HOME AT LAST!
Trip Start
Jun 17, 2008
1
19
24
Trip End
Sep 03, 2008
Ho chi minh city,
Vietnam
Monday, September 1, 2008
Sorry, I have not added anything for the last two days. We were quite busy shopping and getting ready to get home. This is will be the last entry in the journey of Lyam. First of all, to all who have followed us through this beautiful journey and who have written us or been supporting us in their thoughts...a big and warm thank you and we hope that you have enjoyed our entries, pictures and narrations.
I will talk about our trip at the end. I want to give you an update on our friends Germaine and the Gaspesien.
Well, on Friday we celebrated Germaine's and the Gaspesien's departure, scheduled for Saturday. We went to BLUE GINGER instead of a restaurant we noticed downtown. BAD mistake, it was ok, there was three ladies playing traditional music, but the food was so-so.
ANYWAY, back to our friends. Stephane and Stephanie....the saga continues....left the hotel a 4AM Saturday morning for their long awaited trip home!! GUESS WHAT! we got a call at 5AM from Stephanie. Apparently, they couldn't get back through the US because their child was NOT canadian and thus needed a visa to transit through the airport! SOOO, they came back to the hotel with their luggage and all. We called Loan to advise of the situation. Apparently, no one knew this and their was alot of miscommunication between the Gaspesien, TDH and Alphen ( the travel agent). So, around 9 we went with them to UNITED counter to get a refund etc...then to Cathay Pacific to look for another flight. ONly to find out that, there is nothing for them except last minute. WHICH was the original plan. So now, they will wait for their original departure date, the 7th of September. They were pretty down, but as I told them...it could be worse. They are in a luxury appartment building with pool, restaurant, a 2 bedroom appartment, daily maid service in a city where the average cab ride anywhere is 1.50$US, the average meal is 5$ per person, in a country where they might NEVER go back to, with a beautiful child that will never see his country again....SO ENJOY IT and STOP BEING DOWN ON YOURSELF.
GERMAINE, she called us to let us know that her flight was delayed but she got back to Indonesia that afternoon. We are happy for her. Too bad for John, her husband! We are looking forward to seeing them in Montreal, next winter or Summer. Germaine, if you are reading this. We miss you already and are looking forward to seeing your kids and John! You don' t have to come if you don't have to! OK!
NOW, our TRIP HOME!! I would not say it was a bad trip. ALL the flights were on time. BUT, in Hong Kong we had to go through metal detectors to get in the terminal???? That was a 40mn wait...then we had a hard time finding a restaurant. We only had 2 hours. Finally, we ate really fast and managed to get to the gate just as they were boarding. Disappointing, we didn't have time to rest and shop in the duties free before the long flight!!
The long flight was just that LONG...15 hours, the personnel was not really nice and the food really sucked this time. Lyam and Mya were tired. So that made Annie and I tired. We had decent seats, economy plus. Lyam didn't cry or anything but not having a crib and having him in our arms for 15 hours was not an easy task. But, overall, the kids were great considering that they are 3 and 9months old. Although, Mya was sometimes demanding I still thought she was great. She wasn't demanding because of the trip, but because she wanted her mom's attention, which is now split. And as she said to me this morning, je m'ennuie de Maman.
Changing planes in Chicago was a MAJOR PAIN!! We had to wait another HOUR to go throught US customs. LYAM started wailing because he was hungry. But that got through faster by at least 30 mns. THEN we had to collect our luggage and re register them. And that's where one of the suitcases got lost. Then we had to change terminals, because Montreal, Canada was not International enough to be in the same terminal as INTERNATIONAL departure and arrivals. Maybe, the new US president will mandate that all US students have more than 2 hours of Geography courses during their schooling! THEN we had McDONALD'S!!!
Montreal, was a breeze at customs. AND then we found out we had lost a suitcase!! UNITED is really bad.
ANYWAY, we are home safe and sound. Lyam had trouble getting accustomed to his new environment. He woke up alot last night and didn't sleep well. It is 10 and Annie and Lyam are still sleeping. Mya and I woke up at 7h30. Actually, she woke me up at 7h30 to go downstairs to play with her. Which, I, of course, did. Lyam loves his new home. He didn't cry or anything. He is getting along with Gamine fine. Actually, he finds that black furry thing very peculiar and has not touched her yet. We can't wait until he gets accustomed to everything and sleeps through the night in a fit and nightmare free rest! That will be the day that he will be REALLY home in his head. Because, we know that in his heart he is.
