Travel Day # 2-Photos

Travel Day # 2

Today was another travel day for us. We took off from Beijing at 12:30 p.m. and landed in Nanning about 3 1/2 hours later. Our agency guide picked us up - all of the FTIA guides and drivers are tremendous. They took us to McDonald's (for Kyle of course...lol) then to our new hotel. We are now at the Nanning Marriott. This is by far one of the nicest hotels we have ever stayed in. On our way to the hotel, our guide gave us an update on Sammi. We will be meeting up with her at our hotel on Monday at 2:30 p.m. (1:30 a.m. est and 12:30 a.m. cst in the United States). They are going to bring her to our room where we will start the greeting and paperwork process. The guide said she talked with the nanny who said Sammi has been asking when her American family is coming to get her.

We have attached some pix from our travel day. In one photo, Kyle is playing a new game Kris invented for him - PringleBall. This is game Steve Alford played as a kid. The goal is to shoot the ping pong ball into an empty Pringles can. Alford says this is what helped give him "the touch." Kris is hoping it will work for Kyle too!!! Other pix are from the Beijing airport as well as our Beijing hotel and our new hotel in Nanning. Our lunch at the airport today consisted of Pringles (which are smaller than in America) as well as Snickers, Dove Chocolate, Sprite, and Coke. We will be in Nanning the next five nights.

We hope you are enjoying the updates.

Love,

Kris, Missy, and Kyle

Beijing Photos

More Adventures

Today was another adventure.  As you will see in the pictures, we went to the Great Wall, the Summer Palace, a jade factory and a silk factory.  We also ate an authentic chinese meal.  Kyle didn't show any hesitation eating the chinese food.  Luckily for Kris, there is a Pizza Hut attached to our hotel.  The weather outside was really cold. 

At the Great Wall, Kyle hopped up and down all the way like he owned the place all the way up the steps and all the way down!  The steps are REALLY steep!  It didn't seem to bother him though.  We also visited the Summer Palace where Chinese Emperors have lived at various times.  Kyle was excited that he was able to get a dragon statue today.

Tomorrow, we catch a flight to Nanning, where we are set to meet up with Samantha Monday afternoon!

Kris, Missy, and Kyle

More pictures to come later today!

Pictures

Fun Day In Beijing

After about 5 hours of sleep, Kris and I were woke up by Kyle who was ready for breakfast.  He enjoyed a lot of watermelon and pasta with sauce among other things from the breakfast buffet.  We left the hotel in the afternoon to see Tianimen Square, the Forbidden City, the Bird's Nest (stadium from 2008 Olympics) and the Cube (swimming building also from the Olympics).  A couple other highlights from today included visiting a Tea House and watching an acrobatic show.  A lady at the Tea House gave us a demonstration of many different teas.  We were able to smell them before tasting them and what do you know Kyle stated out loud one of them smelled like shoes!  Kyle seemed interested in the show and I just wonder how long it will before he starts trying some of their stunts.  Many of the Chinese New Year decorations are still around from last week.  It reminds me a bit of our decorating for Christmas with lights on trees and buildings.  Kyle fell asleep in the van on the way back to our hotel tonight.  Kris and I had Pizza Hut pizza next door to the hotel while Kyle slept on my lap.  It should be another big day tomorrow with a tour of the Great Wall and Summer Palace. 

Pictures to come this evening!

Missy

We Made It

Wanted everyone to know that we have made it to our hotel in Beijing.  Travel went very well.  Thanks for your prayers.  Kyle hugged his stuffed animal, bulldog, after bulldog went through the scanner and he told me "they didn't find anything inside bulldog except love!"  Kyle did such an excellent job with all the travel and taking care of his own backpack.  It is after 1:00 am here and none of us have slept more than 4 hours since we left Evansville, so I think we will get some sleep!

Missy