China (Day 10) ~ So Close, Yet So Far Away!

Gloria & I didn't sleep much tonight... we were too excited about going home. We were up, showered, and packed almost 2 hours before our driver was due to pick us up. We went downstairs for our last breakfast in the hotel restaurant. The breakfast bar is scattered with different kinds of bread, chinese breakfast items (don't ask me what they are...), cereal, some type of yogurt (again, don't ask), various types of juice, and the possibility of an omlete. I say possibility because in most instances the chef doesn't speak English so you are reduced to hand jestures that sometimes is cleary communicated. However, I must admit I never knew you could fry an egg and/or an omlete with chop sticks. We then took one last trip through the gift shop and were then reduced to "patiently" waiting.

Finally we were off to the airport. On our way we noticed an increase police activity on the motorway. Mr. Lee explained that in an hour or so the motorway would be closed due to a convoy of some important people - wow, just in time we were heading home.

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch" is what my mom used to say when I was little. I guess I was getting way ahead of myself because we were in for a huge shock... when we arrived in Amsterdam we found out that KLM had cancelled all departing flights due to weather ~ other airlines were still flying but we had to get through the huge wait at the KLM Information line before we could find out our options. After more than 3 hours, I don't know how many different people, walking almost the entire airport, a complimentary water bottle, receiving our "care package" of personal items for our troubles, we were left to wait for 30 minutes outside in the snow for the shuttle to our hotel. Upon arriving at the hotel we find the lobby full of all the other KLM customers in the same position - now we have an additional hour wait just to get to our room.

No phone, expensive internet, and no one from home communicating, we were forced to wait & hope that back in the UK they knew more than we did. This morning (2:30) when I finally forced myself to get out of bed (I wasn't sleeping anyway) I see an email from Kevin stating he knew what was going on - glad someone did :-)

Well, we are off in an hour to start again. Here's hoping that we actually get home this time. We will be smelly, dirty, and wanting a shower but how good it will be to finally be home!