Getting our passports checked and our luggage going through Customs was surprisingly easy and quick. We were expecting to be picked up by a driver from our real estate agent. After about a half an hour, a taxi stand staffer graciously let me use her cell phone to call the agency. They said they were not expecting me until the 28th (?!) and that they would call me right back with a plan. Again, this unknown staffer with a cell phone received the call. The instructions were to get a taxi and meet at the address of the apartment.
We managed to get our luggage out to the curb, and a nice driver with a van took us to our apartment. (And he took USD, so that was good.)
As soon as we were situated in the van, Peggy said: "Mommy, when does our adventure begin?" I said, "It begins NOW!" I reached in my purse to pull our my camera, and then leaned over to her -- to find her zonked out. That is definitely a record.
So, I was alone, taking in the scenery from the airport to the city center. I loved all the campaign billboards, and I soon hope to be familiar with the parties and the prospective presidential candidates. (Do not take the photo included in this blog as an endorsement of any political party or candidate. It's just that was the only one where we slowed down long enough for me to get a photo.)
We arrived at the apartment, and my driver started lugging the suitcases up to the 5th floor apartment. After the 2nd trip, our agent told him not to carry any more bags upstairs. It turns out that the owner of the apartment sold it and changed the locks.
While he was on his cell phone trying to find a solution, Peggy was able to play on the "ice cream cone playground," which she was looking forward to from the pictures. I took this one (blurry) photo - and then a security guard cautioned me not to take any photos of the hotel. I assured him I was only taking a photo of my daughter on the playground, and quickly put the camera away. Perhaps at some point, I will learn more about the purpose of the security guards who sit near the entrance of the (adjascent?) building.
We were shown 2 apartments that could be temporary, while we looked for a new place to stay. Each was "lovely" (Peggy's words), but we chose the one that was near ULIM and the building of the original apartment.
Peggy watched cartoons while I got organized and later got online to skype with Ramsay and let him know we arrived safely (and about the snafu with the original apartment and that we were in a safe place). (We loved it so much, neither Peggy nor I wanted to leave.)
The next morning we awoke to a call from the agent -- with plans to get us our luggage and to show us a new apartment. We looked at one in the building in which we were planning to rent. Everything was newly remodeled - in fact, so much so, that it is not quite ready. We decided to take it and move in right away, just so we could get settled and unpacked. We are waiting on the new oven to be installed, the cable and internet to be turned on, my bed and armoire and computer desk, etc, etc to arrive.
The owner and her son have been terrific. The apartment is perfect. I am especially fond of the gas stove, the dish washer, and the frontloading washing machine. All of Peggy's things are unpacked. And she was having fun with her toys as I was unpacking and putting away as much as I could, including the empty suitcases. The only thing left in suitcases are my clothes (awaiting armoire) and my books (awaiting computer desk/work station). Already it feels like home. I will share more about the apartment, including photos.
Wahoooo
ReplyDelete