We were hoping to get our in-country information this week and had all but given up hope since nothing had come in by 7:00 our time (5:00 West Coast time). At 9:30, though, on a Friday night no less, we got an email (God Bless the BlackBerry for keeping me constantly linked!) with our tentative schedules. We know where we're staying, when we'll be taking tours, and when we'll be conducting official adoption business. We have also learned that we will never really be responsible for taking care of anything. :) It should be a nice change of pace from our usual travels. Holt, our adoption agency, and Lotus, the travel agency, pretty much handle everything. Expensive, granted, but the peace of mind should be worth it! In Beijing from 10/6 - 10/10, we'll be staying at the Novotel Peace. During that time, we're going to explore Mutianyu Great Wall and Hutong Lane as well as Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Holt will also take us to visit a silk factory. Then we're off to Xi'an where we'll stay at the Xi'an Hyatt Regency - for the first time as a family of three!!! After "Gottcha Day!" on the 10th, we have adoption registration and notarization at Civil Affair Bureau and Aiden's passport application on the 11th. On the 12th we'll do some shopping for supplies. The 13th is a visit to the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses. On the 14th, we will tour the Wild Goose Pagoda. We fly (with a 2 year old who has known us for 4 1/2 days!) to Guangzhou on Oct. 15 where we will be staying at the White Swan Hotel. The 16th is paperwork and medical check day, but we have the 17th as a free day. Oct. 18 it's back to the medical clinic if needed. On the 19th we have a visa appointment. The 20th is oath-taking day. Aiden will officially become our son! (Even though he really will have been for our son for 9 months at that point!) On the 21st we will get Aiden's visa if all goes well, and that night we will take a train to Hong Kong. We're staying near the airport that night at the Regal Hotel because we fly out on Oct. 22 at 12:35 PM. We wish we had built in a day to explore Hong Kong, but we'll probably be exhausted and just want to get that 14+ hour flight over with! We'll have to tour it next time. :) Now. We just have to wait for the invoice that accompanies this newly-received itinerary! Sigh. ;) Oh well. In 24 days when we take off, none of the money stuff will matter. We'll be headed out to get our son and bring him home!!!
