A Flight to Remember

[Mick]

As I mentioned in a previous post, I would relate some of the details of our flight home. Pardon any incoherence or typos as I am still jet-lagged beyond belief. Only been home two days, so I guess that's normal.

 

We left the hotel on Shamian Island and headed for the airport via taxi at around 6PM last Friday China time. Took us about 50 minutes to make the trip in rush hour. Arrived at the airport just before 7 PM and that is where the fun began. We had four large heavy bags, two carry-ons, and a lap top computer. Immediately upon arrival the driver started haggling, wanting more money because of the traffic. Li was talking with him in Chinese so I don't know exactly what was being said. To cut to the chase here, we unloaded the luggage in front of the International Terminal and Li headed inside for a cart. The driver, having been paid, quickly jumped back into the cab and left fast. Li returned shortly thereafter and it was then that we discovered that one of the carry-ons was missing. Either the driver kept it or it was snatched during the unloading process. This is not uncommon as this particular airport is famous for thefts. Li was panic striken and so was I. She quickly found a policemen and they started shouting in Chinese and she quickly sped off with him to find the driver, hoping he was still stuck in airport traffic. I was literally left holding the bag.

 

You can imagine what I was feeling. I was under the impression that the carry-on contained all our visa documents and the brown envelope. I also knew it contained 500 dollars US. The money was not the issue. The issue was that here we were, after 18 months of one hassle after another, finally at the airport enroute home. Now, the documents needed had been stolen and we couldn't go. I was dumbstruck. In my mind I was trying to figure out what scenario we would now have to go through in order to get the brown envelope replaced and, knowing GZ as we all do, I knew this was going to be a major undertaking. I was nearly in tears.

 

One of my former students who now works in GZ had come to the airport to see us off and, accompanied by her boyfriend, arrived about this time. Li was long gone with the cop and nowhere to be found. I related the story to them and they quickly sprung into action calling other policemen to the scene and making other calls, to who I don't really know. To make this long story shorter, I will fast forward a bit. Li finally returned without the bag. I was crestfallen to say the least. As she and my student discussed things in very rapid Chinese, I just stood there staring off into space, imagining ourselves stuck in some black hole again, or worse, having to start all over. I was already planning to return to the hotel and stay in GZ until Monday and then go to the Consulate and try to find out what we should do. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 9PM and it was already 8:15 at this time.

 

You can imagine my surprise when Li then said, "Ok we have to go, quickly". "

 

"Go where " I responded.

 

"To America, the policemen will help us get on the plane now".

 

 

I explained to her that this was not possible. She couldn't enter America without the brown envelope, etc.

 

It was then that she explained that the lost carry-on was not the one that contained all of her documents. God bless her. Her documents were in the other carry-on!

 

So the good news was that we could still go and that her important immigration papers were not lost. The bad news was that the stolen bag did contain many of my documents and important items such as:

 

My birth certificate

 

Divorce papers

 

College Degrees and Transcripts

 

Stacks of computer disks containing everything I had written during the five years I spent in China.

 

Cards and letters given to me by students and friends.

 

Addresses, phone numbers, etc.

 

My harmonica

 

Numerous momentos of our courtship

 

500 bucks.

 

Yet I was happy that in spite of all these losses, we were still going to be able to go to America. I can say without reservation that I am thankful that it was this bag that was stolen, not the other one. B)

 

The police were helpful. They rushed us through Chinese Immigration and had the airline hold the plane for us. We boarded at about 8:55PM, five minutes prior to take off. I wondered if the rest of our luggage would make it to the plane. Fortunately, it did. So off we went. As we were the last to board a full flight, we had lousy seats. In the middle of the plane with no leg room at all. Once in the air I knew this was going to be a long flight, 13 hours to LA. I had hoped to get some shut-eye.

 

It was then that I heard the first baby cry.

 

I took a good look around me and discovered that we had booked ourselves on the "Baby Flight".

 

A minimum of fifteen, more like twenty, adopted babies in our cabin. It was like an airborne nursery and the cacophony of crying lasted all the way to LA. Not a wink of sleep.

 

Once in LA, immigration was a breeze. Immigration guy was great, laughing, joking, cleared us through quickly. Customs was short and sweet and all our luggage made it there even though we boarded the plane late. They searched two of our bags minimally and replaced everything in order. Five hour layover, then took the redeye to Cincinnati. Turbulance all the way, bouncing around all over the sky. Still no sleep. Had a short layover in Cincy and the flight was late. Finally made it into Nashville around 8 AM Saturday morning, CST. Then a two hour drive down to Huntsville.

