Sunday, July 15, 2007

Sunday July 15th

We have had a fun day exploring the city and people watching. What an amazing country and City. I am loving it.

Our flight from Salt Lake City to San Francisco was the worst. We were in the very last row next to the bathrooms. Thank goodness I hadn't eatten for a few hours or I would have lost it. I swear every person on the plain had to use the bathroom, one guy was a little out of it and actually fell on me. Needless to say I was thrilled that it was our shortest flight.

We got to San Francisco and had to leave securtiy and go to the China Airline desk and get tickets issued, I guess this is standard. Then go back through security again. I really like China Airline. The seats were roomy, (this is even coming from a plus sized girl) and the service was excellent and great food. The 13 hours definately went by fast and we even got some sleep in, about 8 hours, in shifts.

In Taipei, Tiawain we again had to leave and go back through security, something I am not understanding. The flight from tiawan to Hanoi seemed the longest, not that it was bad we were just anxious to get there. The food again was great. I had to laugh though, a lady sitting next to me was very impatient with me. When deboarding she thought I wasn't going fast enough and climbed over the seat to get out and then proceeded to push me all the way up the walk way and into the terminal, I just laughed, we didn't gain any time at all.

The heat hits you like a brick wall, especially the humidity. But when you live in Utah and have the dry heat you would expect it.

We are traveling with two others who are with our agency. Tammy and Issac are from Oregon and getting an 11 month old girl. Heather is from Oregon also and is getting a 6 month old. We have had a lot of fun shopping and eatting together. Heather lost one of her suitcases and we are hoping it comes today.

The hotel is great but small. We are staying at the Lucky Star. The staff is very helpful. We lost power and ac today. They went out and bought us a fan to help with the heat. When they came to fix the ac, the guy was wearing dress shoes and took them off the climb on the chair but quickly needed to run and get something so he said something in Vietnamese and grabed my sandles and took off. Obviously we are very friendly and comfortable with each other to the point we are sharing shoes. We had a good laugh over that.

We went to the Kiki that is a few doors down for dinner last night and loved it. The food was great and a huge menu, we could have lunch and dinner there for the 3 weeks and not try everything. Matt says way not eat there every time, it is close, service is great and he likes it. I just think he is afraid to go somewhere else. But they did tell me they would even bring us take out to our room for no extra charge once we get the girls.

They did ask me what the girls names were and told them. They looked at me really funny and asked me to spell it. Then corrected me on the pronunciation. They all laughed and thought it was so funny that I did not know how to say my own childs name. I am not feeling like a good mom right now.

We have a meeting in a few minutes to discuss the process and schedules. Hopefully tomorrow we will get the girls.

i will post pictures as soon as the internet is working in our room.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hi Christie,
I can't wait to come back to Vietnam. I would love to adopt from Vietnam again, but if we can't do that I do want to bring Melissa back to visit the country where she was born. I am glad to hear things are going well for you so far. We stayed at the Lucky Hotel while we were there in Hanoi, I don't know if the lucky star is the same hotel that they have just added star to or not. Will you be going to Ho Chi Minh city, or are you able to do everything there in Hanoi? We did have to go to Ho Chi Minh city seven and a half years ago, but I know everything is different now. Can't wait to see pictures of your girls again. All the best to you, Sharon Smith