Rachel + Will = Together Forever

Thanks, everyone... you guys helped me learn a lot of info and stuff... we finally decided we just can't bring the guitar... We've too much stuff as it is, and we can't afford to buy the guitar a ticket for itself as Asiana would require

There are two transit lounges at the airport that have showers for about 6 USD. This area also has free computers with internet access. WIFI is available free across the airport. Asiana has the most leg room in economy that I have ever seen. Good Luck guys and have a safe trip. thanks a lot for that info, we'll have to check that out! We've got only 9 days left here, and I'm a little frazzled with baggage weights... When I came to China it was on United and they allowed a 70lb free baggage for two checked in... Asiana apparently only allows 50lbs per checked baggage. I'm putting stuff in.. then taking it back out... getting out the bathroom scale again... repeating the scenario five million times. Ugh. Everything we've got ready to go I really want to take, but it seems like I'll have to mail some books via China Post or something... I was wondering if anyone who's flown with Asiana can tell me how thoroughly they weigh/check your baggage, esp. the carry-on... if the carry bags dimensions are within the guidelines, can we pretty much pack the stuff in there? Or do they weigh the carry on too? As far as I can remember, most airlines don't weigh carry-on, do they? I've got my checked bags at like 48-49 lbs., trying to be on the safe side... but this is kind of frustrating. Any ideas??? Thanks!

I just checked the Freedom Transit Tour link off of the Incheon airport website, and this is what I found: BTW, from the website, I'd say that Incheon does look even nicer than Hong Kong. And hey, a shower sounds like a nice idea. waiting 10+ hours in the airport and then 10+ more hours to Chicago is going to be itchy It would be great to skip going through customs too... yes, we're going straight onto Chicago from there.

Yeah, Banks in China are just like the DMV in America... waiting... waiting... finally your number is called. But yes, I agree, go straight into the Bank of China to change your bills. We've never had a problem. You'll just have to wait a while, unless you're lucky! And it's true that if your foreign money is in bad shape they won't take it

My fiance has a nice guitar, and we were really hope we could fly it over to the States with us, perhaps in exchange for one of our free checked baggage allowances... We called Asiana Airlines and they said they don't recommend checking your guitar into baggage because they won't pay for loss or damage, and if we wanted to bring the guitar as carry-on we'd have to buy it a ticketed seat!!! Anyone have experience flying their guitar? Should we just forget it and buy a new one in the States?

Sorry it's taken me so long to reply to my own question about whether or not Chinese Citizens can leave the Incheon Airport... the answer is no. US Citizens can, however, stay in South Korea visa free for up to 90 days. Anyway, I'm not going to go wandering around in Seoul alone with my Sweetie sitting in the airport. I guess we'll just have to skip out on the sightseeing. We're flying Asiana Airlines, we got a really good deal. From our local city airport here all the way to Chicago. The only catch is the layover in Incheon is from 5 am to 6pm. Reeealllyyy Boring. I hope Incheon is an interesting airport!! I was wondering if there's anyone who's flown with Asiana before? This is my first time. The website looks nice... esp. if it's true that each passenger in economy really does get their own tv to flip through... lol

WOW, just wow. I have to admit, I think the dog is gorgeous!

wow, how exciting... so happy for you all!

The more the better, seriously. We brought 70+, about 10 were 5x7's. I jumbled them up so nothing was in order, but there was a great variety. They were all looked at.

Wow, congrats!!! This is great news!!! So happy for you guys!

wow, that is wonderful news!!! congrats!!!

Thank you for that info, we're going to do that! I'll post what we find out later...

thanks... I can't find any info online... it seems like the Korean Embassy doesn't have their own website in China?!

Okay, we booked our tickets. Guilin-Seoul-Chicago. Unfortunately we *do* have a very long layover in Seoul... but the tickets were cheap (we went with the local agency here.) So, my other question is whether or not K1 US visa holders may enter and exit the airport there in Seoul, or if that would cause any problems? Would he need a separate Korean pass/visa? US passport holders do not require a visa for up to 90 days in South Korea. http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1018.html

Thanks for the tips, chengdu4me. I just found all that out when I had a Chinese friend give them a call for me... kind of disappointing, but we found out another solution. A relative of Will's here has a friend who works at a Korean travel agency that can get us tickets from here to Chicago very decently priced, but we have a layover in South Korea, of course... Is a layover in Korea or Tokyo a problem at all for K1 holders? Shouldn't be any more of a problem than it would be for me, which is none at all, right?!

We are considering purchasing our flight tickets through ELong, mostly because they are pretty inexpensive. But for some reason it seems like you can't view all the details of the flight(s) until *after* you book?! We're planning to go from Guilin to Shanghai, and then from Shanghai to Chicago... and the flight from Shanghai to Chicago appears to be a direct flight from looking at the booking info on the website, but that doesn't seem likely in actuality to me. I'd like to view the seating arrangement, flight info, etc., before I book, if at all possible. Has anyone else successfully booked through ELong before? How did that go? Thanks!

Finally. Sweetie just called from GUZ PO. Inside his passport is a US K1 visa with both our names on it! Hooray! It took a week longer than expected, but it's finally in hand. Now we can finally book flights to Chicago!

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

wooohooo is right, but there's still work to be done, believe me congrats, and hope everything continues to go smoothly for ya'll!

huh, okay. we did it backwards I guess we kept the copies

Your choice. But the sealed packet from GUZ is turned in at the POE. That is your immigration file. Thanks, Randy. That's what we figured. Although I assumed that there wouldn't be any need for an additional review of my domicile evidence or financial documents (since our case was already approved), I just wanted to make sure. did they give your wife back her "three white books" at the interview or did she not have to hand them in? My fiance got two sets in the beginning... the first set was sent off in the initial process to the USICS, and the final set was handed in at the interview--- and they kept them. Now we're wondering if he needs to go through the trouble of getting yet another set for immigration in the States?!

Thanks for the reply! We're actually kind of bummed out that it's taking this long... it's supposed to only take two to three days, right!? Will is coming home tomorrow with or without, and he said he'll just have to make the trek down there again when we find out that the package really did arrive at the PO.

Well for those of us unfortunate ones who live in Guangxi, it can't. My sweetie just called me and said he found out that if you signed to pick up the package at the PO, you can't switch it and have someone else pick it up for you later.

Okay, so we're wondering about this too... if Will can designate a friend to pick up the stuff for him at the PO, what would we need to do? Leave his ID card number, or...?! He's thinking of having some friends pick it up and send it to us if we have to wait past Tuesday. However, he says that the EMS receipt says you MUST pick it up in person yourself?!

Wow, sounds just like our letter... I share in your excitement!!! CONGRATS!!!