Ni Hao from Taipei

Ni Hao (Hello) everyone.

We are here! I am sitting in our friends' apartment writing to you. Thank you for your prayers for a safe trip. They worked. The kids did great. Our trip here consisted of three legs. The first was from Houston to Detroit. In Detroit, we boarded the big plane - a 747 - bound from Detroit to Osaka, Japan. We actually took the same plane from Detroit to Osaka on into Taipei. But, they decided that everyone needed to get off the plane in Osaka with ALL OUR CARRYON BAGS, go through security (AGAIN) and then get back on the plane. Getting back on the plane, Abby saw our airplane from the airport window and said "Abby's big plane". The third leg of the trip was from Osaka into Taipei. By this time, the kids had slept on the big plane (the 14 hour flight) and we're awake for the last flight....and Mommy who hadn't slept on the big flight slept most of the trip into Taipei.

So - we land in Taipei. The kids are ready to move after being contained on planes and in airports for 24 hours. All Bryon and I can think of is getting through security, getting our bags, getting through customs and finding Enrico - our English speaking cab driver that came to meet us and get us to our hotel. We did all that without any problems at all. Then, following Enrico, we make it to the airport parking garage that has the floors painted green. Enrico gets the car, and we pile in for the 45 minute trip to the Feeling Hotel. Benjamin and Abby fall asleep on the way and wake up when we get to the hotel. Benjamin looked around and asked where we were. We told him that we were at the hotel, and he said "This doesn't look like a normal hotel". Welcome to Taiwan!

Our room at the hotel, including the bathroom (which has a REAL TOILET versus a normal hole in the ground for a toilet) is about the size of our upstairs living room at home. It has a small refrigerator (think dorm fridge), which our dear friends stocked with goodies for us. We made it to our hotel around midnight - I think, only because our room did not come with a clock! Our friends also left us toys in the room for the kids to play with. After an hour or so, we are settled into our room and the kids are enjoying hopping and running around - a well deserved play time. But - mom and dad are ready to sleep! Benjamin and Abby are not!!! Bryon and I crawl into bed. Benjamin and Abby jump into bed and keep on jumping. Bryon and I do our best to lift our heads every 30 minutes to make sure that the kids are okay. We have a chain on our door that the kids can't reach, so we figured they're at least stuck in the room and we're safe with them running around while we crash.

I'll go ahead and post this section and then continue with news from our first full day in Taipei.

Zai Jian (the Taiwanese word for good-bye),
susan