Leaving Lanzhou 2-22-2008

We got Laura's passport at 10 am. Luke decided to redecorate the hotel room and stripped some of the wall paper off the wall. We called the hotel manager. They came and looked at the wall with our guide, Sally. They told her that they were going to charge us 800 rbm. She scolded the manager and told him that we would pay 200rbm. That is about $30. He agreed and told Meredith it would be 200. Meredith bowed up to them and said that 200 was way too much. Sally looked at him very puzzled, wrinkled her forehead, and said nothing. She was thinking that she had just got the manager to come down 600rbm and Meredith still wasn't going for it. He said, "Sally, 200 dollars is way too much for that wall." She laughed and said, "No Meredis. 200rbm!" We readily agreed to pay $30 for the wall. We all had a good laugh over it. Even the manager.

We then left for Guangzhou. It was a 3 hour plane ride with 2 babies. The snack they served was way too much for me and Dad but Meredith and the boys wolfed it down! They really can tolerate much more than me and Dad. (I must say that while I am posting this we Laura just began crawling around the room!!!!!)

We landed in Guangzhou at 4:05 pm Friday. Our guide was no where to be found!! So, I called her. Thank goodness I had printed her phone number before I left Texas. She thought that we were coming in Saturday. We were able to get a van to the hotel and our guide, Connie, came and visited us and was very apologetic about the mix up. We checked into the hotel and the rooms were about 1 sq ft big so we changed to new rooms. We finally went to dinner about 8 pm. AND THEN, as we were eating, Luke moved him place mat and crash, a broken glass. We just had to laugh. What a way to end the evening.

We got back to our room and guess what?!?!?!? It has an airconditioner!!! Praise God in heaven!!! Cool air. We have it set on 16 degrees Celsuis, the low 60's, and we are in HOG heaven!! Really. AND, they have purified water from the sink. No more buying cases of water and hauling them to our room and stumbling over them!!

We got settled in on Friday night and had a good nights sleep. Both babies slept all night long. Actually, Luke slept in until about 9am! God is so good!