Hefei to Changsha

After a peaceful night sleep in our hotel, we awoke refreshed, and ready for the next step in our adventure.  Unfortunately we didn't have breakfast included in our room rate, and after finding out that 5-star breakfasts are $25 USD per person, we decided to finish off what little we had left of the airport snacks and goodies we had left from the USA.  We also had a lot of fresh fruit provided by Steven Tao upon our departure from Bengbu.

After a 30 minute cab ride, we found ourselves at a familiar sight, an "old airport" of China.  JieJiewas again a bit put off by somewhat dingy appearance. She had become so used to the gigantic ultramodern airports of Shanghai and Beijing, with their large expanse of polished stone floors and walls, and fresh smelling carpets.  However, this airport is more like what I was used to from my travels to China prior to 2000.  In truth, the airport was not so bad, in my estimation.  They were on par, or even nicer, than many of the airports I've been to in the USA.  However, it took JieJie a bit by surprise.

The security check was again a bit interesting, as I passed through the ID check first, and was ushered towards the metal detectors.  I stood waiting for my daughter, but the officer was more than annoyed that I was standing waiting for a young Chinese woman to join me.  As he grew a bit more annoyed that she wasn't answering his question, while still wondering why I wasn't going on my way.  I had to try again to explain to him that this was my daughter, and she didn't speak any Chinese.  But as she provided him her American passport, the dazed and confused look finally gave way to understanding.

The flight on Shandong airlines was just over an hour, although for JieJie it felt like years.  We were informed that she could not use any electronic device on the flight, even in flight mode, and so she could not use her Nook, or her Iphone.  Minute after painful minute passed, as she tugged on my arm.  "Do you want to read this magazine, here?" I asked her.  "Magazine?!?" she said, with agony in her eyes, "what kind of airline IS this?!  I am going to go on Trip Advisor RIGHT AWAY, and tell everyone what a HORRIBLE airline this is!!  Can, we, Daddy?!".
  I looked at her, and at her abject misery, not being able to play Angry Birds.  Putting down my magazine, I said to her, "well, how about we talk?  What do you want to talk about?  Do you have any boyfriends at school??".  She looked at me and groaned loudly as she rolled her eyes and flopped back into her window seat, as if I was threatening to poke her eyes out with some very blunt instrument.
  I offered, "Ok, ok...look, we only have about 30 minutes left.... look out the window, or maybe draw a picture.".  She could only deeply furrow her eyebrows, and respond, "SERIOUSLY, daddy??!?  I mean WHO doesn't let you turn on electronics on a PLANE anymore?!??" (as if she traveled on planes on a daily basis, and was an expert on the topic).  "No WONDER we haven't heard of Shandong Airlines!!  I am NEVER going to fly this airline again!  SERIOUSLY, we need to tell other people about this!!!".
"well, Seriously.....I mean, how in the WORLD do they expect you to survive?", I said with a smile, as the plane's engines started to whine down as we started to descend.
"I KNOW, right?!?.... I mean, SERIOUSLY!!!" she exasperated.
"Seriously!!"  I enthusiastically responded, my face contorting in her similar fashion, trying to look as tortured as humanly possible..

I think I really was CONNECTING with my daughter at this moment..... in a very Seriously sort of way.

JieJie was happy to see that we landed once again in an ultramodern airport, more suited to her expectations of China.  The last time I had been to Changsha, 9 years and 9 months ago to be united with our younger daughter Annalise, the airport looked slightly worse than the airport at Hefei.  I later learned that the airport was less than a year old.  It looked it.  Everything was huge and pristine and shiny.  The outdoor trees where still scrawny and young, affixed in place with ropes and tiedowns.

We were greeted by an old friend, Smile Cao.  Smile should be known to many adoption families who visit Hunan province.  He is a licensed travel agent, whose company is subcontracted to guide most adoptions and heritage tours for the government.  Last year he handled over 40 heritage tours to various orphanages in the province.  I was happy to see that I wasn't the only person whose waistline had expanded a bit in the last 10 years, and it suited him.  He has grown more witty over the years as well, and we formed an instant repoire.  Over the next few days I would be reminded how much I enjoyed traveling with him.  To say that he is an excellent guide and a kind and deeply sensitive tourguide is an understatement.  He is definitely a good friend to us in the adoption community, sensitive to western culture, and sensitive to the feelings and emotions of the adoptive families.  He is also extremely knowledgeable about the various orphanages in the area with over a decade of orphanage involvement.  Overall, we were very lucky to have him by our side.