Travelling with your dolls: issues/ideas/etc. Part I

Well, I wound up bringing him with me after all. I don't have a carrier yet (should look into ordering one after I recover from the upcoming move), so I wrapped him in a sweatshirt and put him in one of my carryon bags. He seems to have made the trip just fine, and is now standing on the desk beside my laptop. None of my coworkers saw him, and the xray people didn't even comment on it. So it seems to have been smooth sailing!

Unfortunately, I'm going to be crazy busy most of the time I'm here, so I probably won't have much opportunity for photo ops or shopping for him. I'll see what I can work out, though.

Thank you all for your comments! (re: nieces, I actually have one, it just never occurs to me to use her as a screen )

Fu

 

Personally, I'd bring him. I don't like leaving them "home alone". As for your coworkers finding out, my supervisor and a friend from work came down to visit my gallery show. My super even held Jeanathyn which was funny because she was so incredibly awkward with him. XD

I didn't know there was a doll store here. Learn something new every day. I'll have to go check that out. :grin:

 

I wanted to take one of my girls with me on my business trip to GenCon last year, but I was totally afraid to do it. She would have been in the hotel alone all day, and I seriously don't trust hotel staff. Also, I would have had to explain her to the security detail in both airports, and I just didn't want to hassle with it.

I was sad I couldn't take her. I really, -really- wanted to.

If you aren't as scared as me, I"m sure you'll be fine.

 

I picked up this really cool bag at a yard sale. It's a very business-like "brief case" bag. My Aunt (businesswomen) identified it as an airplane carry-on. I recently discovered that it's perfect for my MSD. I sit him up in it , wrap him in a scarf, and keep the bag close to me at all times. The bag itself feels quite tough and it has a lot of compartments to act as a buffer.

Also, I've carried him around in a bowling bag with much success... but that's a bit of an eye-catcher, isn't it?

 

I have never had any problems taking any dolls on planes. They generally rode in my carry-ons, and the airport people don't care. They're too busy looking for stuff that you aren't supposed to have, and they've seen lots worse than grown-ups carrying dolls. ops:

I'm glad your doll did go! Enjoy Nashville! It's my favorite time of year there...and I'm stuck way out here.

 

Oh wow I do that to. My cousin is real, but I have been buying her dolls since she was like 2. Not once in her 11 years has she ever looked at a doll *she is a total tomboy* . It doesn't matter whenever me and my mom are in a toy store looking at say barbies, oo and ahhhing and some one looks at us wierd. We proclaim very louding how much my darling little cousin would like it! :wink:

 

Hi, everyone,

Ugh. Papers and packing - what a great way to end the term... >.> Anyway, I've decided to take home all my girls (1 CH Ai, 3 Serendipity) this summer. However, I am at a loss when it comes to transporting them. One of my bags is accounted for; the other is a box (check-in because there's no way I'm going to carry this on the plane) containing my sewing machine. I planned on taking my girls on the flight home, but how? I don't have a carry on luggage, and I don't plan on hauling their boxes. (I planned on storing all four boxes here.) Or should I take the CH box, and stick my girls in it, and carry it on the plane? I know I'll be carrying a bag of some shape and form + purse.

What do you guys plan on doing? And/or what would you advise?

I didn't know that my dolls would multiply at such a rate... And boy do I hate moving out of the dormitories... x_x

Thank you!
~biscuit

 

If I were you, I'd try and buy a piece of roll on luggage that would fit in the overhead bin, and pack all of your dolls with bubble wrap into that carry on piece. Check everything else but try to stick a change of clothes for yourself into that same bag with your dolls, that way if your checked luggage is delayed, you still have something to wear the next day. Of course you should also pack any other valuables into carry on...jewelry, cameras, just to be safe. That's what I do whenever I travel with dolls, and I usually try not to travel with more than I can carry on. Coming back from a doll convention, I'll often ship my clothes home, and hand carry the dolls. Hope you have a safe trip! :grin:

Hugs, Juli DC

 

I will be moving out of dorms soon too~ Currently my plan will be sending my clothes back via surface mail... My dolls will be in my check in luggage... I have a hard cover samsonite luggage which I put all my dolls in. I will be putting all my doll pillows in as well.. The only two dolls I will bring as hand luggage will be Amelie and Darryn...

I brought Darryn and Mirki back with me to Australia this time. Mirki was in my handbag while Darryn was in my hand luggage~

Hope this isn't confusing~ ops:

Edit:

I had friends who dismantled their dolls and put their body parts in respective boxes and they put their bubble-wrapped heads in their handcarry bags

 

That is a really good idea, thank you Kaisuki! ^_^ Before this I had planned to put my dolls into doll carriers, with pillows, and put the carrier into my hard-sided luggage for check-in. Now, I think I might still do that for their body parts and carry the heads separately (and carefully!) in my hand luggage.

 

Thanks juli, kaisuki, and shan for commenting. I guess I have to see what I can do since I'm completely out of luggage. O_O Hrm, I guess I can carry Miya and pack away the remaining three Serendipity sweeties. Okay, back to moving out!

 

Hey guys~I couldn't find a post on this from doing some searches, but, just out of curiousity... Summertime's fast approaching and I was wondering if anybody is going on vacation and if they're taking their dolls with them?

