We started our morning at 5am by live streaming the Auburn/Alabama game! It's dedication to watch the game half way around the world before the sun comes up! Although the game didn't turn out the way we wanted, War Eagle anyways!
We enjoyed one last breakfast at the Executive Club before heading to the airport. While we were eating, we met a couple from Florida who are touring Beijing prior to him taking a class next week in Hong Kong. In one of those little God moments, we figured out he would be taking the same flight home as us next Thursday! (I told him that he still had time to change flights because my baby might cry the whole way!) He was very kind to offer us his cell phone number in case we needed help in the airport next week! I love how God places people in your life when you need it!
After breakfast, we quickly packed up, checked out of the hotel and met our guide in the hotel lobby! We were off to the airport for our flight to Nanning! We have so enjoyed our company here in Beijing and were able to hang with them all the way until our flights departed.
We had a bet going into the airport about who would have to pay the most money for overweight luggage fees. On international flights to China you are allowed 2 checked pieces of 50 pound luggage per person. On domestic flights in China, each person is allowed 20kg or about 44lbs. Well I'm happy to announce that I won the prize for the heaviest luggage in our group! Thanks to our guide's negotiating skills, I ONLY had to pay 100 dollars! I swiped my credit card with a smile....I'm happy to have all my stuff here!
We said goodbye to our guide at the entrance to security! She has been a huge help to us over the past several days! We headed down the escalators, ready to take on airport security! We were quickly defeated! China is very particular about what is in your checked AND carry on luggage! They have special aversion to batteries of any kind. Not only did we have to empty our bags of the usual liquids and laptops - we had to unload all battery powered devices, batteries, chargers and so on! I think my whole bag was in a bin! We placed it all into the x-ray machine and walked through the metal detectors! (This is the part where I wish I had pictures to include!) EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. OF. US. set off the metal detectors! (Woohoo! Crazy Americans!) They made us step up on this stool and then proceeded to wand our entire body and then perform a very serious pat down! I have never been so violated! After getting our body massage, we went to collect our belongings. The lady started pointing to items on the computerized image of the x-ray and I had to find each thing for her! Then she would run that item through the machine. This went on for several minutes! Finally, with my entire backpack unloaded, I was able to leave! An experience I will never forget! How on earth will I do that with a baby next week?!
We found our gate and we were able to relax and talk for about an hour before we boarded our plane.
When it was time to board, we said goodbye to the Good family and headed to our boarding area where we were the only Americans! It's such a weird feeling to be in a foreign country with no familiar around!
Our flight was about 3 and a half hours, and we sat next to a nice Chinese college student. He was quick to help us with our bags and explained things to us in broken English. They served us lunch on the plane - Chicken or Beef with rice! It wasn't half bad - and it was a nice surprise since we weren't expecting it! We landed in Nanning about 3:30 pm and easily found our way to baggage claim!
All of our luggage arrived in one piece - praise the Lord! It would be a long week in these same clothes if that had not been the case! Our guide, Belinda, met us outside of baggage claim and took us to our waiting driver!
Nanning has a tropical feel and is much warmer than it was in Beijing. This week will be in the 60's and 70's. The land is green and there are tons of beautiful tropical flowers everywhere!
Belinda let us know that we would be getting Hallie Grace tomorrow at 2:30pm. She got us all settled in our hotel room at the Marriott Nanning, and went over the itinerary for the week. We went through some paperwork and she told us what to expect for tomorrow!
As for the rest of the night, we ate in the Executive Club and went exploring in the mall that is connected to our hotel! We visited Wal-Mart (that deserves its own post!) and had a Blizzard from Dairy Queen!
The next post will be all about Hallie Grace day!!!!