The Journey: Harbin

Performing on stage at ATC

We’re home. 21 hours of travelling and we arrived back in our Harbin apartment. It’s good to be home after the journey.

8 PM, Chiang Mai, Thailand: We lug our suitcases and too many carry-ons onto the elevator and wheel over to the checkout counter. Turn in our keys, pay the bill, and head out of the hotel. Flag down a red truck taxi, load everyone and everything into the back, and negotiate the fare to the airport. Pay the driver, find a free luggage cart, and head to the Air Asia check-in desk. Find our passports, weigh our luggage, and get the boarding pass. OOPS! Luggage is overweight so we can’t get the boarding pass until we pay an extra fee. All set. Now we wait to board the plane.

10:30 PM, Chiang Mai Airport: Finally board the plane 30 minutes late. Corbin starts screaming. Arching-the-back screaming. Kanyon settles into his seat. Watch the safety video. Corbin screaming. Take off. Corbin screaming. Reach altitude. Corbin screaming. Served drinks. Corbin screaming. Begin decent. Corbin screaming. Land. Corbin screaming. Deplane. Corbin screaming. Reach the terminal. Corbin not screaming. Corbin screamed the entire 1.5 hour flight.

12:40 AM Bangkok: We claim our bags. Recheck our bags (no overweight charges this time). Clear immigration and customs. Arrive at our gate.

1:45 AM Bangkok: Board the airplane to depart. Corbin and Kanyon both sleep. Parents sleep too.

7:00 AM Shanghai, China: Arrive at the airport. Clear immigration and customs. Claim our bags. Recheck our bags (no overweight charges this time). Arrive at our gate to wait.

8:30 AM Shanghai, China: Eat breakfast of noodles, steamed dumplings, and KFC breakfast sandwich.

12:00 PM Shanghai, China: Board the plane. Kanyon and Corbin sleep.

1:00 PM Shanghai, China: Still haven’t departed. The plane hasn’t even moved. Now the plane is cleared to take-off. Immediately Kanyon barfs all over his pants and seat. Try to clean it up as much as possible. Kanyon sleeps for the remaining flight.

3:30 PM Harbin, China: Arrive in Harbin. Claim luggage. Find a taxi.

5:00 PM Harbin, China: Finally home. Eat peanut butter sandwiches. Head straight to bed.