The Long Road to Lucy

Saturday

Today we woke up to our usual breakfast in the buffet downstairs and then met our guide at 9 am for some sightseeing.  We went to the pavilion for some sightseeing. It is a beautiful structure. However, when it feels like 115 out you really don’t pay much attention to the details. I can say it has 89 steps that led up to it because we walked them and then six more flights to get to the top for music and dance show. We also got to purchase some small souvenirs for home. After we left there we went back to the hotel for the afternoon. We decided to not eat lunch and just snack in the room. Our guide wanted to take us to eat at a Chinese restaurant so we met her at 6 for dinner. We went to dinner with our friends from England and Kentucky. I was hopefully that we would find something good to eat. So far there has not been much here that tastes good. Papa John’s pizza has been our saving grace! However, I could tell the minute we walked into the restaurant I was in trouble. The smells here are different and they burn a lot of incense here and it is really strong. I tried several of the dishes but I could not eat them. Our guide ordered for us and asked for no spice. She said in Nanchang they like their food very spicy and most westerners don’t like that. I just can’t get over the smell enough to eat most things here. It has been really hard. Allen tried a few things and ate a little but we are missing the taste of foods at home! Lucy enjoyed everything and we haven’t found much she won’t eat! I am thinking she will be growing into her 12 month clothes by the time we get home! We got down with dinner by 7 and were in bed by 8. Our bodies are still not on the right time. We often wake up at 4 or before and have a hard time going back to sleep. Lucy is absolutely perfect and we couldn’t ask for better! She is funny and into everything. It is rough containing her in the room and she gets restless and we have to go walk just to get out and about. She eats well for us and seems happy. We are getting lots of grins and giggles from her. It is rough being away from the kids, our family and friends and the familiar things of home. But we would do it again to bring her home! It is worth it and I know we don’t have anything to complain about it.  We have made it here a week and will leave Nanchang on Tuesday to go to Guangzhou. We hear it is better as far as places to go and food. Our hotel is in a busy spot and it is not easy for us to venture out on our own much. We have gone to the corner market for drinks but that is about it. We are hoping our next stop will be more comfortable for us!