Now it's time to treat yourself to a nice cup of buna.
Thank you so much for stopping by the cyber festivities!!! Heidi and Mark have a full day of packing ahead of them so let's help them out with some seasoned travel advice. What are your must haves? What did you not need? How did you pack things like humanitarian aid? Do you have awesome packing strategies? Do you have tips for layovers in Dubai? How do you survive the trip home with two children??? You are the experts ... bestow on us your wisdom.
I wish I could swing an all expenses paid family vacation as a prize but instead with each comment you will be entered in the drawing for ... a beautiful set of cards with original photography by Liz.
Okay, it is 6:00 am here so this is what I've got for now. Take the middle of the night tour of Dubai. Make sure Emirates gives you all the cool kid stuff (backpacks, puppets etc.)
ReplyDeleteRebecca, you are amazing! You are a friend, a sister, a fellow waiter and encourager, and soon I will be a fellow mother! You have encouraged, supported and celebrated with me for so long I can't remember life without you and now THIS! Amazing :-)
ReplyDeleteFor those who don't know who Rebecca is, go to my blog and play the video montage on the day we passed court (May 6). Rebecca was the first friend to hold and kiss our precious boys. She is the one who orchestrated the adorable kissing between brothers!
Off to run our last set of errands. We will be purchasing little size 7 shoes and 70% of the drug store!!!! Pictures will be posted upon my return :-)
Thanks and love to you all. This community really rocks my world!
Oooh, Julie, I didn't know there was a middle of the night tour! Great idea!!!
Hmmm...mine are for travelling with little ones (though I've never flown with two who are the same age!), and I'm sure someone has already said this: snacks. Lots of them and brought out one at a time!
ReplyDeleteI also usually pack the kids' outfits in a ziploc bag...helps with staying organized!
Seriously cannot wait to see a picture of you guys with those boys in your arms!
Happy day for Heidi!!! :-) Saying it againg.... THRILLED for you!!
ReplyDeleteWe packed all our HumAid stuff in rubbermaid boxes or just plain boxes. That way once we got it to the airport in Addis we could just let Travis take it and it was done on our part!
And I've said this before, TAKE A STROLLER for the airport on the way home. Soooooo many lines to wait in, so many places for kids w/ few boundaries to wander... They boys might be totally different from Abeba, but she would just wander at will and NOT come when we said "Nay!"
I'm sure you already have this packed in those sweet little backpacks, but markers, coloring books, etc... are great for the plane ride. My fav plane ride time killer? PIPE CLEANERS. Sounds crazy, but they can be made into anything- glasses, people, roller coasters... actually the boys (and Abeba) might be a bit young for them, and they do kinda require an imagination that they may not have developed yet, but tuck this idea away in your back pocket for future travel. Pipe cleaners! They are cheap, and fun and you can just leave them on the plane to be thrown away when you are done!
In Addis, don't let the baggage guys help you- they expect a big tip and will harass you to get it. Just tell them that you will get your bags yourself. We let a guy help us and then gave him some birr (no idea how much since we had JUST got it changed over) and Travis told us that we shouldn't have done that. Oops! :-)
There is a restaurant that I *think* is called The Ambassador- cheap and good food, both ET and Western. Also great Italian place near the Bejoe called (again, I *think*... I've had to ask my 9 year old for both these names, so...) Pizzaria Italia. ??? The girls at the Bejoe and your driver will be super helpful.
We always got big take away dinners and then put the leftovers in the fridge for lunch the next day.
Shop at the Leperosy Hospital- great scarves and other stuff and the $ goes to the hospital. Not as much fun as shopping at the Mercado, though! MUST do that as well! Great for traditional dress.
Take advantage of the sitters and get out and see the city. You will never have a cheaper sitter in your life and these are girls that know the boys so they will be comfortable w/ them.
Snacks Lilah Abeba loved in ET and on the plane home:
cereal bars
fruit leather
dried fruit
You HAVE to try to give them ice cream while you are there! Lilah could not figure out why we had put this freezing cold thing into her mouth and just let it fall right out! ;-) Have your camera ready!
Heidi, I cannot WAIT for you to be there! And I cannot WAIT to see pix of you with those adorable boys!!! AAAAAAAUGH!!! So happy for you!!!!!!!!!!
Tam is so right about not always having the same person holding the camera! I would try to plan out the logistics of the "moment" with the camera. We have all video and no stills. And you have two children to capture so maybe somebody has advice on that point. OMG ... freaking out just imagining that moment.
