Back home again

We started our travel day at around 5 AM Friday morning, China time… had to take a bus from our hotel to the Hong Kong airport… that was an interesting experience.   All our travel up to now had been pre-arranged through our agency, or with our local tour guides.  But this morning we were on our own… get on the bus, hope we get through customs-- both out of China and again into Hong Kong— with all our luggage (and all 4 kids).  All the while they are hurrying us along from one bus, to another, to another through the various checkpoints; and since we don’t read or speak the language quickly (nor fluently), it was a mite stressful.  Finally made it on our last bus, with all four kids and all our luggage, we are on our way.  In Hong Kong – which even from the highway is absolutely beautiful—all the signs are in English (and they drive on the left side of the road), so we could read the signs for the airport, see various planes in the air; must be going the right way...so far so good.

Suddenly, the bus turns into the entrance for Disneyland Hong Kong.  Yes, that is correct, there is a Disneyland in Hong Kong that at least form the outside looks just like Orlando.  No worries, it was just one stop on the bus route, and moments later we were at the airport, though check-in and on our way to Jax via Chicago. 

Not a bad flight – some good movies, a disturbing amount of turbulence, and ample food.  The flight from HK to the USA goes back over China, Russia, Siberia, and then down through the polar ice and Northwest Territories of Canada, into the Northern Midwest USA.  What stunning scenery over Siberia and Russia!  Even though we are flying at over 30K feet, the views of the snow-capped mountains was crystal clear and breathtaking to see.. I think everyone on the plane got up to look out the back windows. After a brief, unscheduled but urgent stop to re-fuel (seriously) we did finally make it to Chicago (home of the 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Champions Black Hawks) around 3 PM.  Maybe it was the Blackhawks victory, maybe it was because C-town is a major hub, but there were massive delays in Chicago, and our 8 PM departure for Jax did not leave until after 10 PM.  We all slept the entire flight, and touched down, finally, in J-ville around 2 AM Saturday morning, and after luggage and drive, got home around 3:30 AM today. 

Big big big THANK YOU to all the families who helped make our house readied for us to re-invade:  big Welcome Home signs in English and in Chinese characters (though the squatty potty pics were my favorite); new framed family photos; new flowers; A/C cranked up; and a fully stocked fridge, Amen!!

Today is a day for rest and recovering from 36+ hours of traveling, and getting back to the reality of being off vacation, and back to normal life.

(I think I hear the neighbor kids all heading this way... come on in!)