Monday 30th - Huo Che

Up early for the 8:00 train to Guangzhou, which turns out to be the 8:40. Seems punctuality isn't a given but Les says this train will have started its journey yesterday afternoon. It is crammed. Find four corridor seats but the staff sort us out after a while and we get an inside bench where Daddy and Alice have a nap, seems a bit of a recurring theme!

We spend time 'talking' to another Mum in the coach who has a one year old and it is clear how behind Alice is with her talking, motor skills and size.

Train seems to amble and Daddy is getting worried about making the visa appointment.  Arrive at Guangzhou Station and it is a sea of people!

Les has arranged for us to meet with his friend John, who is an Aussie Chinese businessman who won’t take any nonsense from our guide on handing over paperwork.  Taxi to the consulate and sort out the visa and our guide. Despite him telling the Consulate that he needs some of our official papers back we insist that I will collect them on Friday, which the consulate have no problem agreeing to, in fact I think I see a wry smile from the official.

Dispense with guide services.

Meet up with one of Les's English language students and her mother who take us to  dinner before we head back to the station for the return train trip. They don't 'get' the adoption situation that they see sitting across from them and can't fathom how we can be the parents and that the girls live in England. Les does his best, bless him.

Sleeping compartments on the way back and Alice decides this is the night she will cuddle down with Mummy. It has been a very long day and she and everyone is exhausted. Dorothy-Rose and 爸爸 take the top births and after about an hour of train announcements and music everyone is 'out for the count'. Three hours later arrive back at Yangchun and fall into bed at 12:30am