trunki review

I wasn't sure I wanted to spend almost $100 on carry-on luggage for 2 boys, but it turned out so very, very worth it.

Since the boys are getting bigger now, we decided to simplify our trip to and from Texas by losing the stroller. We took it to Texas with us this time, with the intention of leaving it, though we didn't know with what it would be replaced (because, hello, our boys are still very young) until we saw one of these in Amsterdam. And my mind was made up.

Each Trunki was $40, plus we got saddlebags for them, which were $12-15.

orange for Ben, red for Nate

They hold plenty. We packed each with 1 spare outfit, 1 sweatshirt, snacks to last 30 hours, a stack of sticker sheets/paper/activity books, a water bottle (empty to go through security), and several favorite toys. They were not full. If we didn't all pack in 1 suitcase when we go on family trips, the boys could easily use them as suitcases for a few nights away.

Some of the reviews complained about the latches. We didn't have problems with the latches at all. They stayed closed and have little locks on them to reinforce the latch (though it's not a security kind of lock - the key is attached to the shoulder strap).

The saddlebag doesn't hold much. We packed just those things that I thought the boys would want in the seatback pocket (where they fit very well) - fruit snacks for takeoff, TMNT grab bag activity packs for landing and/or turbulence because there's nothing worse than "Fasten Seatbelts" light and your kids have nothing to do. The saddlebags fit on top of the trunkis, with a buckle strap that wraps all the way around.

I thought the boys might have a hard time keeping their feet up while riding on the trunki because they don't have footrests. But they didn't seem to mind. You're only walking through the airport for a few minutes at a time, after all. We spend more time standing in line anyway - and that's really when the boys need to be contained! We stand in line to check our bags, go through security 4 times, board 3 flights, do baggage claim twice, go through immigration, and go through customs.

waiting to check our luggage in Houston

Rodgers clipped Ben to his belt loop for a while

We pulled the boys behind us, they rode and pushed with their feet, we used the leash as a shoulder strap and let the boys walk, and they took turns pulling each other around. When we were pulling them, we were able to walk much faster than I expected - I was able to go my normal "airport pace." The only hard part was navigating the crowds without running someone over with the trunki, also not crashing the kid into a sign or something and turning without tipping him over. It didn't take too long to get the hang of steering, though.

Nate pushing with his feet

Nate pulling Ben before we boarded our first flight

By nature of being a multicultural family with adorable (and usually loud) boys, we attract attention everywhere we go, but this trip we got some extra attention. Everyone thought the trunkis were super awesome, and I think a few of the grown ups were jealous that they don't come in an adult size - especially standing in all of those lines.

Ben riding around Mombasa baggage claim in the middle of the night - we made it at last!

I very much recommend a trunki if you fly with your kids, ages 3 and up. (Ben's not quite 3 yet, but close enough.)

traveling

I feel like we have been spending lots of time on the road over the past year. Maybe not quite a year - we didn't have overnight trips until Ben was a couple of months old. I am always looking for more efficient ways to pack. I want to pack light so that traveling is more easy, however, I don't want to forget to pack some things that we do need. This has lead to lots of googling "packing lists for toddlers" and trying to make mental notes of what we use, what we don't, and what we end up buying on the road because we really did need it.

I've found that most lists I see online are way too long. I'm trying really hard to find a balance between being prepared for everything and packing light.

For instance, I thought it would be a hassle to pack our own food. That's one (or two) more things to plan, carry to the car, take into the hotel, etc. Then I found that it's less stressful for the boys if we would eat lunch in our hotel room, and they could eat the same lunch that they eat every day.

We have a 10 day trip coming up. We'll be flying, so no ice chest, but I think I will throw a few snacks into our bags so that they boys can have something familiar. There will be places to buy food where we're going, but you never know if they will have the same foods that we are used to, and I won't have a kitchen to prepare things like our breakfast bars.

Anyway, I have lists. We are hoping to take 1 suitcase for Rodgers and me (checked), 1 suitcase for the boys (checked), my big tote bag (my carry on), our laptop bag (Rodgers' carry on), Nate's backpack with toys (Nate's carry on).

We can have our laundry done at the hotel, so I'm not packing a separate outfit for each day. This will kind of be a trial for our upcoming trip to Texas, though I think we'll check 3 bags on that trip. We'll see how it goes!

lists; purple stars are items I need in-hand for security, blue stars are things that can go in Nate's backpack; Rod's carry on list is shorter because he'll also be carrying Ben, or he'll be carrying my bag as well, and I'll have Ben.

relocating via airplane

For those of you who don't follow Maisha Kamili, we have reached our initial fundraising goal and will be moving to Kenya on February 29. Fundraising is ongoing, as we don't yet have enough to buy land or build the children's home. We do have enough to establish ourselves in country and begin looking for a location.

