We're here!

Here´s the travel report:

This was my first time flying to Bolivia by myself with the kids, and I wasn´t sure how I would fare 1-on-3 during the 17 hour journey. All went very well--shockingly smoothly, really. I got lots of sympathetic looks--no doubt because everyone thought I was traveling alone with three kids all the way from Australia. (As a ease-of-spotting-in-a-crowd device, I had dressed them in the matching Austrailia t-shirts the McCalmans had brought us last year...it works!)

In Charlotte, we enjoyed the super-spacious new Concourse D which has a huge dome-shaped terminal, a great view of the city skyline, and lots of room to run around. We struck up a conversation/playtime with a German family with two small children travling to Yemen which quickly put my journey into perspective!

But hands-down, the special hall of moving walkways in Miami remained the favorite place to run off energy and kill time. Thanks to all the running in circles (and staying up til midnight), the kids slept very well on the overnight flight.

Upon arrival, we sailed through immigration, grateful to the kind officer who let families with children move to the front of the line. Since our visas were dealt with last year that saved a lot of time. Customs didn´t ask any questions about our gigantic pile of luggage or the 5 pounds of frozen bacon I brought for Bobbi Sue, and we passed through the sliding doors quickly. The kids ran into Abu Sue´s arms, we loaded all 6 of us and the 6 bags into Javier´s trusty red Jeep, and we soon arrived at the house!

The kids have been playing non-stop with the cousins who are all living in the downstairs apartment while Rosi and Sergio remodel their house. They picked right up where they left off in July and it is great to have so many playmates at our fingertips!

Yesterday we were all a little woozy from the altitude, but I think we´re all in good shape today.

More soon...we visit the school tomorrow!

Karen