September 1, 2012: Day #6 with Cai Yun, Goin' to Guangzhou, China

The sixth day with Cai Yun, we spent doing final packing to leave Zhengzhou and then traveling to a new province, Guangdong, and city in southern China, Guangzhou (historically known as Canton).

After breakfast, we met our group in the lobby of our hotel and then boarded our bus for the airport.

As we waited for our luggage to be loaded onto the bus, Cai Yun, curious about what this flying was all about, asked one of our guides about the plane we would be flying in.  She wondered how big the plane was and if it could fit in the fountain area in the front of our hotel.  We wondered if Cai Yun would feel anxious about leaving the province where she possibly spent her entire life up until now, but she seemed excited and up to an adventure...

...and of course, Cai Yun is always up to funny faces and silliness with daddy!

Upon our group's arrival at the airport, we were escorted by our guides right up to a counter to check in and have our luggage weighed.  Our group was given a weight limit that was split between all the members of our group.  For this leg of the trip, we were one big suitcase full lighter since we had been able to hand off our donations for the Lily Orphan Care Center and gifts to the orphanage.

 
Cai Yun took in all the activity and hustling people at the airport and increasingly seemed a little more quiet and reserved - something common for her when she was in a new situation.

Involving Cai Yun in the process at hand always seemed to help pull her back out.  We asked for her help in getting all of our passports and boarding passes in order for security.




Before we went through security at each airport, we had to say good-bye to our faithful guides for that leg of the trip.  Our Henan province guide, Rita, had been so very helpful to us in explaining to Cai Yun in Mandarin what was going on each step of the way and telling us all of the funny things Cai Yun was saying in Mandarin as she talked 100 miles a minute!  For example, when we boarded the bus earlier in the day for the airport, Cai Yun asked Rita where "Steamed Bun" was (when she was deliriously talking about food and saying everything looked like noodles on our return trip from our Zhumadian City orphanage visit, Cai Yun first said our stout van driver looked like a fat noodle, but then decided he looked more like the round doughy buns that are common in Chinese cuisine).



Cai Yun's excitement returned as we were boarding the plane for Guangzhou - she was ready for her very first plane ride!


After such a big week - being united with Cai Yun, getting used to each other and jumping through more adoption requirement hoops, we were ready to move onto the second half of our trip - this time as a family of THREE!

Once in our seats, Cai Yun checked out the trays, arm rests, the pocket in front of her, the window shades and every button her little fingers could reach. She was very pleased to learn that she even would be served a drink and lunch!



Cai Yun asked to sit by the window, where she spent much of our flight peering out at the fluffy clouds (she commented on how the "Yun" in her name means "cloud") and the topography below.

 

Then it was time for a nap

 

After our flight of just over two hours, we were greeted at the Guangzhou airport by our new guides, Kathy and Grace.  Once we had all of our luggage, our group boarded a new bus and headed for our hotel.  Guangzhou was noticeably more tropical with the palm trees and flowers and even more heat and humidity!

I loved the red lanterns that were scattered all over China and these pretty ones were aligned under the hotel's entrance awning

The China Hotel lobby with a spectacular glass sculptural piece around the ceiling

This was our room for our week at the China Hotel by Marriott.  Cai Yun was most impressed by the electronic shade on the large window that was in the bathtub/shower that went down every time the light in the bathroom was turned on

After a long day of last minute packing, schlepping around our suitcases, airport transfers, our flight and settling into a new hotel, we decided to take it easy and eat at the McDonald's right next door.  We were amused by this scene, a young woman cozies up to Ronald McDonald while texting and taking a smoking break  When she saw Max trying to capture her photo she got up in disgust and walked away.  Oops!