We looked into the cost of shipping a palette or crate of our stuff over there. We learned that it is cheaper to buy all new furniture (and stuff!) in Kenya. Our luggage allowance is 2 51-lb checked bags each for Rodgers, Nate, and myself and 1 20ish-lb checked bag for Ben (he doesn't have his own seat). All of us get one carry-on bag and one "personal item." This sounds like a lot of bags until you consider that this will be *all* of our possessions that we're taking with us. I much prefer traveling light, with only bare minimum essentials, but our bare minimum is quite a bit more this time than if we were just taking a trip.

As the mom and wife, it is my job to organize, plan, test, and pack. We have 2 checked bags planned, test packed, weighed, and repacked. We have 2 checked bags that are partially packed, but not completely because we are still using some things that will go in them. And the remaining 2 checked bags plus the carry-ons are thus far only planned. We aren't planning to use Ben's checked bag allowance, but we do have a bag set aside just in case we have an extra 20 lbs of stuff we want to take with us. It's also possible we may prioritize one or two bags as "nice to have" rather than "essential" and leave them with someone to bring to us. This would make transferring terminals in Nairobi less stressful.

Three scenarios for when we arrive:

Scenario 1, which has been our Plan A, is to have a rent house waiting for us when we land. Our nephew will secure it on our behalf and put a bed and a case of bottled water in it for us so that we can survive the first night (we arrive around midnight). Day 1 in Kenya, we have to get phones and internet connection, buy a refrigerator, stove, beds for the boys, basic cookware, dishes, cutlery, and linens. The remainder of the week would be spent shopping for the next-highest priority appliances, furniture, and furnishings.

Scenario 2, which is looking better and better, is that we go to a hotel when we first get there. In this scenario we don't have to do so much shopping right off the bat, but we would have to move again once we have a rent house, and of course we'd have expenses for the hotel. However, we would be able to see and choose the rent house ourselves. We could stay in the hotel for the first few days we have the rent house so that we can get essentials moved in before we move ourselves in.

Scenario 3 would be like scenario 2, except that we'd live with someone. Living with people is not preferred, but it is cheaper than a hotel!

41 lbs

Our suitcase weighs 41 lbs. We have a 50 lb limit! All I have to add to it is 3 empty bottles and a few of Nate's medicines. It is a marvel.

Months ago (a year+?), I got these lovely packing cubes from Avon. I'm kind of a packing nerd, so I knew I'd use them as soon as I saw them. They're great! You can squish a lot of soft stuff in them, zip them up, and it takes up less space.

The boxes are a gift for Mama Esther. We sent her a Christmas gift, but it was stolen by postal workers. Before we sent it, I asked Rodgers if we should use FedEx, but he said no because it's so expensive. But what a waste to use the postal service when you're 85% sure your stuff will be stolen. Anyway, these are photo mugs, with pictures of us.

That's what's under the big packing cubes. Nothing is under the diapers.

And on top, the travel bed. The lid has some depth to it, so even though it looks too full...

...it closes!

The carryon in progress. It's less than half full, despite how it looks in the picture. There are several things to add to this, but we're still using them in Nate's diaper bag.

Front pocket with passports (in a beautiful passport cover made by my father - big enough for Nate's and mine both), liquids (Mylicon and Tylenol), and some "no jet lag" homeopathic remedy recommended by our good friend Trish.

cross-continental travel with a 6 month old, part 2

Rodgers is allowed more checked baggage than I am. Also, he won't have Nate with him. So, he's taking some of Nate's stuff that we won't need in England. We will need most of it, though. Sigh.

carseat: Cat found us a carseat to use in England so we don't have to fly with ours!

clothes: 1 outfit per day, a couple of pjs, and socks for each outfit, lots of bibs and burp cloths. I'm taking all the cute outfits to England, and Rodgers has a handful of onesies. I'm taking travel packets of laundry detergent so that we can wash because I'm sure we'll go through more than 1 outfit some days. I am also taking his swimsuit and a few swim diapers, just in case we have use for them. We have 2 extra-cute outfits for wedding day, just in case one gets covered in spitup or poo.

diapers: Rodgers will buy diapers at Nakumat when he gets to Kenya, but I'll take a whole package (48) with me. I guess we could buy diapers in England as well, hmm... I'm taking 1 full package of wipes. I think it will last the whole time. If not, we'll make another trip to Nakumat.

