Last night, we got dropped off at the new terminal at Wuhan Airport. It is very modern but not big. We checked in our bags but the agent would not issue a ticket for our son because their system showed that we didn’t pay for his lap ticket. We told our guide that we paid his ticket through CWTS (China Women Travel Service). Our guide called some office and the office told her that since Nathan is under 2 years old, we have to go to another booth to acquire his ticket. While my husband stayed with Nathan and our luggages, I went with the guide to get our son’s ticket at another booth. After I got my son’s lap ticket, we walked back to the check-in counter and finally checked in our luggages. For Nathan’s stroller, we handed it over to the agent near the boarding area.
When we walked through security, the security guy told me to open my bag because I had water inside in Nathan’s bottle. Our guide told me that I can go through security with water under 100ml. It was difficult to communicate with the security guy. Since I didn’t know if he was finished inspecting my bag, I gave him a thumbs up to say if I am OK to go. 🙂 He did allow me to bring the water bottle. He also allowed this woman to bring her baby’s bottle with over 100 ml of milk. If I was going through security at a US airport, for sure I would have to throw the water out.
Our flight was delayed for 20 mins which wasn’t too bad. We waited at Gate B02. When it was 30 mins before take off, the agents at the desk told everyone to go to Gate B06. While we were walking over to Gate B06, the overhead speaker said that our flight is moved to Gate B07! We and another family who adopted a child in Wuhan City decided to just follow everyone else because we didn’t know exactly which gate to go to.
Nathan’s first flight from Wuhan City to Guangzhou was terrible! :-0 He was fine for a while but pretty much cried most of the time. I am sure the business guy sitting at the window wanted to jump off the plane. 🙂 Good thing he wasn’t the only baby crying on the plane. About 20 mins before we landed, he fell asleep but unfortunately woke up and cried again after we had to exit the plane. He fell asleep again while we carried him out of the plane to the shuttle bus that took us to the luggage claim.
His first plane ride.
After getting our luggages and Nathan’s stroller, we met with our guide Grace. We also met other families whom I got to know in our adoption group via email. It was nice to see faces behind the emails. Our guide said that there was one family already at the Garden Hotel. Another family in our group was still airborne and won’t arrive at Guangzhou airport until past 10pm. So our guide with our driver dropped us off first then they went back to the airport to greet the other family. It was a very long night for her she said. The two other families we finally met on the morning of Dec 04 are the Groat Family who adopted Shanna (9 yrs old) and Angela & James who adopted a 3 year old girl named Samantha. Also, I saw the other families we saw in Wuhan City but since they are from another adoption agency, they were not in our group.
Guangzhou is definitely a much better place than Wuhan City because it is more modern and less dusty. This city has lots and lots of apartment buildings. I guess this is typical for big cities in China. I noticed that most apartment buildings in Guangzhou have bars on the windows. I wondered why.
The Garden Hotel was about 30 mins from the Guangzhou airport. The hotel is very beautiful just like what people said in adoption group that I am a member of. It reminds me of a Vegas style hotel.
While Nelson was watching Nathan in the hotel room, I had time to take pictures of the hotel.
Exterior front of the hotel
This is the building where our room is (room#1632)
This is the check-in/out counter
On the same floor as the check-in/out counter, there are high end stores
A lounge and very fancy wooden staircase
First floor of the hotel
View of 1st floor taken from the 2nd floor
The way to the health spa, gym, pool and salon on 4th floor
Seriously, I do not know what this guy does not understand. Clearly, the sign says ‘NO CLIMBING!!’
Waterfall near the Cascade Lounge (lower left) where we have our complimentary breakfast
Where is the door? It kinda looks like they just added a door knob on the wall
The hallway on the 16th floor
Once we got into our room, we were happy that we got a suite. Garden Hotel has special discounts for families adopting in China.
We have a good place to store Nathan’s stroller
It is actually nice to have this huge glass window in the bathtub/shower area so that while I am taking a shower, I can look through the window to see what Nathan is doing.
The best part of the shower is the waterfall shower head.
The room supplied the room with a rubber duck, baby bath liquid soap and baby powder. Honestly, the duck looks kinda scary.
Hey, it’s me! Hello Everyone back home!
The housekeeper supplies the room with fresh fruits and flowers.
When I was snooping around the desk area looking for postcards of the hotel, I was surprised to find office supplies. I wonder if the hotel will charge us if I take everything!
Our view from the hotel room
This morning, my group went to have our children get their visa photos and physical medical exam. When we got there, we saw even more other families from different adoption agencies.
This is the line for the visa photo. Few buildings down is the medical office.
Our group waiting at the medical office. 
Nathan getting his physical checkup!
I censored a certain part. 🙂
Nathan didn’t cry at all during his medical exam which made things easier for the nurses and doctor.
After a long day in the morning and few hours in afternoon, he took his usual nap.
At 3pm, I went downstairs to meet with our guide Grace. She assisted my group on how to fill-in our documents that we need to give to the American Consulate. I gave her documents that we received from Wuhan City as well. Filling out the documents was overwhelming because there were so many! Since Nelson was watching Nathan in the room, Grace needed Nelson’s signature for one of the documents. So she went with me back upstairs for his signature.
In our hotel room, Nelson was watching some ridiculous fighting competition. It was a one-legged fight. These two guys have two normal legs but they choose a sport where they only fight with one!
And the crowd cheers!…. Woo hoo… Hooray!!!
Nelson was reading The Guide for Fire Evacuation. I couldn’t stop laughing after he showed me the illustrations. In short, if there is a fire, hang yourself! 🙂