Red eyes and a scratchy throat

Maybe it's the threat of a cold. Maybe it's simple exhaustion. Maybe I'm having too much fun here in China.

My eyes have been red and watery all day. I think it's the haze. I also have had just the slightest hint of a sore throat, which sent me running to Smiley for Theraflu last night.

Tonight, I'll make do with a glass of Great Wall Cabernet Sauvignon.

Today we went to the jewelry mall, which was an exercise in restraint. All those little findings that are made in China? I found them.

We also strolled through a large and crowded shopping street where we all could have spent hours exploring. But our guide was on a schedule and had to pick up some other families from the same agency at the airport.

Up until now, we've been on our own with Lucia. Tomorrow, we'll join three other families from the same agency to begin the consulate paperwork, and in a few days, we'll be working with a larger group of families from the agency to go through the final steps we need to complete in order to leave China.

I thought I would miss being part of a group, but this has been so much fun, I couldn't imagine doing it any other way. Having Zee and Smiley with us has been a godsend. they should seriously start a business helping families through these trips.

As we begin the downhill slide to our trip home, I'm beginning to wonder exactly how we're going to get from the airport to our house.

We were supposed to leave from Albany, and upon our return, our son and someone else would meet us so we wouldn't have to risk our jetlagged necks trying to drive an hour and a half home through the snow hills of central New York.

But now our car is in Newark, which is too far for a greeting team to come fetch us. Maybe we'll try to get a hotel room - but not in the puke-inducing Cat-hattan, as Bee now calls it.

Anyone out there live in the greater Newark area and have a hotel recommendation?

And there is the little crisis of not having a carseat for MM in the car. When we left home, we realized about an hour away that we didn't have it, but dismissed the concern entirely because we would just get our son to bring one when he came to meet us. In Albany.

Anyone out there live in the greater Newark area and have a carseat we can borrow? I'll ship it back the very minute we get back to New York, I promise.

Comments

[ppb]

I don't know how you feel about amtrak, but there's a station right at newark airport---should take you to albany via nyc.

[ppb]

duh. I just read the part about your car being in newark. sorry to be dense. or perhaps beloved son can take train to newark?