The Long Journey Home - Part 1

So we managed to get to the airport okay and even early only to find out our flight had been canceled.

Originally, we were supposed to get on a flight in China, fly to Tokyo (where we would wait in the airport for 3 hours because Emily's passport wouldn't allow us to leave it or we'd have all kinds of troubles), and then fly on to Minneapolis where we had a cushy 2 hour layover with which to get through customs and find our gate.

I have to say that the airline did not handle this well in China. They kept telling everyone to go to a certain ticket counter where we assumed we would get a new ticket but instead received a copy of our itinerary and then were told to go stand in a line that went NO WHERE! A few of us asked but no one could tell us what was going on or what was happening.

Then, just about the time that my ears were going to pop off and shoot through the ceiling, some woman came over and gestured saying "follow me." She loaded us (and our multitudes of luggage) on a bus that drove to the other terminal then she hopped off and took off. I assume she expected we were all following but there were probably fifty people plus luggage on that thing. We all got off as fast as we could but by the time we got inside she was long gone. All I knew to do was follow the person far ahead who looked vaguely familiar from the previous line.

Just about the time that a group of us passengers finally figured out where she had gone, she happened to see us as she was leaving to go back and waved us on to the line we had already figured out to go to. Grrrr! Too bad they didn't send us with someone who actually cared how their airline was represented.

So now we were in a long line AT THE END (instead of the FRONT like we had been) at the Japan Airlines counter. All I could think is that they were going to get us in Tokyo and we'd get stuck and end up having issues getting Emily home because of it. I'm sure my blood pressure was sky high by the time we got to the counter. Even now it makes me grit my teeth. We managed to get our tickets and get to the gate about 5 minutes before loading. So much for our cushion from being early.

By the time we got to Japan, our layover had disintegrated somewhat. We still had to go get tickets printed at our original airline's counter for the remaining flights. Once we managed to do so and get to the gate, we had about 15 minutes before they started loading it. At least we made it!

Now for a super long flight back. It was during this flight that we came to know the joy of buying Chinese diapers -- particularly when you don't read Chinese. I had no more Pampers at all. The diapers that Hubby had purchased (and mind you, a package we gotten previously were generic Chinese diapers and we had no difficulties) had a minor problem. There were no tapes on the sides -- you know the things that fasten the back to the front. Instead they had a square of adhesive on the outside in the center back, one in the center front, and one on the crotch. Yuh huh? No clue what to do with that. But we did manage to tear 'tapes' from the sides of one and knot them together before leaving the hotel. I knew I had some time during my multiple layovers to purchase some at the airport so I didn't worry too much.

I had hopes that it would make it to the next airport where I could buy some but no such luck. We realized at some point that she had soaked not only the diaper that was not even close to being as absorbent but also the pants she was wearing. And did I pack an extra pair? Umm. No. Mainly because we didn't have any more that were clean.

Two tips here:

When in China, buy the brand of diapers that you can read something, ANYTHING, on the packaging of.

If in fact, you are stupid enough not to, you might try sticking the plastic that your airline blanket came in to the back sticky place and pulling the ends around like tapes to stick on the front sticky place. That is -- if you are desperate and your Pampers are gone.

By the way, if you're embarrassed that you are such a poor excuse for a parent that you have to wrap your child in funky Chinese diapers and plastic wrap, you can also carry the blanket that the plastic came from into the tiny airline bathroom with you and then cover your child's lower half with it in shame when you walk back to your seat.

Just a tip, you know, in case you need it. Not that I would -- but you know in case you need it.

One nice thing about such a long flight is that pee pee pants have time to dry so you don't have to explain to God some day why you stole an airline blanket to cover your child. Not that they stayed dry as funky Chinese diapers struck again by the time we were unloading in Minneapolis. But that became the least of our troubles....