Hello from 35000 feet above Alaska. I thought I'd go ahead and type out our adventure so far, even though I can't send it until we reach Shanghai. We are only about a third of the way there, and I'm about at the end of my travel tolerance rope.
We took one last family photo of five and headed to Grandma/pa's last night. We told our darlings goodbye and prayed and tucked them. We took a little nap. Momma and Bill stayed up most of the night with us. All the instructions regarding our flights insist that we had to check in three hours before the first flight. So, with a 6am flight, that would mean check in at 3am. Right? We took a shuttle van to the airport. We walked in to find it pretty dark with a dozen or so sleeping soldiers on the floor. Two were awake, and they invited us to sit with them. Turns out the local international airport doesn't even open until 4:30.
All the United staff has been very attentive and efficient. When we finally did get to check in, they got me a wheelchair and whisked me through security. Yup, I'm still using the walking boot several hours a day. And let me tell you, you know how your ears pop on assents and descents? Well, a broken bone does too. Yow!
At the Chicago airport, I felt like (and was probably acting like) Granny on Beverly Hillbillies. That place is a whole city unto itself. I was astounded. Because of my foot, they put us on a cart with several other people and drove us all around to each person's gate, so we saw much of the airport in a half hour or so. I think by that point Raymond was enjoying that I'd broken my foot. I assured him that while the ride was super I really don't think it was worth it.
The first plane was so small, my seat was both a window and an aisle seat right above the wheels. When those wheels popped out I thought my seat was falling through. I hobbled back to the bathroom just before the only major turbulence hit. I was hanging on to the grab bar for dear life as the 'return to your seat immediately' light flashed. I figured couldn't possibly do more than crawl to my seat, so I just hung on in there until it was over and prayed for God's protection. I was scared. Raymond thought it was pretty funny. He said he cracked up when the turbulence hit.
I'm typing from the second plane. It's huge, but we're stuck in the tail with NO leg room. None. We are literally climbing from seat to seat over the immobile armrests to get in and out. I've managed to nap, and upon waking I thought we must be almost there. No. We were only one-fourth of the way there. I've prayed a lot. Right now I'm praying for peace and patience and perhaps the chance to dream.
There are tiny movie screens on the back of the seats. We watched 'Cars' twice in Chinese. They also show a map and point out where the plane is and little details like the temperature outside being -65F. It is really cold on the plane. Many people are complaining and everyone is bundled in blankets. I guess they have to use a.c. when the plane is near the earth and heat when it gets so high in the arctic.
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