Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Now that all the proper documentation and paperwork is in place, I have the green light to actually buy plane tickets.

Obstacle 1: During my first attempt at making reservations, I discovered that it costs three times as much for a ticket for a little girl one-third the size of the rest of us to travel only half the distance as the rest of us. A one-way ticket was hideously expensive. And we don't really have the option of leaving her there to save the plane ticket since bringing her home is what this trip is all about. My second attempt was through a travel agent whose name was suggested to me after I posted a frantic plea on an internet group. This travel agent specializes in international adoptions and I could tell right away that she knew the business. After I indicated some flexibility on flight times and connections, she put forth an itinerary that actually had Abigail's ticket costing somewhat LESS than the rest of us. Which leads us to obstacle #2.

Obstacle #2: This itinerary has us leaving for home from Hong Kong. Not Guangzhou, where we are staying. This is not a huge obstacle since Hong Kong is only about 170 km from Guangzhou. We'll just take the train. I hear that Hong Kong is a pretty interesting place. And Chinese rail travel also can be interesting.

I'm sure there will be more obstacles as this whole process plays out... hopefully none of them will be show stoppers.

This could be quite a trip. Here's how it's starting to shape up:

Day 1 - Leave the US
Day 2 - Arrive in Beijing
Day 3, 4 - Take in the sights and sounds of Beijing
Day 5 - Finish up in Beijing. Take the evening sleeper train towards Xi'An
Day 6 - [Gotcha Day] Arrive in Xi'An in the morning, receive Abigail in the afternoon.
Day 7 - Paperwork and hang out. Begin to get used to the freaky idea of being a family of five (with TWO females).
Day 8, 9 - Free days. Check out the sights of Xi'An. Orphanage visit, if possible.
Day 10 - Pick up paperwork. Hang out.
Day 11 - Fly to Guangzhou.
Day 12 - Physical examination (Abigail, not us). Hang out
Day 13, 14, 15 - Free days. I hear that the zoo in Guangzhou is pretty cool.
Day 16 - US Embassy appointment.
Day 17 - Oath Ceremony. Pick up immigrant visa. Flee by train to Hong Kong.
Day 18 - Free day in Hong Kong. I've been told that Hong Kong makes Los Angeles look like farmland. I grew up on a farm, and I've been to Los Angeles many times. This oughtta be interesting.
Day 19 - Leave Hong Kong for home. Crash, big time.