I'm most likely going to go to Tennessee and Alabama in late June and am planning on bringing Fay with me. Hopefully, I'm also going to my cousin Jorie's graduation this Friday and if I do, I'm most definitely bringing her with me! ^_^

Anyhow, I was also wondering what sorts of things I should pack for both trips? I'm kinda new at this and I haven't brought Fay anywhere outside of the house since she came home.

 

I took Yoarashi to Hawaii and I didn't have any trouble, although he did spend most of his time in the safe... ^_^;;

For the doll, I think all you need is a carrier with padding and supplies to clean the doll with. Whenever other people start touching 'Arashi he seems to get a bit messy. And whatever you want to dress her in while you're away, of course.

Laura

 

I haven't taken Chy anywhere yet, but when I do, it'll most probably be a case of "whatever I can fit in his carrier." At least this summer, most of my trips are going to be for a specific reason, and they aren't really conducive to doll-toting. I don't want to leave him at home (what with the sometimes-careless mother and the wild cat-beasts), but I'm also not going to be lugging him around the racetrack, and given that I'll be staying with friends, I don't want to take up too much space with both my personal luggage and my doll-junk. So I'm thinking default wig, maybe one of the shorter fur wigs that don't take up as much space, and a couple of his more squishable, less wrinkle-prone outfits. ^^;

 

I just brought Erik with me to Tennessee, and we're going to Ohio next, and my main concern was making sure he was well-padded in his totebag.(easy enough, since he's just a head.) I brought along his stuff that I wanted to play with or look at. I think cleaning supplies would be a good idea, and a wig brush, in case your girl's hair gets messy.

Have fun on vacation! Both of you!!

 

Hmm... It seems like all I really need is a doll carrier or a well-padded bag.

Anyhow, I also hope that everybody's trip has/have been/will be fun! :grin:

 

hiys

my saying is have bag will travel...

one of my dolls nearly always comes away with me... I take a couple of wigs.. change of clothes... pop all in pocket of my doll carry bag... grab his and my mobiles... grab both our gameboys... wham bham we are off... :grin:

trailing hubby and 2 kids lol... but basically would say good padded bag.. and couple of bits...

 

Aiden and Kitori have been interstate with me (travelling by plane - I wasn't carrying much else except the two dolls), and Hale went to Indoensia and Singapore with me. In both cases they travelled in my backpack (it was very crowded in my backpack with two of them in there, but it worked okay). I wrapped them in a jumper(sweater? What do you people call them?) and was very careful with it. On the way back from Singapore I had a Volks carry bag for Hale, which was much easier all around.

In both cases I was staying somewhere where I felt safe leaving them. With Aiden and Kitori - nearly always someone was home, and I kept them 'hidden' in a closet when I went out anyway, and in Indonesia I was staying with relatives, and in Singapore a nice hotel. So yeah. It was nice having them there, even though they never left the places I was staying (except once in Singapore, to go to Domuya of course!).

Packing... lol, I packed just some clothes for Aiden and Kitori, had my brush on hand for Kitori's v. long wig, and that's about it. Hale, I didn't really pack much of anything, since we were going to Domuya basically to buy stuff. XD

 

I'm taking Mitchell to South Africa this summer, maybe Shiina too if someone else volunteers to carry him. XD One or the other of them has been with me to Nice, Prague, Tokyo, London, Kuala Lumpur, Venice, Oxford, and of course Singapore.

My major concern is finding a good bag to put the doll in. (I have a sturdy white tote bag now which is divided down the middle into two compartments. Doll fits nicely sitting down into one side, and the rest of my stuff fits neatly into the other.)

I wouldn't bring a proper doll carrier, except maybe the Volks one (light and well-padded). The Dollmore carrier I have is rather heavy in itself. Plus doll carriers don't usually multi-task to carry all the other bits and bobs you need (camera, wallet, water, umbrella, etc. etc.) And they rather bulky since their prioritise safety over convenience...I think one needs a bit of the latter while on holiday. =D

I don't always carry the white bag, so sometimes the doll has to share space with other items. For which situation I made a pair of mittens and a head cover to go over his head and exposed hands while we travel. Had a couple of learning experiences with a black bag and a denim bag respectively...black and blue "blushing" is not attractive! ^_^; I've also decided to tie their plastic face-masks on when they travel, just for the added protection. I want to have fun without having to worry about them too much.

And after a while I do tend to wonder why I'm lugging around an extra 700g with me (would be more for a bigger doll, of course!). Especially when it's hot! But when I dare to take the doll out (I'm a bit shy with them in public ^^, and see Shiina with Charles Bridge or the Thames or Tokyo Tower outlined behind him, I feel glad that I brought my doll with me.

 

I'm off to Wales shortly for a couple of weeks' holiday, staying with my ex-husband, his wife and my two daughters - and I think the girls would lynch me if I didn't bring Ayame and Seraphina!

It's just over 5 hours' travel by train; I'll be taking my wheeled suitcase with me, and most likely my Volks carrier (it's roomier than the Dollmore one). One of the girls -most likely Ayame - will probably travel in my handbag (it's a very spacious one, almost a tote bag, with two main compartments - like Shan, I put the doll in one side and everything else in the other!), the other in the Volks bag, which will be packed with a spare wig each, and a couple of outfits for each girl plus probably my knitting, and their coffee mugs. Ayame also has her backpack, and Seraphina has her Audrey Hepburn handbag.

On the way home, the girls will get to swap over, with Seraphina travelling in my bag and Ayame having a snooze in the Volks carrier - turn and turn about!