Sightseeing in HKG & on to Nanning

So we spent the day in HKG, we woke up, showered and straight to Starbucks. Then we ventured out to an area I read about. It is called Stanley Market. I would highly recommend this to anyone that will be in the area. We took the MTR train to the bus station then took the bus to Stanley Market. This is a place that I would compare to a cross between the boardwalk in OC (off season) & Mexico with the touristy shops...however if you walk toward the water there is a quaint area that consists of restaurants & shops, a playground and a small cinderblock temple.
Then we headed back to the hotel to check out and on to the airport for our next flight to Nanning.
I have to say first of all that the only way I have ever traveled out of the country is by cruise ship or direct to a resort...hardly roughing it. HKG was a good transition city.... Very Americanized, most speak very good English.
So, we head to our gate to board the plane to Nanning, we quickly realized something was different. We were the only two Americans on this plane and no one, I mean no one spoke English! We arrived at the airport, scooted through immigration with no problems and we were greeted by "Mary" who was holding a sign that said Newman....really she could have picked us out of the crowd! Mary briefly explained that she was only our pick up guide and we would meet Amby tomorrow. We then hopped in the van with "Mr Lee" for our adventure across town to our hotel. We are at the Nanning Marriott, it is beautiful, clean and just enough space! The staff is amazing, few of them speak English but they all try really hard. The staff is amazing, very formal and respectful... the men even bow to you when departing the elevator! Greg, you really should consider this... I kinda like it!
So, by this time it is late...10ish...we ventured out to Walmart which is just down the street, we were quickly approached by many people yelling something but we had no idea....well apparently they were closed....seriously...at 10:30 on a Saturday night, in a city???? So we decided to go to the Pizza Hut for dinner, again..many people yelling something, we had no idea..apparently they were closed as well!! So, KFC it was....
A good nights sleep & I was able to skype with my crew at home this am.
We met with our guide Amby at noon today and he informed us that we would be meeting Mira tomorrow, Monday afternoon. We found out that we will go to the CA with 5 other families which is awesome!
We spent the afternoon walking all around, seeing the surroundings. People are incredibly curious about us, we look different, we don't speak their language and they don't speak ours! We actually had a girl at KFC leave her register and NEVER COME BACK!!! lol
So please say a prayer for Mira, as she sleeps her final night in the orphanage, pray that her heart be prepared and that the transition may be smooth for us all...
Thanks so much to all my friends and family.... Feel free to drop a note, there is nothing like a taste of home!!
Hugs to all....
Vanessa














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