WE HAVE OUR TRAVEL ITINERARY!

July 2 – Sunday
Leave Minneapolis for Beijing, with a stop in Tokyo.

July 3 – Monday
Arrive in Beijing and stay at the Oriental Culture Hotel.

July 4 – Tuesday
Tour Beijing, likely visiting the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square.

July 5 – Wednesday
Fly to Chongqing. Board a ship on the great Yangtze River to view the magnificence of the Three Gorges.

The Three Gorges provides incredible views of green mountains and lush valleys.

The area is scheduled to be completely flooded by 2009 as a result of the Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest hydroelectric project. The dam will span nearly a mile across and 575 feet high. It will also force the displacement of close to 1.9 million people, cause the loss of many ancient cultural treasures and dramatically alter China’s landscape forever. Because the Three Gorges is partly in our daughter’s province, we decided that was important to witness and record its current state, so our daughter will know its beauty.

July 6 – Thursday
Continue our cruise downstream, viewing both farm and village life in rural China. The first port of call is Fengdu, known as “City of Ghosts” where we stop to visit temples.

July 7 – Friday
Visit the Three Gorges, including the Wu Gorge with its twelve peaks, the Qutang Gorge known for its dramatic scenery, and the longest gorge, the Xiling Gorge.

July 8 – Saturday
Visit the Three Gorges Dam and then sail through another section of the Xiling Gorge enjoying the striking panorama.

July 9 – Sunday
Disembark in Wuhan, check into the May Flower Hotel and prepare to meet Jia the following morning!

July 10 – Monday – GOTCHA DAY – THE DAY WE GET JIA!!!
We get Jia at 8:30 a.m.! Spend the day enjoying our daughter!

July 11 – Tuesday
Adoption registration and notarization at Civil Affairs Office. Play with Jia all day.

July 12 – Wednesday
Love our daughter.

July 13– Thursday
Relish being parents.

July 14 – Friday
Receive Jia’s Chinese passport and depart Wuhan for Guangzhou. Stay at the White Swan Hotel – a legendary part of the Chinese adoption experience.

July 15 – Saturday
Jia’s visa photo and medical exam. She refused to cooperate with the vision and hearing test at her prior exam so we’ll see how she does on this one!

July 16 – Sunday
Perhaps swim with Jia in the White Swan pool!

July 17 – Monday
Jia’s consulate appointment. Our agency representative attends for us so we plan to shop instead. We are buying presents for Jia in honor of her adoption day every year!

July 18 – Tuesday
Consulate oath and receipt of Jia’s visa. Enjoy our last full day in our daughter’s homeland.

July 19 – Wednesday
The long trip home: Fly from Guangzhou to Tokyo to Seattle to Minneapolis!!
Then Jia meets the rest of her family!