3 days to go.....

...To answer your question Chantal, no, I do not have a confirmed date for the G&R yet; however, thanks to the other mom and dad who I will be travelling with, they managed to find out that on the day we arrive, the morning of the 18th, that later that day we will go to the orphanage. Not sure yet if I'll be able to take Matteo back to the hotel with me, but hoping that that will happen. Also have accommodations mostly taken care of, thank you Lea and Gina. May have to move one time, but will be staying in the Binh An family of hotels.....For now that's it....going to finish that marking and get this off my plate so I can then tackle my own suitcase!!!....and of course enjoy these last few days and hours.......

4 days to go.....to get baby Tigger....

....well today was the last official day of day school work, and last night was my last day of night school. I still have some grading and prep to do for the supply teacher who will take over for my continuing education course.....so will have to do that and drop it off on Monday.....but will probably not set foot into a high school classroom for a few months. Felt a little emotional as I left, but not so much because of that but because it is really happening....I am soon going to get on a plane and fly to Vietnam and meet my son, my little boy!!!....again that reality is setting in more and more...

This afternoon during one of my classes, one of my colleagues dropped by and gave me a lovely baby gift for Matteo on behalf of my art colleagues. That was a wonderful surprise and what was even more precious was that it was a baby tigger outfit. Well Matteo was born in the year of the tiger so this gift was so appropriate....I don't think they realized it when it was purchased but I think these kinds of synchronicities are wonderful and make it all feel like everything is falling into place...

....it's Friday night and I'm tired....had great expectations of getting some things done tonight but they will have to wait for tomorrow!!...so for now I have posted a photo below of the special outfit as I count off the days before I finally travel to my real baby tigger!!....

5 days to go and one week's accommodation is booked......

Just got a message from Lea and she's managed to get me a week at the same hotel where she's at!! so yeah!!!...thanks Lea...and now it is 5 days to go....nite nite everyone!!...or Good morning if you're in Vietnam!!

Almost 5 days to go....

...well this morning I woke up and had an early morning skype call with Lea in Vietnam...there seems to be an issue with my accommodations....I have none!!...so cross your fingers and say a few prayers that a room frees up so that Matteo and I will have a place to stay or we'll camp out on the beach if we have to!!!...but I'm sure it will be solved and they won't leave us on the street or beach except for relaxing.....

....Another busy work day but have tomorrow during the day mostly off to attend to banking details and pick up a package that is waiting for me at purolator...probably the documents from tdh that I'll need to take with me??... etc....days are going very fast though!!..

.....for now am posting below a message from Alphen at Asia Express. He did forward the concerns re: baby ticket problems, to someone at Cathay and here below is this contact Denny Cheng... if you wish to get to the bottom of why things went wrong etc...or find out why you had to pay extra please do contact him. As Denny below says, if they don't have the specifics they can't do anything, but glad to see below that they will definitely investigate to try to get to the root of the problems, but can only do so if they are contacted with the details and info.....so in the future if anyone has any problems, I hope you'll let them know....

...so I will keep you posted on our hotel room!!...

***************************
For your infos .
Alphen

from: Denny Cheng [mailto: denny_cheng@cathaypacific.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 10:40 AM
To: Alphen Cheng (Asia Express)
Subject: Re: FW: Another family with baby ticket problems...

Hi Alphen,

was the mentioned case your actual clients - or just someone post on the forum with their experience..?

anyway as far as I know all paxs hold e-ticket with valid travel document is okay to travel.. some airport regulations suggest pax to print out the e-ticket copy .. but I can't comment the specific case (there may be something behind the story) - so tell you clients don't worry about that

However, if you have clients face the same issue, direct to me RIGHT away so I can send to HKG to investigate, but for something on public forum without much details, we can't do much.

Thank you

Brgds, Denny

Denny Cheng
Account Manager
Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd.
Tel 416-694-1100 ext 226
Fax 416-694-1311

oh forgot to mention re: ticket problems..

... it seems that there is a suggestion that the issue with the baby tickets is a local issue in Vietnam and China but we know that as Meg mentioned the problem also started with local staff here. As long as parents print up the e-ticket, for the baby, or get help from tdh staff to get the revised e-ticket printed up, this is the only hardcopy you should need as it is in the system. But as we know this has still caused problems.... However on the advice of someone who did not have any difficulty, thanks Christine, a suggestion is to call Cathay airlines in HCMC to reconfirm your flights, ask if your baby bassinet is on your file etc. etc...calling more than once is advised. The agent here states that there are no hardcopies of tickets any longer, only hardcopies of e-tickets... and unfortunately what our agent suggested was that the problems indicate is a poorly trained staff over there. I suggested to him in my most recent message that perhaps he could contact Cathay in Vietnam and alert them to these problems and suggest to Cathay that they need to better train their ticket agents etc. I told him, that on behalf of parents travelling with babies, we would all be very grateful if he did at least that so at least someone tries to do something on our behalf......

...but again until we know that the problem is fixed, don't forget to print up your e-ticket, yours and your child's, and make a few phone calls too before going to the airport!! until it gets solved this might be what we have to do to "try" to have a smooth trip home!!....

Almost 6 days to go!!.....

Feeling better today but a very long day, teaching by day and by night and a haircut in between and staying later than usual to deal with an issue....and a student and a problem....will be glad to leave all of this behind for a bit!!....good news is I finally connected with the other family who will be on the same flights as I will and are also adopting a little boy so another friendship for Matteo....lots of baby boys will be coming home to Canada and very soon!!.......Thanks for your comments Chantal, B. and Paula.......and will enjoy a few showers and speaking of movies one of my cousins invited me to "one last movie night." He's been teasing me for months now that our movie nights are going to come to an end....and I keep telling him they won't forever, but maybe for a bit, and we can always rent and he can come over...but probably on Saturday will enjoy my movie outing!!...but am still trying to get stuff for work done, picked up some sunscreen lotion for Matteo, made a few more lists and making plans for some weekend visits........anyhow still can't believe this is happening at times, but there is definitely a smile on my lips all the time and when I'm talking the smile is always in my heart....

Almost 7 days to go!!....and

am feeling really nervous and tense tonight...spent the night on the phone first with an on-line company and then with my credit card company trying to dispute a charge I never approved and was furious with them, but am really just feeling the anxiety of a few days to go....I've got most things taken care of but still have a few busy days ahead and getting that ticket package and the passport made it all much more real and now I'm feeling more fear and worry!!....trying to breathe in and out tonight, but definitely anxious and nervous....and praying that the trip and my meeting Matteo go smoothly but know that I cannot predict or control that!!...so now it is hitting me for real!!!...or maybe another level of real!!......