Flight to Shanghai
Finally – all our bags checked in at the airport, and at the gate having to get more app green lights from the Chinese government to board- we sat down to wait for our 11:40 PM flight.
11:40 came and went with no announcement.
12:15 we were told there was something being worked on on the plane and soon they would let us board and they’d open two doors to make it quick.
12:45 – Celia fast asleep jammed into a waiting room seat- We were informed they thought we weren’t going to be able to fly but the airline was on the phone with the Chinese embassy to figure out how to deal with our Green Codes that would expire in a couple more hours.
1:15 Announcement to get in line for hotel vouchers, that the embassy would extend our Health Green Codes for 24 hours and they would give us hotel vouchers – AND (the worst part) we had to pick up our luggage (all 8 humongous bags!!).
We were fourth in line and waited a half an hour to get to the front. 350 people were behind us. It was crazy.
2:00 AM We got our luggage and dragged then to where there was supposed to be hotel shuttles – but none arrived – and UBER said there were no drivers available.
We found two car service drivers waiting around that said for an arm and a leg they would drive us the two miles to our hotel with all our bags. Morton and I prayed for our lives as the driver drove us like a maniac to our hotel. The hotel ended up being a dump – with a pull-out couch for the kids – with no pillows or sheets available – but at 3:00 in the morning – we were grateful for a place to lie down!
By the time we woke, it was time to check out – so we – along with the Michaels/Boyle Family that are making the move with us – from Brooklyn Prospect to the International School of Beijing- payed to be able to stay at the hotel until we could check in at the airport that night.
We took a long walk to a diner for brunch – which ended up being closed until August – and then ended up sitting outside a Starbucks for a couple hours, eating, chatting and killing time.
That evening we finally made it onto our plane! We flew 14 hours to South Korea where our flight staff deplaned to avoid having to quarantine in China. We waited two hours on the plane for the new flight staff who then flew us the 2.5 hours more to Shanghai – where we finally were able to deplane. One year, one day, and 18.5 hours later – we have arrived in China!
