Today was our last day in Guangzhou and we spent it walking around Shamian Island (again) and walking over to the market (again.) We are tired, homesick, and can't wait to see our kids back home - definitely ready to get on that plane! I had tried to get everything into the suitcases we had left (3 because I gave one away with the stuff I had for the orphanage) but I could see that was not going to work and ended up rushing around to all of the stores on the island to see if I could buy one. It was so cheap, I almost laughed out loud - I thought I'd at least need to spend $40, but it was only $12 USD so I didn't even bother trying to bargain for it. I just said "I'll take it!" We had also resisted buying a stroller - everyone said they were so inexpensive, but the hotel had lent us one and we knew we'd have one when we got home. Tonight before dinner we ran into our new friends from New York and they had said they had done the same thing but decided to get one last minute because they would have a long layover at the airport. Hmmm, our layover is 6 hours. So, we had dinner with them - such a sweet couple and their new daughter Beatrice is adorable. After dinner we were walking back to the hotel and decided to ask one of the shops how much their cheapest umbrella stroller was. Turned out it was only $20 USD and it's pretty snazzy for a fold up one too - 5-point harness and a bar in front to attach toys to. I'll have to take a photo while we're strolling around the airport. Things have just kind of worked out like that while we've been here - it has been pretty surreal. I'm hoping nothing goes wrong with our flights tomorrow - apparently there is another typhoon moving in. Today there were some pretty heavy rain showers. While I was rushing around looking for a suitcase I dropped off some of our food that I didn't want to pack at one of the charity shops since they take donations for other families. That was the best store we went to and I only discovered it yesterday - all the items were handmade by artists who were either considered too old or disabled to work, and all the proceeds went to help orphaned children. I bought some really nice things in there including a beautiful quilted diaper bag with matching baby quilt, and some handknitted dolls for my girls. Well that's it for now - please be thinking of us Friday while we travel back in time. How strange it will be to leave Beijing at 4pm and arrive in Seattle at noon the same day!
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