Goodbye Heilongjiang, Hello Guangzhou

It was our last day in Harbin. It was a bittersweet feeling, leaving Emma Claire's birth province, but I was also looking forward to heading south, where there would be their adoptive families and we could finish the adoption process to bring Emma Claire home.

Lynne, from the Heilongjiang Civil Affairs office came by our hotel room this morning to bring Emma Claire's Chinese passport. She also brought by a photo book filled with pictures from Gotcha and Adoption Day. I also received Emma Clare's finding ad.

Emma Claire's Chinese passport photo page. She is in an enormous shirt that was obviously too large/an adult shirt.

The photo book given to me by the Civil Affairs office.

Each amity that adopts from Harbin signs a notebook and writes a note. I thought that was a very nice tradition. 

We headed to he airport around noon for our 2:30 pm flight. We quickly learned that domestic China ar travel means one thing---DELAYS. I think every flight in the airport was delayed and every flight ad a gate change. It was comical watching everyone constantly move from gate to gate. 

Once again we were on display. I thought we would get a reprieve when a tour group of European high school students came through, but no, all eyes on the 5'9" blonde lady holding the Chinese baby.i also got lots of unsolicited parenting tips like Emma Claire was dressed to warmly (the airport was a stifling 80 degrees), she needed to be in split pants and she was fussy because she was hot (she was fussy because she was tired).

Finally after a 2.5 hour delay we boarded and headed to Guangzhou. We flew on Shenzhen Airlines which insisted on playing "Welcome to the Hotel California" and showing segments f Hollywood movies instead of the complete movie. We also earned that Emma Claire will sleep in a car, while being held, but NOT on an airplane. She was good, but she was squirmy.

Looking at Heilongjiang from the air.

The first flight.

We arrived in Guangzhou at 10:00 and no one was there to meet us. Deanna was ready to catch a cab when Kelly, our agency guide for the week came in to the airport. In the end, we didn't get to our hotel until 11:30 pm. Emma Claire was very tired, but we still had smiles from her.

Guangzhou certainly has a different feel than Harbin. Last time I was here, we stayed at the White Swan Hotel on Shamian Island. i cant wait to see Guangzhou in the daylight and experience it from a different area. 

As soon as we walked into the lobby of the Marriott, there were about 5 American families with their Chinese children sitting in the lobby. It feels good not to stick out like a sore thumb!!

Tomorrow is Emma Claire's medical check up and Deanna and I MUST find the launderer.