Back to America

We slept well at the hotel, but arrived there late so didn't see anything but our eyelids until breakfast. Had to once again, have bags ready and gathered for the buses to the airport. Most, but not all of the families were on the same flight home, so some goodbyes were said for those who went other directions. The airport was frustrating and very hot. We had to go through immigration and customs and check our bags, get our seat assignments, etc., with babies and documents, etc. Jimmy and I were unable to get seats together, and it's a 13 1/2 hour flight back to Newark! Other people were actually assigned seats away from their kids, as young as 2! It was a madhouse and there was a little 'road-rage' but we all finally got on the plane and played musical chairs with people until we were together. Jimmy and I got very lucky and a Chinese woman gave us her window seat next to Jimmy and took my icky center seat between 2 other people. We sat with a nice businessman named Don who said not to worry about him, and to get up whenever we needed to and I could even use his tray table if I needed to when Laina was in my lap. She was an angel, she couldn't have dreamed that she'd be so easy. The flight was gruelling, I was so uncomfortable and hot and tired of sitting. Laina, however, got laid on a makeshift bed of our tray tables and slept like a log! 10 hours out of 13! The rest of the time, she either had a bottle, was walking the aisles and going to get changed, or watching Tom & Jerry cartoons on the little portable DVD player we had bought. The stewardesses all said that she was the best and we proudly agreed. Many families had screaming babies, sick, and frustrated other children along with them, and were still seething from the airport frustrations. It was a tough trip and we were all overjoyed when the long flight ended. Jimmy, Laina and I had one more short flight to T.F.Green airport in Rhode Island, but we were happy to stretch and lounge during our layover. The last flight ended up being delayed and we didn't reach RI until midnight. We were starving and Laina had more formula and the grownups had burgers and fries from an all-night Wendy's before trying to sleep on American-time so the jet lag wouldn't be so bad. China is exactly 12 hours ahead, so day is night and night is day, it is a very difficult adjustment. The king-sized bed was soft and cushy so we managed a few hours and got up early to head for home at last.