[JenC]

DH and I decided last night to travel. I know it's a long ways off (next summer, probably), but I need help. We've flown once - from Indy to Phoenix, no connections or anything. I'm going to work on getting our passports on Friday. I'm looking for what to do, what not to do, um, basically everything. I'm a travelling novice with lots of questions. Something I thought of last night is do you have to go through customs in a country to catch a connecting flight? Is it possible to travel with 1 bag? Ack, we know nothing! Calling all expert international fliers - please fill me in! Thanks!

[kidmd2b]

I have heard if you deplane, some countries require visas and different vaccinations and such. You have to be careful when you are planning your flights, that your travel agent knows the specifics for your proposed flight schedule. I know many people with my agency pick a route where they only stop for fuel in Italy and no one deplanes outside of the domestic flights depending on where they live. In this case, there is no problem. I don't think it is as much as a big deal on your way there as it is on the way back. I haven't traveled yet so I am not an expert, I just remember hearing others talking about it when they were travelling.
Cindy

[KarynB]

Hello, I've done a fair bit of International travel so can help with whatever you want - PM me if you want to. If you get off the plane while making a connection and you stay inside the security zone you do not have to go through cutoms again - only if you go in to the country for the day. Which in some places would require a visa, etc - so may be easiest to stay in airport - depends on how long your stopover is, and if you have any interest in seeing the city you are in. QWe always go out of the airport - that is the point of travel, for me!!!

Travel to Ethiopia - how exciting!!!! You'll have a fantastic time....and what a great way to connect with your new little one....

Good luck and PM me if you have any questions...

[annethcz]

We travelled to Ethiopia a year ago to bring home our DS. This was the first international flight for both me and DH. First off, I'd suggest using a travel agent who has experience with Ethiopia. Many adoption agencies recommend a certain travel agent. We used the travel agent recommended by our agency- Susan Parr in Port Angeles, WA. And she was SPECTACULAR!!!!

We chose to fly on Ethiopian Airlines. We flew from our home city to Washington DC. From there we boarded our direct flight to Addis Ababa. We did touch down in Rome to refuel, but we did not get off the plane. When we arrived in Ethiopia, we got our visa at the airport, it was a very simple procedure.

You should make arrangements with either your hotel or with your agency to have someone pick you up at the airport. You cannot rent a car at the airport. There are many taxis at the airport if you need one, but it would be much easier to arrange for a pickup. If you do end up taking a taxi, make sure you agree on the fare BEFORE you go anywhere.

There are many differnent places to stay in Addis Ababa- many hotels, and most agencies have a private guest house. We chose to stay at our agency's guest house, and are so happy we did. It allowed us to stay with other adoptive families, and the kids were able to play together (our DS was almost 5 when he joined our family). We also were within walking distance of the orphanage, which was really nice.

While we were in Addis, we visited the Hilton and the Sheraton. Both were very nice, the Sheraton was more luxurious (and more expensive!). Both hotels have a pool, you can go there and swim for a fee, even if you're not a guest. I know of people who have stayed at the Ghion, the Yilma and the Queen of Sheba, although I don't have personal experience with these.

To get around town, you can walk, or you can hire a taxi. I'd be willing to bet that your agency can recommend a good taxi driver. Again, agree on a price before you leave. There are lots of fun touristy things to do in Addis- we went to Washa Michael church (what a hike!!!), the national museum, and to dinner at the crown hotel one night. All of these were fun. We brought the Lonley Planet Guide to Ethiopia and Eritrea, and it was SO helpful! Also helpful was the Lonely Planet Amharic Phrasebook.

As for how many bags to bring, check with your travel agent. Usually, agencies ask travelling parents to bring donations/supplies for the children. So most parents bring the maximum allowable luggage. It shouldn't be a problem, though. We checked our luggage in at Minneapolis, and didn't see it again until we arrived in Addis- there were no problems with luggage at all. We did pack a change of clothes in our carryon, just in case, but we didn't need it.

It can be a little overwhelming, but it is SO worth it. Our trip to Ethiopia was so valuable to us- we met so many wonderful people and learned so much. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

[teranga]

I'm happy to tell you about the Ghion if you're not staying at the agency's guesthouse. We preferred a little more privacy, but wanted to stay somewhere Ethiopian owned. We were there 2 weeks.

I think you'll find travelling fairly easy there. You can be as adventerous or safe as you like once there, sticking w/restaurants ex-pats or tourists frequent, or going more off the beaten path to restaurants where you'd be the only Westerner there. You can eat pizza and spaghetti every night, or Ethiopian food in a setting that will remind you of home, or a little hole in the wall.

I always go for holes in the wall that are popular w/local people. I figure they probably have fresher food w/a lot of turnover, and they wouldn't stay open if they made people sick. The one place I've heard of people getting sick over and over is the Sunday brunch at the Sheraton (!).

If you're looking for luxury, the Sheraton is really gorgeous. The Hilton is kind of old and so-so. Kind of your run of the mill American type hotel, but with a lot of conveniences on the first floor.

Ok, kids are still awake and shouldn't be--gotta run!

