[Magens8]

Hi Again,
I was wondering if anyone here has traveled to pick up their baby and if so how the cost compared to having the baby escorted. My understanding is that escorting is about $2,000 +. If we were to travel we would plan to be gone about a week so we could see something of the country. For those of you who did this, do you mind sharing general cost estimates?
Thanks

[abcolo]

We traveled in 2003 and the cost was about 1250.00 per plane ticket and 6-800.00 for food/lodging(guesthouse and souveniers. We figured when we were considering travel vs. escort for our second adoption that the escort fee would be about the same price as for one person to travel. HTH. Traveling is awesome and so is escort. We loved both equally for different reasons.


Andrea

[Max'smom]

We just travelled two months ago and payed a little less than the above post for our plane tickets because we were travelling off season. We spent around 600 dollars for food, lodging and gifts.

If you are deciding between the two options just in terms of being able to travel for a week, I am not sure how doable that would be. We had contemplated travelling before and found that it is not usually feasible to travel for a week before or after. Our travel call gave us at most 2 weeks until we picked our son up and we found you just don't have that much time to purchase tickets and make travel arrangements. Most people get little more than a day of looking around Seoul before their first meeting and then a day between the 1st meeting and the pickup; after your pickup you have a new baby and sightseeing is kind of limited (both because your child and you are new to each other and for other obvious reasons).

[Shelley]

We traveld in 2003, we used the NW adoption rate and it was about $1,100. per ticket.We stayed at the Sejong, was about $120. per night, this was recommended to us, we weren't impressed. We arrived late monday night, sightseeing and met our daughter on tuesday, did sight seeing on wed, more shopping sightseeing in morning on thurs then picked up our daughter in the afternoon, left on friday. I cant remember what food cost. I know we did the western breakfast at the hotel and that turned out to be approx $36. We didnt do that again. We did go to the Korea house, which was very nice and somewhat pricey. I think for 2 of us for everything including shopping we spent about
$3,000-$3,500. Which isnt bad considering we were able to meet Emmas foster mother and it was important to us to be able to share in her grief and the trip of a lifetime, Rather than have her go thru having her world turned upside down with a complete stranger or two. I think if it's at all possible you should travel. JMO, Shelley

[Max'smom]

One last thing; I think the cost of escorting might go up a bit if fuel continues to become more expensive-- for our agency, it is now around 3,000 because of the increases in the cost of air travel associated with rising fuel prices.

[Magens8]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I guess this is something we have to think about. I do think the opportunity to meet the foster parents and bring the baby home is invaluable. On the other side I can see the benefit of being rested and ready for your baby when he she arrives and saving the additional money for a trip when they are older and you can also relax and experience it together. I am very exicited about seeing Korea though - whether it is now or later.