I’ve been on a hunt for the perfect purse. I want one that is small enough to be called a purse. But since I’ll be traveling with two kids on the way over and four on the way back, obviously I need it to have some serious storage capacity. Pockets and partitions are a must. Ideally it should be usable as a backpack if I need both hands free. But, again, it can’t be as BIG as a full sized backpack because I want it to fit easily under the seat in front of me.

Incidentally, one of the serious downsides of getting bulkhead is that you have no underseat storage... more

Any time you head out of country on a trip, you are leaving a certain level of safety behind. Thankfully there are things you can do and bring on your trip to safeguard your visit.

Insurance

There are a variety of different insurances that you might consider buying when you travel to Ethiopia. Travel insurance will protect you if your luggage is lost or if your travel is delayed due to illness or paperwork problems. Your travel agent will be able to help you purchase it.

Look into the rules of your health insurance. Ours will reimburse us for their portion of medical bills paid while we are outside the U.S. but we must show them the bills when... more

One of the toughest things about adoption travel when you already have a family is deciding who gets to go. John and I were talking about our trip the other day, wishing we didn't have to leave the bigger kids at home. We have tons of willing relatives who all live nearby, and the kids will be well taken care of. But still it is hard to leave them -- so hard, in fact, that the last time John and I were gone overnight without the kids was in 1998. For our adoptions since then, John stayed home and I traveled with a teenager.

We've been planning to bring our two year old with us this time around, since I don't think it would be good for her to be away from me for a week. When we... more

Lots of people wonder which shots are necessary for Ethiopia. Most people will need to an international immunization nurse to get shots for Ethiopia. Check with your county health department to find out where the international travel nurse is located in your area.

Keep in mind that most insurance companies view international travel as optional and will not cover the cost for most international vaccines. If you get the full complement of recommended shots, you can come away with a bill of $500 or more.

John and I talked over our options ahead of time, and so he already had an idea of which shots he wanted to get. The nurse that we talked with was very helpful. She said that... more

When you travel internationally, it’s a sure bet you’re leaving many familiar comforts behind. Thankfully there are things you can bring that won’t take boatloads of luggage space but will go a long way to make your trip more comfortable.

1. Good shoes. If you need new ones, buy them far enough ahead of your trip that you can break them in and discover if they really are trip-worthy. Many experienced travelers recommend bringing two comfortable pairs and wearing them on alternate days. It’s a good idea to also bring some band aids in case you do develop an unexpected blister.

2. Comfortable clothing. Stretchy, soft layers are best for flying. Remember that temperatures... more

On my last trip to Ethiopia, I traveled with my 36 month old and my 13 year old and brought home a 6 month old. (Parent to child ratio- 1:3). This summer I am intending to go with my husband and my 33 month old and bring home 9 and 11 year olds. (Parent to child ratio- 2:3). Judging by the parent: child ratios, this trip might be a little easier than the last one. However, if you figure the "known-child" to "unknown-child" ratio (2:1 last trip, 1:2 on this coming trip) this next trip might be more stressful. Who knows? I guess we’ll just have to see how it goes.

In any case, as I dream about/ pray for/ long for a June or July court date, I’ve also been thinking about how we... more

I have a confession to make. My best, most optimistic guess is that we will be traveling sometime in August, two months from now, and I already have the packing bug. I've so far resisted the urge to pull out my mega-suitcases -- who wants to trip over those for two months? But I'm already working on my lists. Last night very late I jumped out of a perfectly comfortable bed so that I could run add another item to my list.

Here are some items on my growing list, in no particular order.

Pepto tablets Years ago on a China-adoptive-parent list I read about the Pepto Bismol tummy treatment. Lots of people traveling to 3rd world countries end up with stomach... more

I've written about some of the most common lodging options for families visiting Addis. Here are some more places to consider, especially if you end up traveling in August and September during the influx of visitors celebrating the Ethiopian New Year.

Name: Desalgne Hotel location: Bole Rd. Contact information: (011) 251 11 662-4524 Cost per night: $60 Details: This hotel is in an area of town where a lot of embassy workers live. Families report that the hotel and staff are great. Rooms are a good size and there are refrigerators in the rooms.

Name: National Hotel Location: Menelik Ave Contact information:... more

If you're bringing home a baby, you may be wondering how to navigate hotel rooms and baby bottles. Remember, even in the nicest hotel the water coming out of the tap is most likely unsafe to drink. And even the nicest of babies will likely be asking for bottles at all hours of day and night.

There are several things that make bottle-making easier in Ethiopia. First of all, most traveling parents find the kind of bottles with the drop-in liners to be the very easiest. This makes bottle washing much simpler, since basically all you are washing is the nipple.

The drop-in liners... more

I found an interesting post on a blog called Jessica's Rants. Jessica is an American woman working in Addis and living at the Hilton. She talks about observing the many adoptive families who now stay at the Hilton while in Ethiopia picking up their children. If you plan to stay at the Hilton, you'll probably enjoy her observations.

She mentions getting sick twice from eating at the Hilton. A few years back, the Hilton breakfast buffet had a reputation for causing stomach woes, but I hadn't... more