Teranga
Mom to 2 bio kids (4 and 5)
and our son (2) adopted from Ethiopia 02/05

[JenC]

Yes, tell me about the Ghion! I think we are going to prefer to stay pretty comfortable. Neither DH or I are very adventureous, and this is going to be waaaaaaaay out of our league. I don't want top of the line luxury, but I don't want icky either.

And I have a question that is even embarrassing for me to ask. But it's the internet, so here goes. Everybody knows to not drink the water. That's a given. But if there's creepy crawlies (like parasites) in the water, and you shower, can't you get sick?

Good grief. I feel stupid just asking that. But I really have a need to know!

Also, how much money is the average to take? I know that I am really jumping the ball with all this, but it helps my neurotic mind to feel better prepared!

[hopefully4]

Jen,

I too stayed at Ghion last year and while you probably don't want to drink the water while you are taking a shower, I did not get sick from bathing in it. The showers were hot and the toilets flushed, so I was a happy camper. The Ghion is popular with Ethiopian adopters and a lot of other families were there with their children when I was.
I would say, take a few good books, and a travel clock. We never knew what time it was, and I would wake up every morning about 4, and swear that it was at least 8.
My trip was fantastic. I have such a new-found appreciation for my son's birth country and culture. I feel like I understand so much more of his background just by seeing the land in which he was born.

The flight was long, but doable. We took Ethiopian Air as well and upgraded to business class, which was worth it. The bigger seat, the better food, the individual television sets...if you can swing it, do it.

Please feel free to PM me with any questions. And, don't feel bad about asking "dumb" questions, it's what I do best.

Katie

[JoTed]

Thanks for the travel info, I is helpful to us as well.

[teranga]

The Ghion is decent. I won't say "nice", but decent and we enjoyed it. It has everything you need--hot water, even room service (!) if you want it. It also has carpeting in the bathrooms and looks like it's been there a LONG time with a lot stains (I preferred not consider what they were from). The Ghion used to be part of the Presidential Palace, and has the remains of really pretty gardens you can walk through. There are different options there for rooms. We stayed in a suite (I think it was called the Riviera Suites? I'd have to check). There are several suite options, but these ones are detached from the main hotel. There is an upstairs suite and a downstairs suite. We had the downstairs one, which was great. There was the main room, which had a queen bed, desk, chairs, tv, and then a large sliding glass door which opened to a big grassy area. We left the door open the whole time we were in the room, and it was so nice and breezy..sometimes we'd just sit out on the grass with our son, relaxing...then there was another bedroom which had a single bed in it, and then a kitchen (which we used to clean out baby bottles, boil water to sterilize them, etc). If you use an agent like Susan Parr, she'll get the right rate for you, but if you book it on your own by phone or email (which we did), be sure to mention you are there to adopt--you can much lower rates. I think our suite was like $35/night or something like that. It is owned by the Ethiopian Gov't.

If you're looking for a step up, the Hilton is nice. There's a bank on the main floor, all the airline offices are there (except Lufthansa, which is what we flew), and a coffee bar, tourist shop (where you would pay WAY more than necessary for anything you buy ). It's pretty old, but was somewhat redone a few years back. The one thing I'd say about the Hilton, which is a high rise, is that you might want to book on a lower floor. If there ever were a fire, the Addis fire dept. is not going to be able to get you down from a higher floor. Not something I'd stress over, but all things being equal...it is a bit removed (physically and aesthetically) from "regular" Addis, and you get a bit less of a local feel..all depends what you're looking for.

The Sheraton is seriously luxurious. Both the pros and cons of it is that you don't feel like you're really in Addis. It's an oasis, but you also don't get the feeling of the country you're in. I felt like I could be anywhere in the world when there. If you're looking to really relax while in Addis, it would nice! We tried to get in there for the last few days of our trip, to make a mini vacation out of it, but it was booked

There are other hotels too--these are just a sampling!

As for airlines, we used ff miles, so if you have a lot of those, you might want to use them. We were able to fly 1st class on Lufthansa w/o ever paying a dime. It was GREAT. If there's ever a time to fly 1st class, that length of a trip was it for us! I'm trying to think of all the airlines which fly in there...I think it's Ethiopian Air, Lufthansa, KLM, Alitalia, British Air....I might have missed something...but you could start looking at routes/rates for those.

I don't think you need to worry about getting sick from taking a shower, but you definitely don't want to drink the water (or get ice in drinks) if you're concerned about getting sick.

The other thing you could start thinking about is which vaccinations you want to get. Some are more necessary out in the countryside than Addis. Malaria, for example, is in lower altitude areas than Addis, so if you're planning to travel to lower elevations, you might want to take some with you, but it shouldn't be a problem in Addis.

Hope some of that helps!
Teranga

[sak9645]

The parasites in tap water mainly affect the digestive tract, so don't hesitate to shower. Just be sure not to swallow water in the shower. Use bottled or boiled water for brushing your teeth.

Remember not to let KIDS drink tap water or bath water either. It is NOT true that the kids are immune to the bugs because they've lived in the country. You DO NOT build immunity to things like Giardia. In most countries with an unsafe water system, even orphanage kids are given boiled or bottled water.

Sharon