China Airlines was the same carrier in our last trip in 2007. But back then, there was no direct flight from Taipei to Xiamen. We had to fly from Taipei to Hong Kong, then from Hong Kong to Xiamen. This time, there is direct flight from Taipei to Xiamen, and the airline companies even share the same aircraft. So our flight from Taipei to Xiamen bears two names: one (Taipei) AE 991, the other (Xiamen) MF 991.

Despite the direct flight, it took close to 24 hours to get from PDX (Portland) to XMN (Xiamen). There were terminal gates to be located, security gates to pass through, and unexpected schedule delays and changes. But the crews of both Alaska and China Airlines were pretty good, and the latter's on-board service was particularly nice. While it took the same one hour and a half to travel from PDX to SFO, and from TPE (Taipei) to XMN, Alaska Airlines served only one very small snack,while China Airlines treated you with a full hot meal.

And the delight was at the end of the journey, when I emerged out of Xiamen airport. The air certainly felt stuffy, but it was certainly good to be back home and with my mother, aged 95.

a 12-minute video of first part of my 2013 China trip （in WMV format, may not play on iPad)

2007年我们经台湾回厦门，必须先从台北拐香港，再从香港飞厦门。今年回国有直航了，快了一些，但头尾二十多个小时，在各个机场转来转去，办托运，找登机口，过安捡，寻水喝。实在辛苦。还好华航服务好。旧金山星期四半夜2：30起飞（迟开一小时），到台北星期五早上6：30。途中近十三个小时，送了够分量的晚餐和早餐。晚餐还是中式的，米饭和鸡肉（猪肉？）还是烫口的。台北到厦门不到一个半小时，也照样送了一顿正餐（而美国阿拉斯加航班，从波特兰到旧金山一个半小时，只送一小包不值十美分的饼点）。

从厦门到石码，弟弟从机场转了几圈才转到高速公路上。一路上，从高楼大厦到立交桥，满目是天翻地覆的巨变。到了石码，经弟弟解释，才知道什么地方叫什么路，或者曾经叫什么路。真要让我自己出门，我恐怕没法找到家门口了。熟识的是家乡的闷热。都晚上十点了，外面的气温仍然是华氏82度。妈妈早就准备了很多吃的。饭桌上有新鲜龙眼，冰箱里有冰冻荔枝。吃完午饭，我连忙洗了澡，戴上眼罩和耳塞，在空调声中睡了整整四个小时。妈妈是老多了，有点背驼，相当耳重。但以她的年龄（95岁），她一切仍能自理，天天走路买菜。我们很知足了。

请见一段12分钟的视频（WMV格式，不一定能在 iPad 播放）

Click image to enlarge.  击打图片即可放大。

(will switch to part 2 of China Trip in 20 minutes; 二十分钟后自动转到 燕南故国行第二集)