Our itinerary looks like:
Thursday, August 29 and Friday, August 30 --> Our flight leaves out of Atlanta at 1:30 pm on Thursday, arriving in Seoul at 5:15 pm on Friday. This first flight is 14 hours and 45 minutes! After a short layover, we will then leave from Seoul at 7:00 pm and arrive in Beijing (blue dot on map) at 8:05 pm. The second flight is just over two hours. We will check into the Novotel Peace Hotel in Beijing and try to get some rest.
Saturday, August 31-->. Our guide will pick us up at 7:00 am and we will tour the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, the Summer Palace, and the Bird's Nest. If we are still awake that evening (which may be doubtful!), we plan to walk to "Snack Street" so Josh can see the starfish and grasshoppers (on sticks, I might add....he is not allowed to eat them, but he can look!)
Sunday, September 1 --> Our hotel is within walking distance of the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square...if we are up to it, we may do a little more sightseeing. Sunday afternoon, we will board the Bullet Train (ask either of my boys how fast this goes...they are so excited!). We will travel to Tiayuan (see the map) which is the capital city of Shanxi Province.
Monday, September 2 --> GOTCHA Day! Today is the day we meet Abigail!! Due to the time difference, this will happen while all of you in America sleep Sunday night. So please, pray for us before you go to bed Sunday!
Tuesday, September 3 --> Today we sign paperwork making the adoption final.
Wednesday, September 4 --> Free day.
Thursday, September 5 --> Free day.
Friday, September 6 --> Abigail's passport should be ready and we will leave for Guangzhou (last blue dot on the map). Our flight leaves at 11:25 am, arriving at 1:55 am. We are staying at the China Hotel (Marriott).
Saturday, September 7 --> Required medical check for Abigail.
Sunday, September 8 --> Free day.
Monday, September 9 --> Free day.
Tuesday, September 10 --> Consulate appointment at the U.S. Embassy
Wednesday, September 11 --> Receive Abigail's visa
Thursday, September 12 --> Once we have Abigail's visa, we are ready to go. Our flight leaves out of Guangzhou at 12:40 pm, arriving in Seoul at 5:05 pm. We then leave Seoul at 7:15 pm, arriving in Atlanta at 8:05 pm. Even though this last flight seems short, due to the time change, the flight is really 13 hours and 50 minutes. Once in Atlanta, we have to clear customs and immigration, find our car, and then drive back to Albany. It will be an incredibly long day, but once finished, we will be HOME!!!
Checking things out. Looks like the days around your birthday are really going to be memorable!
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