Travelers make final stretch for reunions

Nanhedian, Henan: As Li Fengcai looked into the two large plastic bags stuffed full of gifts for his wife and children, he broke into a wide smile. His long wait to see his family was almost over, his home just a short train ride away.

"I have been waiting for today for a long time. The minutes dragged like hours this morning," said the 45-year-old father as he stared from a platform at Beijing Railway Station. "I haven't been back home for more than half a year. My youngest son is only two but he grows so quickly; I do not know whether the clothes I have bought him are big enough."

Li is a bricklayer and has worked in the capital for more than 10 years. He only gets the chance to return to his hometown of Nanhedian in Henan province once a year, usually for Spring Festival.