 

Moral of the story? Simple. When going in and out of GZ airport, keep a close eye on everything for every second and keep anything important duct taped to your body.

 

In spite of all the losses, I am grateful to be home safe and sound and in generally good shape, except for the jet lag. One other item of interest. Because I had been in China for five years, my drivers license had expired. Went down this morning and took both the written and road test for the Alabama drivers license. I was badly jet- lagged and feared I would flunk the eye test due to blurred vision and hallucinations. Happy to report that I passed all tests and was given a drivers license. So now I am mobile again in the States.

 

I again would caution all who go through GZ airport to be very cautious. I cannot stress this enough. I was alert, cautious, and attentive and still was ripped off in the rush of people there. Many of the items lost cannot be replaced.

 

But am I happy to be home at long last with the lady of my dreams?

 

You betcha!!!

[Lurker]

After your ride on the brake-less bus and this harrowing experience, perhaps it's a really good thing you will not be using Chinese transportation for a while. (Of course, 40,000+ Americans die on the roads each year, so we are hardly exempt.)

 

What style harmonica do you play?

[owenkrout]

Mick,

 

Great to hear from you again. The stolen bag routine is one that I dread everytime we travel in China. In general, there is less serious crime in China than in the US, but theft is very common.

 

Having had the originals of my college degrees and my engineering certification stolen in a car break-in in the US the day before I left, I have done some checking and been told that it is possible to get new copies of the degrees issued by paying the same fee that new graduates pay. I haven't actually tried that yet as I do have copies and have been able to use that in China. The transcript, which is easy to get, is the real proof of graduation, but most employers in China don't understand that.

 

If the locals won't buy into the copies of what you sent GZ being proof of your divorce and they probably won't, those papers will probably be a headache to replace before you can get married.

 

Keep us all posted and have Yuhui post some of her observations about America.

 

Take care, my friend.

[Jatuke]

Mick,

 

What an awesome vivid story. Sorry about the lost bag, but Congrats on a safe journey back home with your loved one.

 

Thanks for the advice.

[Mick]

Mick,

 

Great to hear from you again.  The stolen bag routine is one that I dread everytime we travel in China.  In general, there is less serious crime in China than in the US, but theft is very common. 

 

Having had the originals of my college degrees and my engineering certification stolen in a car break-in in the US the day before I left, I have done some checking and been told that it is possible to get new copies of the degrees issued by paying the same fee that new graduates pay.  I haven't actually tried that yet as I do have copies and have been able to use that in China.  The transcript, which is easy to get, is the real proof of graduation, but most employers in China don't understand that. 

 

If the locals won't buy into the copies of what you sent GZ being proof of your divorce and they probably won't, those papers will probably be a headache to replace before you can get married.

 

Keep us all posted and have Yuhui post some of her observations about America.

 

Take care, my friend.

Er...Owen....My lady is Li, not Yuhui. Better hope the Frenchman doesn't see this one.

[Mick]

After your ride on the brake-less bus and this harrowing experience, perhaps it's a really good thing you will not be using Chinese transportation for a while.  (Of course, 40,000+ Americans die on the roads each year, so we are hardly exempt.)

 

What style harmonica do you play?

Yes, Baby Flight and Brakeless Bus. Enough to last me for awhile.

 

Oh, I play a blues harp most of the time. Will have to replace the one in the stolen bag. It had been with me for a long time and was like an old friend.

[Littlebear]

There is a Chinese saying "Po Cai Xiao Zai", meaning if you loose something, you will get your luck. Like me, I lost my cell phone just before the visa came to me. So take it easy Mick, beautiful life with your beautiful lady is waiting on you.

Yes, I'm glad for you!

[Eric&Yuhui]

Mick,

 

Great to hear from you again.  The stolen bag routine is one that I dread everytime we travel in China.  In general, there is less serious crime in China than in the US, but theft is very common.  

 

Having had the originals of my college degrees and my engineering certification stolen in a car break-in in the US the day before I left, I have done some checking and been told that it is possible to get new copies of the degrees issued by paying the same fee that new graduates pay.  I haven't actually tried that yet as I do have copies and have been able to use that in China.  The transcript, which is easy to get, is the real proof of graduation, but most employers in China don't understand that.  

 

If the locals won't buy into the copies of what you sent GZ being proof of your divorce and they probably won't, those papers will probably be a headache to replace before you can get married.

 

Keep us all posted and have Yuhui post some of her observations about America.

 

Take care, my friend.

