Group Picture
We found out yesterday that our flight from Shanghai to Beijing had been cancelled. Kristy told us last night that we would have to leave the hotel this morning at 5:45 to catch an earlier flight. Our very reliable bus driver was at the hotel early. The hotel had prepared some bags with rolls, fruit, and yogurt for us to eat on the way to the airport.
It only took the bus twenty minutes to drive to the airport instead of the usual forty minutes because the traffic was so light. There was a long line to check in to our plane. Our guide told us that the guide from another tour company had not confirmed his clients’ flights, and so there wasn’t room on the earlier flight for everyone. Some had to stay back at the hotel! That meant that they would miss their connecting flight home! We were glad that our guide and Jason at China Focus had been on top of everything.
We had to sit in the middle section of the Boeing 777, but I didn’t mind. We were in a seat on our way to Beijing! When we arrived there, we had to sit in the airport until mid afternoon until we boarded our flight home to San Francisco. I didn’t mind, though. We would be on our way home soon.
We were lucky to sit in our upgraded economy plus seats again with no one sitting in the middle seat between Paul’s aisle and my window! The movie selection wasn’t as good as it was on the flight going to Beijing. I enjoyed watching the Age of Adeline, but Paul Blart, Mall Cop 2 was rather silly.
We were served a breakfast omelet, soggy potatoes, a grey sausage, yoghurt, and a croissant. These were the worst two meals that I think I have every been served on a plane. Breakfast is not my favorite meal, and having three of them today was pure torture.
I started coughing shortly after leaving Beijing. I put on the face mask that Larry and Anita had given me. I hope it kept other people on the plane from getting the cold.
After zipping through customs and claiming our baggage, I called Kevin. Divi was in the car too, and I talked with her a bit. After a while they arrived at the pickup spot. On the way home, Kevin stopped at Trader Joe’s so I could get some groceries. Among the groceries was some refrigerated pizza dough. I made a pepperoni and mushroom pizza for dinner. I have been wanting pizza for weeks, and it tasted mighty delicious 🙂
Oh yes, Divi seems to like the panda apron and pen that I brought back for her. Kevin seemed to like the brick tea we bought at the tea factory. I hope he likes this special tea as much as our group did.
China was very interesting to visit, but there is no place like home 🙂