posted by Dad

thought I'd fill you in on the flight from Danang to Hanoi or as I like to think of it " Ho Chi Minh's revenge". Started out well enough we packed most of our stuff while the kids were asleep but we got them up and after the sleepy grumpys wore off they saw what we were doing and decide to help. they took their little backpacks and started loading the toys in them. As we completed each suitcase we would weigh them with this little scale. I put it down and then next thing I knew David had picked it up and was weighing his backpack too. and smiling like crazy. Got them down and checked out waited a bit for the bus , a nice big A/C bus. Got on and to my surprise David just sat right down on the seat next to me and was fine. I thought , hey this will be a breeze. Silly Daddy! When we got to the airport it was chaos. 7 families all those kids and luggage plus David got scared and would not allow me to put him down. Hot crowded miserable.  about 1/2 hour standing around there until we finally got on the plane. At least there was a/c on the plane. the plane was 3 seats aisle and 3 seats so we could not all sit next to each other. Rita got the seat across the aisle oh and by the way Emma was an angel this whole time. anyway got in our seats and David seemed to perk up and be looking around standing on the seat. After a bit I realized that was going to be the problem. You see we had a difference of opinion, I wanted him to sit down and fasten his seat belt ( per FAA regulations). He however did not feel thus regulations should apply to him. After a brief discussion of the various safety and legal implications involved our negotiation had reached an impasse. After waiting as long as I could I forced him down into the seat and strapped him in. Men have been strapped into the electric chair with less screaming. He has a very interesting scream, a very rhythmic wah wah. Luckily I was surrounded by mostly adoptive families so I looked around, smiled and said "kinda reminds me of Paris" you know those wah wah police sirens. Once the plane started to move the rest of the flight was uneventful other than a successful trip to the bathroom, for him not me. Emma was so cute sitting next to me on the flight just smiling and playing my little angel. David fell asleep toward the end of the flight so when we got off I was carrying him. then to hot sweaty baggage claim to get our 2 tons of luggage, no porter at this airport for the bourgeois capitalists. Rita had to take both kids while I struggled with a luggage cart with a bad wheel, thankfully one of our travel mates helped with the other cart. Got the luggage to a cab obtained by coordinator. Put Rita and kids in the car by this time David was up and OK. As I went to get in cab D & E were sitting on the seat next to each other and Rita picked E up to move her I did the same with D and pow total meltdown. This time to my amazement the answer was Mama's lap. Instant gratification. E fell asleep on my lap and D in hers so we had it made. only one stop to drop off another family and we are golden. Got to the first hotel dropped them off , I tell the driver the name of the hotel and blank stare....He had no idea. Had to find someone at hotel one to tell the stupid cab driver chosen by the coordinator where the hotel was. As it turns out only a few blocks away. Made it the hotel upstairs and into bed........END OF POST