Er...Owen....My lady is Li, not Yuhui. Better hope the Frenchman doesn't see this one.

HE DID !!

LOL.. I was reading Owen post and was thinking..... hmmmm.... She didn't tell me everything, did she ??

 

[owenkrout]

Mick,

 

Great to hear from you again.  The stolen bag routine is one that I dread everytime we travel in China.  In general, there is less serious crime in China than in the US, but theft is very common.  

 

Having had the originals of my college degrees and my engineering certification stolen in a car break-in in the US the day before I left, I have done some checking and been told that it is possible to get new copies of the degrees issued by paying the same fee that new graduates pay.  I haven't actually tried that yet as I do have copies and have been able to use that in China.  The transcript, which is easy to get, is the real proof of graduation, but most employers in China don't understand that.  

 

If the locals won't buy into the copies of what you sent GZ being proof of your divorce and they probably won't, those papers will probably be a headache to replace before you can get married.

 

Keep us all posted and have Yuhui post some of her observations about America.

 

Take care, my friend.

Er...Owen....My lady is Li, not Yuhui. Better hope the Frenchman doesn't see this one.

Darn it, I guess I lost that argument in the long run. I was telling my wife that Li had arrived OK and for some reason she kept thinking I was talking about Yuhui. I guess that I finally argued long enough to get myself confused.

[Mick]

Mick,

 

Great to hear from you again.  The stolen bag routine is one that I dread everytime we travel in China.  In general, there is less serious crime in China than in the US, but theft is very common.  

 

Having had the originals of my college degrees and my engineering certification stolen in a car break-in in the US the day before I left, I have done some checking and been told that it is possible to get new copies of the degrees issued by paying the same fee that new graduates pay.  I haven't actually tried that yet as I do have copies and have been able to use that in China.  The transcript, which is easy to get, is the real proof of graduation, but most employers in China don't understand that.  

 

If the locals won't buy into the copies of what you sent GZ being proof of your divorce and they probably won't, those papers will probably be a headache to replace before you can get married.

 

Keep us all posted and have Yuhui post some of her observations about America.

 

Take care, my friend.

Er...Owen....My lady is Li, not Yuhui. Better hope the Frenchman doesn't see this one.

Darn it, I guess I lost that argument in the long run. I was telling my wife that Li had arrived OK and for some reason she kept thinking I was talking about Yuhui. I guess that I finally argued long enough to get myself confused.

It's OK Owen, these things happen when you turn 50!

[Eric&Yuhui]

It's OK Owen, these things happen when you turn 50!  

I was going to say that, but one might think I was picking on him..

Thanks Mick !

[Mick]

The divorce papers could be a problem but I think I can solve it fairly simply. Li and I are planning a trip to Miami in about 10 days to visit my daughter and father. As the divorce occured there, I can always pick up a certified copy while I am in town. As for the transcripts, that's an easy one. The degrees will have to be replaced as my copies were in the stolen bag as well. As for the harmonica, I needed a new one anyway. The momentos and the writings, along with the gifts and cards from my students, are priceless and cannot be replaced.

 

But I am not sitting around lamenting this much. Actually, it seems to bother Li more than me. She is upset that my things were lost. She has such a caring and compassionate heart. I guess this is one of the main reasons I fell in love with her to begin with.

 

But this experience raises a question in my mind. I wonder what would happen if someone actually lost the brown envelope?

 

Heaven forbid that ever happen to anyone. Just the thought of it almost did me in.

 

Thanks for the kind words Don and Littlebear. We are both glad to be back home.

[Eric&Yuhui]

But this experience raises a question in my mind. I wonder what would happen if someone actually lost the brown envelope?  

 

let's not think about that It's probably not the end of the world... But would be a major pain in da....

 

Yuhui and I are planning to go to FL late April.. the girl want s to see Micky and Minnie, although I did tell her those 2 characters were fictional.

What can I say ??

[Mick]

 

But this experience raises a question in my mind. I wonder what would happen if someone actually lost the brown envelope?  

 

let's not think about that It's probably not the end of the world... But would be a major pain in da....

 

Yuhui and I are planning to go to FL late April.. the girl want s to see Micky and Minnie, although I did tell her those 2 characters were fictional.

What can I say ??

Have fun at Disney World. I'll bet that will be quite a treat for Yuhui. Are you planning any diving while you are in the Sunshine State?

[Eric&Yuhui]

Are you planning any diving while you are in the Sunshine State?

Yes, creepy scary cave diving near Ocala... right before she files for divorce !!

 

No, probably not... too much gear to lug around...

But I will once we can move back to FL.