Travel Packet!

Our official travel packet came in today! Kate sent us a little preview - meaning 20 of the pages - via email last week for us to start looking over. She is so great. As you can see by the pile pictured above, there is A LOT of information. Wow. But it's exciting and wonderful to be at this stage so I am not going to let my dread of paperwork kill my joy about it. We will get through the documents, page by page, and figure it all out. Of course, some of the pages are just Thailand info, weather, hotels, and stuff like that and just a review for us. We already know a good bit from our travels there. Not worried about getting around or finding this or that cause I know Bangkok well. Still, I am sure there will be surprises and visits to places I am not familiar with, too, so good for us to refresh our memories and get reacquainted with things. 

Going to look up hotel info today and see how many points I have now at the Marriott. Last time I checked, I had 5 nights free at the resort on the river and a week free at the Courtyard. We are still debating on whether it would be better to stay close to the US Embassy at a lesser hotel within walking distance to a lot of things or at a nicer hotel with great pool and gardens (and it's very kid friendly) with many modern conveniences, but a bit further to travel for our appointments. We REALLY want to stay at the Marriott Resort on the river. We like that it is away from all the noise and hussle-bussle of the city and this calm little haven, but we are concerned about taking Ruby on the ferry. To get to our appointments, we'd have to take a ferry from the hotel to the skytrain, then the skytrain a few stops, and then walk a couple blocks from there. No big deal for me as I have taken that route many times and it is very easy. Skytrain is super clean and a piece of cake to figure out, and the ferry is only a 10-15 minute ride. BUT, I have never traveled with a toddler before and it's also monsoon season. Will the boat be rocky? Have regular service? Will she be freaked out by it or the sky train? Not sure. So I am going to get on the phone with the Marriott today and try to figure that all out. Then we will weight the pros and cons.  There is a JW Marriott in Bkk that also may work out. Pretty sure we will stay at one of those properties and we also know where we are staying in Nakhon Si Thammarat. We will do the Twin Lotus 1 or 2 nights since it's close to the orphanage and then after we have her with us, we will stay at Ekman Garden Inn near the beach in a neighboring town 45 minutes north. We are going to be buying Miss Ruby a raincoat and boots before we go! (Yay, and excuse to go shopping...and for something we actually need and not another dress!)

No, we did not receive our To Whom It May Concern Letter yet. (In case you are wondering). We know a couple other families have (congrats!) so ours has got to be on it's way. Wacap is anticipating we will get it soon so they wanted us to have the travel information to get ready.

Hooray! We are actually getting ready for our pending trip! We are finishing the last few projects around here and I have little piles started with things I want to take with us. Her clothing is washed and ready to be packed. Just need to find out her exact size now. Anna from Ekman resort is visiting the orphanage this week with a family and is going to try to look in on our girl. So we should get an update soon and hopefully new pics, too. What a happy, busy week this will be! Planning for a trip of a lifetime!