap right now, actually he just fell out of bed and hit his head...that is like the 3rd time since we have got him that he has done that...thankfully his bed at home is low to the ground and has rails :)

 

Brian

Quick Post

Today we are going to the zoo, I hope Josiah does good...he has kind of been in a bad mood.

 

Brian

Some Pictures

I am not sure how many pics I can send at a time so I will send a few at a time...Enjoy!!

Pics

One of the things we really noticed in Changsha is that about 80% of the population was very very good looking. I think it must be some well kept secret :) Here are a few of the people I was able to take their pictures.

We are in Guangzhou

We have arrived in Guanzhou. The hotel we are staying at seems like it should be for royalty. We walked in and we were like wow. We had Josiah's medical exam today...it went great and he was absolutely perfect. I did notice today at the doctors office that one of his legs is longer than the other by a few inches. I don't know how much of a problem this will be for his walking but we will see. Guangzhou is extremely beautiful. Palm trees, blue skys, and waterways. It is a lot more western as there are many different nationalities here in the hotel. The people have also been very nice here and a lot more people here speak english. Plus we are back together with our other Holt families.

 

Our plane ride from Changsha was a little rough...first it was late, then the plane was so small I could literally almost touch both sides. Tina got sick after the flight, and today Paris has some stomach problems. We are going to be eating some McD's for lunch and then we are going to go out to eat with the group tonight. Some good news, our documents said that we needed 600RMB per person, but today we found it was only 600RMB per adult. That saves us 1800RMB/$300.

 

Tomorrow we have a free day, and Monday we are back to the medical exam place to check Josiah's TB test. So far it looks good, nothing raised or discolored. It was a little scary in the Dr. Office because they were a little confused with Josiah's limitations. They were trying to get him to grab a ball with his hands, but he couldn't...obviously. 

 

Sorry McD's has arrived...gotta go...some american food yee-haw!

 

Brian