Journey to Nanning, Guangxi

After Maya Grace's orphanage visit we returned to the Guangzhou Airport.  We went to the ticket counter, obtained boarding passes, and checked our luggage. We had hours until our flight to Nanning so we had dinner with our guide in the airport "food court".  I love watching the cultural differences. There were multiple restaurants.  Many people had their luggage on the rolling luggage carts that one finds in airports. The carts and luggage were left in the center of the food court as people entered the businesses to eat.  This would not have happened in America.  We ate at a very inexpensive dumpling shop.  Our guide said we are not going to buy drinks here, they want too much.  She said I will go buy them where they are cheaper.  She left the restaurant went to a 7-11 type store in the same food court area and brought the drinks back into the restaurant.  This would not have made an American restaurant owner happy at all! This seemed to be perfectly "OK".

We then proceeded to our gate.  Multiple stares as we walked.  Makes you feel very self-conscious. While sitting at the gate a man kept staring.  He started a conversation with our guide.  He questioned her about us and then the girls. She then told me that he asked her how old Billy and I were.  Again in America you would not ask a stranger's age.  He said I did not look my age! I LIKED him! As we waited we learned that our China Southern flight was delayed.  We were beyond exhausted so this did not make us happy campers at all. We were the only non-Asians at the entire gate. All three girls fell asleep while we were waiting. There was a smoking area near the gate and the smoke smell was very strong.  I am so thankful that there are smoking restrictions in America - one definite positive thing about our country!  One more interesting thing about the airport is that there are water machines placed about in the airport.  I found one to refill my water bottle.  While waiting in line there were multiple people with bowls of instant noodles.  The water machines have an option for very hot water just for making tea, noodles, etc.  Chinese New Year is celebrated for two weeks so the airports have been very crowded. Everyone seems happy and in a joyful mood!

Our flight to Nanning was less than one hour but due to the delay we did not arrive until after midnight! All six of us slept on the flight.  The Nanning airport is not very large.  After landing as we were taxing down the run way I saw a car with flashing lights which said "FOLLOW ME".  The plane was following the car and we were directed into a "parking space" at what appeared to be a huge parking lot for planes.  There was a bus waiting which shuttled us to the terminal.  We got in and out of there quickly.  Our guide had pre-arranged for a driver to meet us there to drive us to the hotel.  The drive to the hotel was around 40 minutes.

We opted to stay at the Majestic Hotel aka Mingyuan Xindu Hotel due to our very tight budget as it is $60 less per night that the other hotels where other adopting families stay.  This info is for other adoptive families coming after us and likely of no interest to others.  From what I understand in the early 2000s when there were many more China non-special needs adoption this was THE hotel where everyone stayed.  It was five star at that time.  It has since declined.  It is an older hotel.  I will share the good and bad.  Negative - we are on the 9th floor which is supposed to be the non-smoking floor.  The air is musty and there has obviously been some smoking on this floor.  The wallpaper is peeling in multiple places high on the wall.  There is some mold in the bathroom between the tiles. Positives - the lobby and restaurant are very nice!  We arrived after midnight and checked-in.  The staff was extremely attentive.  When we arrived to our room our luggage was waiting. We asked for a crib for Maya Grace and also a power converter.  They were brought within 10 minutes of us arriving in the room.  A breakfast buffet is included with our room.  The Garden Restaurant is located off the lobby area and the staff there is very attentive as well.  The first morning we were given slips of paper titled "Western Breakfast" which we could tic what we wanted.  The offerings on the buffet were completely fine without being offered this option.  Mary Bailey my huge eater did chose from that menu  and the food was brought to her within minutes.  There are restaurants near and the People's Park is just a few blocks away.  The room is a standard hotel room but is spacious. There were extra linens in the room including two extra down comforters, blankets, and pillows.  The girls are making pallets on the floor with them.  The beds are board hard but that is the norm in China and they also have fluffy pillows and the nice soft down comforters. We have a room safe and a small refrigerator. There is also a pot to heat water - great for those instant noodles.