We are home!!!! I won't sugarcoat the flight experience from Hong Kong to Chicago. It was grueling. It was a combination of Planes Trains and Automobiles and the Amazing Race. International flights are tough enough for adults who understand the reason to undergo the rush to gates, squishing like sardines into small seats, and tolerating the length of the flight itself. But, for a two year old whose world has changed so drastically only 10 days earlier, there is no reasoning or understanding for this.
Tingting, in true form, was actually great for some of the flight. The problem was that when she is tired, she will cry and scream to fall asleep. This is just the way it is. However, on a 14 hour flight (even sitting near the back which helped to drone out the shreiking) with many well intentioned concerned fellow passengers, the shreiking turned heads and sent people running over to our seats. I was told she was teething, hungry, cold, or hot. I tried to explain that she was tired and trying to fall asleep, but promptly given biscuits or other food for Tingting. Tingting loved this, since she loves to eat and doesn't seem to feel fullness yet. I worried that she might explode. But again, my comments that she had already eaten two flight meals (mine and hers) and wasn't hungry weren't heeded. So, we spent alot of time walking the aisles, and standing in the back of the plane. Tingting slept for maybe an hour of the 14 hour flight. Katelyn travels so well, that she happily sat, played, and watched as I tried every trick I could to ease Tingting's flying experience.
It was great to finally arrive in Chicago where Tingting was finally recognized as a US citizen. As we went through security (which was a production in itself with Nana being tested for explosives since she was wearing her back support brace), Tingting fell alseep out of sheer exhaustion and slept until well after we arrived in Manchester. No movement could rouse her, only the cooler temperatures of New England.
And so we are home. And if I needed to do it all over again for her, I would.
Cindy
Tingting, in true form, was actually great for some of the flight. The problem was that when she is tired, she will cry and scream to fall asleep. This is just the way it is. However, on a 14 hour flight (even sitting near the back which helped to drone out the shreiking) with many well intentioned concerned fellow passengers, the shreiking turned heads and sent people running over to our seats. I was told she was teething, hungry, cold, or hot. I tried to explain that she was tired and trying to fall asleep, but promptly given biscuits or other food for Tingting. Tingting loved this, since she loves to eat and doesn't seem to feel fullness yet. I worried that she might explode. But again, my comments that she had already eaten two flight meals (mine and hers) and wasn't hungry weren't heeded. So, we spent alot of time walking the aisles, and standing in the back of the plane. Tingting slept for maybe an hour of the 14 hour flight. Katelyn travels so well, that she happily sat, played, and watched as I tried every trick I could to ease Tingting's flying experience.
It was great to finally arrive in Chicago where Tingting was finally recognized as a US citizen. As we went through security (which was a production in itself with Nana being tested for explosives since she was wearing her back support brace), Tingting fell alseep out of sheer exhaustion and slept until well after we arrived in Manchester. No movement could rouse her, only the cooler temperatures of New England.
And so we are home. And if I needed to do it all over again for her, I would.
Cindy
posted by Cindy at 4:30 AM
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