Nanning travels

Nanning

Today we traveled to Nanning. My day didn't quite begin as planned. I had hoped to get up, go to the gym, eat, then finish packing. Unfortunately, the gym doesn't open until 10am (we had to be checked out by 1030am), and I woke bit later than planned, and skyped before finishing my packing, which actually proved to be more difficult than I thought and took longer than I thought. I left in what I thought was enough time to head down to breakfast, by 1015am- but forgot breakfast ended at 10am. So...

We began loading the buses to the airport. I loaded my suitcase onto the luggage bus, and watched while most folks boarded one bus, but knowing they didn't really want to ride with the kids (who had to ride the second bus) I waited, not minding the kids, for the emptier bus.

We learned this bus was stuck in traffic and ended up being quite late, but after everything was loaded, the luggage suitcase and our bus took off.

We get halfway to the airport, now running something like an hour late.

apparently, the other bus had low air in the tires or flat tires or something. so they hadn't even left the hotel yet.

unfortnately, there's only one plane a day that leaves harbin for nanning, so there were some problems with that.

i dont know, but those who had arrived got in the check-in line, which took absolutely forever. like, over an hour, and it was primarily just our group at that point.

by then, the other bus arrived and we all got checked in.

but then we faced security. the normal security you would see at any airport, they even asked us to remove our shoes, and were inspecting ALL liquids, even those that were smaller than 3 ounces.

we put our bags through the xray machines, then had to go through the metal detectors. on the other side, we faced a HUGE infraction of human rights and decency.

there were security people with wands, those metal detector wands, and EVERY PERSON was wanded down whether or not they set of the metal detector alarm. but let me explain how this worked. we were fondled- out and out fondled. our breasts were groped, she put the wand between my legs, i know one of the men was groped by a female (he called it "full out ballage")... they fondled pretty much everyone in some way. it was brief, but was entirely unnecessary.

there was absolutely NO reason for this. several of us are intending to send in complaints to the US embassy and lord only knows who else.

we eventually made it onto the planes, and got loaded. we realized after we sat down that the vegetarians were all placed in one row all the way across, which is great. i haven't had problems with airplane chinese food, only real chinese food. but we were given these awful boxes of food.

the snack box was ok, though it was all bread. the dinner... it was white rice with overbaked DRY beans and celery. plus yellow tomatos and more bread. yum.

the plane ride was otherwise uneventful, and we arrived in Nanning around 930pm.

as we drove through the city, i have to say, the city center where the hotel is reminds me a LOT of miami due to building structures, the trees, and how all streets, bridges, and buildings were just flashing lights and "hip", for lack of another word.

then we spotted our hotel- a best western. which may not harken to 5 star quality, but OMG! this is an AMAZING hotel, it by far outshines the marriott.

we got here late, but i've taken many pictures and went night swimming in the "outdoor/indoor" pool.

i'm feeling a bit plane-lagged, like dizzy and such, but i'm going to get to sleep.

i'm meeting one of the moms at the gym in the morning.

then i am meeting a small group of people at 315pm and we are going to see "hancock" at the movie theatre then off to dinner.