ReplyDeleteThe airport in Dubai has a pay by the hour hotel reminiscent of the Jetson's. It's awesome. The shower may induce crying ... seriously. If we weren't sick or hadn't heard about it, there is no way that we would have forked over the cash but ... we did and it was so worth it. Bea of course slept through the entire experience which is really pretty funny considering how ornate and crazy it was.
ReplyDeleteAlways eat the pasta on Emirates ... it is awesome and yummy!
ReplyDeleteI am really glad that we had our checked luggage plastic wrapped because we would have had baggage explosion without it. But those suitcase straps are really nice too. Journal every day ... even if it's just some random short hand. I didn't do this ... very foolish!
ReplyDeleteBring a small roll of toilet paper! I had my first experience with a "hole in the ground" in Awassa! And bring Dramamine. Even if you don't need it, someone else may need it!
ReplyDelete~Anne
I've heard lots of great things about that pay by the hour place in Dubai! especially when coming home with tired burnt out kiddos. planning your pit stops is such a good idea so that when you have no brain you don't have to think:)
ReplyDeleteI can't believe your going so soon!! holy shishKAHBOBS!!!!
trying not to tear up each time I think about your soon to be arms full....if thats even a sentence. anyway...much love to you and Mark both!
One thing I wish I had brought on the plane was stickers - Elfe loves them and they can keep her occupied for hours! Bring more stuff to play with than you think you will need, it's a LONG flight. I agree with Anne about bring toilet paper, but it's not just for "holes in the ground" - I had to bring my own toilet paper into restrooms in semi-nice restaurants too...
ReplyDeleteWe wre really glad that we had a laptop for keeping in touch... but then we were there for ages so you might not feel that way at all!
ReplyDeleteOtherwise, I recommend a trashy novel - maybe even one you've read before, or some kind of other LIGHT entertainment for when you have a free 5 minutes (because it will ONLY be 5 minutes, and it will probably be in the middle of hte night and your brain will be fried!) On the first trip I brought War and Peace. Not such a smart idea. Didn't even start it. So on the second, I loved having something easy to switch off to.
Dubai airport: on the way home as soon as you get off the flight from Addis to Dubai ask someone in a red Emirates coat/vest where you can get the complimentary maclaren strollers. You can use them the whole time you are in the Dubai airport, from gate to gate (ok...this is true if you fly Emirates...maybe not if you fly some other airline but I'm assuming if you are going through Dubai you are flying Emirates). GET THESE STROLLERS!
ReplyDeletePay by the hour airport Hotel: DO IT. Yes, it's a bit expensive but it's a glorious hotel room and it will give you a place to stretch out, rest, shower and there is a massage chair! It's a confined space for the boys to play in. It was totally worth it for us with the twins. Ask someone where it is--it's kinda hard to find so don't waste time looking for it, just ask for directions immediately.
I would take your own big bottle of water on the plane...that way you don't have to rely on the stewardesses. I hear stickers are good for older kids. Silly putty maybe? or a can of playdough?
When you first unpack in Addis--go ahead and put aside everything you will need for the flight home...wipes, diapers (?), snacks, special toys for the flight, etc. You can always buy cheaply made stuff in Addis if you run out during the week but you want good stuff for the flight so just go ahead and put that all aside so you don't use it. You're boys might be out of diapers so this might not be as big a deal for you but I was obsessed with making sure I had enough good quality diapers for the flight home. :-)
Ask for the kids bag on the emirates flight...puppets, etc. the little rattle that's included is still one of my kids fave toys on the changing table.
more as I think of it ! xoxo-k
we bought those compression bags and they were awesome. but kat's suggestion for the ziplock bags is a great idea, especially if the caregivers would like to have them. i already told you about the emergenC stuff but you totally need to bring water and snacks for the kids and yourself to the embassy appointment. it may take awhile. it will be hot in that little room.
ReplyDeletealso, we brought clif bars and that was really nice to have for "i am freaking hungry" moments.
Take some sort of noise canceling headphones or earplugs or a noise machine and keep your sleep mask from the airline. My first night at WHFC's guest house was HORRID. It was a bright room and lots and lots of noise outside. Granted I slept like a baby every other night from exhaustion, that first night really did me in.
ReplyDeleteAlso, allergy meds for yourself. I was not expecting the extreme pollution in Addis. If you're going to be walking around, be prepared to be overwhelmed by the exhaust. I also did not plan on being so altitude sick. You might just need to crash for an entire morning/afternoon especially if you have low blood pressure! (I felt faint as soon as I stepped off the plane).
On the positive note, I know you will take your camera. Take pictures even when you are tired of it and of the most mundane things. You will be glad you did. (I am sorry I didn't). Ethiopia is AMAZING!