Prep for China Trip

 

 

Send final payments to CAWLI after referral, agency fee and travel costs.

 

Get medical review of baby’s records.

 

Check on medical info about traveling to that province at that time of year. See if there is additional medication we need. Here is the official CDC web site for China: www.cdc.gov/travel/eastasia.htm.

 

Apply for visas to China consulate in NYC. Include express return envelope. Here is their web site, including visa application form: www.nyconsulate.prchina.org/eng/index.html.

  

See if we need visas for Hong Kong (or any other place you are stopping). Apply if so.

 

Tell our health insurance about baby. Make sure she is covered from time we first get her in China.

 

Mail gift package to orphanage.

 

Arrange for extra plane seat for baby and car seat for flight home.

 

Decide on travel plans. Fill out agency travel form.

 

Get $6000 in cash ($4500 in new $100 bills, $1500 assorted). Talk to bank at least a month before travel date to arrange this.

 

Make 4 copies of each family passport.

 

Get 4 passport photos of kids and 8 of parents.

 

Get portable CD player for kids.

 

Get Harry Potter books on CDs.

 

Get another GameBoy game. Save it for the trip.

 

Set up two webmail accounts, for sending email home. Set up mailing lists in webmail.

 

Get new camera.

 

Look into HIV testing for our baby. Make a decision about this.

 

Make list of emergency numbers in various cities.

 

Buy travelers’ medical insurance from InternationalSos.com: www.intsos.com.

 

Paint baby room. Set up furniture.

 

Make master packing list. Here is a very helpful set of packing lists, written by people who have returned from China: www.fwcc.org/packtips.htm. We suggest reading these as a starting point.

 

Get our own tickets for international flights. (This was our decision, we are not suggesting that everyone do it.)

 

Set up all local hotels and flights. (CAWLI handled this, but we verified it.)

 

Arrange for local guides. (CAWLI did for us.)

 

Make our own hotel reservations in Hong Kong. (We chose HK as a side trip on the way home.)

 

Make sure we have all travel tickets.

 

Get blank books for writing travel journals.

 

Find out about airport check-in times. Make limo reservations to airport.

 

Make sure we have enough / right-sized luggage.

 

Pack for trip. Limit is 44 pounds per person in China. Also allowed one carry-on and one smaller personal item.

 

Get all adoption and travel documents organized into three envelopes (province, Guangzhou, extra copy of everything to leave with a friend at home).

 

Give copies of important documents to friend here, for emergency mailing if we need them.

 

Call airline 24 hours before flight to confirm and to see if we can get better seats.