05 July 2007 at 10:35 p.m.
Let’s just say that the last few days have been extremely stressful. I don’t have enough money or time to make things work the way they were supposed to. After numerous phone calls, Skype chats, and tearful journal entries, we finally got things figured out.
It wasn’t looking good there for a while. We knew that the train trip to Shenzhen was a lousy idea: the delays to buy tickets, the isolation, all that luggage. It would take too long and be very difficult with a heck of a lot of unknowns. So, we thought we could maybe fly there. The flights to Hong Kong were proving to be expensive and difficult (fly to Bangkok then Hong Kong, or to HCMC then to Hong Kong). So the lovely desk clerk, Huyen at Ha Noi Holidays Hotel (36 Hang Manh, Ha Noi–go there) did a bunch of calling around for me to see if we can fly into Guangzhou. There were a couple of flights on Vietnam Airlines for $230+tax, but there were only single and double seats left. No flights with three empty seats until the 13th. Then inspiration hit me (thanks to the ad I’d seen at Pepperoni’s) and I had Huyen call Hong Kong Airlines.
Meanwhile, my mom, my sister and I are chatting via Skype to try to figure out what we’re going to do. Stay in Ha Noi? Fly to Bangkok, then Guangzhou? Fly straight to Shanghai? Fly home from here?
Then Audrey ran back up to our room with a note from Huyen; they have flights tomorrow morning for Hong Kong, three seats available at $239 each, including tax. After a short time debating, it was decided–I’ll buy the tickets.
So there you have it. We fly out tomorrow morning at 8:55a.m. heading to Hong Kong. Our visa arrived this morning, so all is finally falling into place.
Our dear friend Becky flew out this morning, heading to Bangkok then Laos. I’ll say goodbye to my bestest friend tonight. And then I’ll shed those tears that have been only intermittently spilling over the banks. It’s been a build-up and I need a good purging sob again. I’m really gonna miss this place.
In other good news, I finally snuck in an actual gift from me to my kids. Yay! I bought them hand-carved stamps from the fellow next door to our hotel. I chatted with him yesterday and he knew who I was, that I had a son and daughter and that he’d seen us many times over the months. I couldn’t help but laugh a bit. I hadn’t realized that others took notice of us and there was something sweet about him recognizing me. Anyway, this is his craftwork. Amazingly skilled.
Click to see Stuart’s stamp Click to see Audrey’s stamp
And our family stamp; a copy of my trio of fleur de lis tattoos.
Continue reading… We’re in China. How Crazy is That?!