We are in China!!!

It's Sunday night, 16th.  We're exhausted and finally in the Victory Hotel on Shamian Island.  We'll try to get pictures rolling as soon as possible. 

 

Thursday, we began the trip in Jacksonville with a 2 hour flight delay, which stranded us in Detroit Thursday night until we could get out Friday afternoon.  Delta did cover our hotel in Detroit.  Zoe also took advantage by playing in the snow that morning.  Taking off at 3:25pm,we flew north over Canada, west across Alaska, then south down the Russian coast.  I saw our flight path would cross the northern edge of North Korea, so that really perked my interest, but when we passed over Beijing, we made an abrupt turn to the west to avoid NK airspace.  

We landed in Hong Kong on schedule Saturday night.  Sunday, I woke up at 4 am involuntarily and at 6:30, off we were off by speeding taxi to the far side of Hong Kong for the China Coast Half Marathon.  After picking up my number and prior to the race, I asked the race director, Stuart Leonard, a very warm and friendly old Englishman, where I could pick up my race t-shirt.  In America, you always pick it up before the race if not a couple days before.  Not so in Hong Kong.  Stuart smiled and quipped in his best King's english, "Lad, you can't get your shirt until after the race.  You have to earn it."   I replied, "Stuart, I think you have the better method."  As a lifetime runner, I reveled in every minute of the 13.1 miles, despite the fact the mountain roads around High Island Reservoir were very steep and I run in flat Florida.  Also, it was very windy and cold.  I still loved it because it was obviously a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity.  

On the long way back to the hotel to check out and nervous to get to Hong Kong airport in plenty of time for our flight to Guangzhou, we had to take a green taxi halfway.  He let us out in front of a transportation hub because green taxis were not allowed to enter red taxi territory.  So after we paid the driver of the green taxi, we started to look for a red taxi to come by.  In less than two minutes, a red taxi started speeding past us.   Zoe, knowing we wanted a red taxi and before we could react, began waving excitedly at the red taxi to get his attention.   He circled out of sight but came back by soon after.  What an amazing five year old this kid is! We expected her main contribution to be bonding with Hai Feng, but that prior to meeting her sister, she would be a typical five year old on an obviously arduous journey.  Not so!  She is truly an asset, not just beautiful "window dressing". We are so blessed.