food: We are each packing 1 can of formula, 1 tub of baby food per day (me the England days, Rod the Kenya days), and a ziploc with 1 Tbsp of cereal per day. I'm taking 3 bottles in my checked bag, bottle brush, and a small bottle of dish soap (though maybe Rod should take that since we'll likely only need it at the hotel in Kenya), and mesh feeder. In my carryon will be 1 Playtex Drop-in bottle with 2 nipples and plenty of sleeves (so I won't have to wash bottles, just nipples), in addition to enough formula for the flights and layovers.

sleeping: On roadtrips, we take the Pack-n-Play. For this trip, Cat is going to attempt to find something for Nate in England. For Kenya, we're taking a travel bed/bag/changing pad combo dealy, and we'll use it in Englad if we need to. I will take one of our flannel feeling waterproof pads, a quilt, and a couple of thermal blankets. Nate will have one pacifier on him when we get on the plane, I'll have one in my carryon, and a third in my checked bag. We tend to lose them (we have 6 NB pacis and currently know where 4 of them are, but yesterday I could only find 2), so maybe Rodgers should take one, too.

baths/toiletries: Shampoo, body wash, lotion, plus a few washcloths and a towel, Desitin, sunblock (Neutrogena Pure & something), Tylenol, Mylicon, teething tablets, gripe water, saline spray, bulb syringe, clippers, and thermometer. The teething tablets, at lesat, will be carried on; the rest may be checked. I'm going to talk with the doctor on Thursday about bug spray. I have some California Baby bug spray, but we'll see if doc's ok with that, and if it actually does any good. I may buy one of those clip on bug repellant deallies and wear it myself, keeping Nate within the circle of protection.

toys: He's not a big toy guy yet. He enjoys playing with a towel as much as anything. We'll have his razzberry teether in my carryon (which is his teether of choice currently), his lovey and elephant in my checked bag (they're noisy), and his stuffed lamb in my carryon.

various items to carry on: A 4 compartment formula dispenser and his stacking food storage thing. In the airports, Nate will be in the Baby Bjorn. I may also pack our sling, but don't think it will be in the carryon. From London to Nairobi Nate should eat some solids, but not from Houston to London. It would be easier to have him all on formula during the flights, which is what I'm considering doing. I'll carryon our diaper wallet, because that will be easy to grab and go to the airplane restroom for changes. The quilt I'm taking will be in the carryon so that, even with our minimal layovers on the way out, if there is any time in the airport for Nate to get down on the floor, he can. I should have a full change of clothes for myself in the carryon as well. As close quarters as Nate and I will be in, it's likely I will either be covered in spit up or become the victim of a poosplosion. Also in my carryon will be Nate's and my passports, as well as my camera. Rodgers is taking the camcorder so that he can shoot some video of the mission trip.

So that's Nate. And...I still have to pack for myself, too!

cross-continental travel with a 6 month old, part 1

We leave 2 weeks from tomorrow. I'm excited about our destinations but the transit part is intimidating. Packing is the most complex, brain teasing puzzle ever. What do we need? What do we need in the carryon? What do we want to take with us if it will fit? What can we pick up when we get there? Once we get all that figured out, all that's left is enduring the flights.

Trip 1: Nate and I travel from Houston to London. It's 2 flights (a long one and a short one), a layover in between, and a total flight time of 10:22; about 11:22 from departure to arrival. We leave in the afternoon and arrive at 10 am. Nate's a good nighttime sleeper, so he should sleep from DC to London. If he doesn't, Lord, help me.

Trip 2: Nate and I travel from London to Mombasa. Two flights again. The long flight is longer than the first trip, but the short flight should be less than an hour. It's a daytime trip, so there will be much eating, playing, and diaper changing, and hopefully much napping as well. Our total flight time is 9:30, less than 10:30 from departure to arrival.

Trip 3: Rodgers, Nate and I travel from Mombasa to Houston. It's four flights, but bonus: I will have been through it all with Nate by myself, and now Rodgers will be with me to help. Our total flight time is almost 22 hours, with a total of 13 hours of layovers. That's an hour short of a day and a half between departure and arrival at our final destination. I want to puke just thinking about it. I love flying. I really do. But that is a long trip!

I think the biggest struggle will be that Nate loves to lay on the floor, roll around, attempt to crawl, and basically spend some time on his own. I see him being held or sitting in my lap for the majority of the flight times. I am afraid he will get frustrated from being so confined. We'll worry about that when we get to it. We will endure it. For now, I need to focus on packing. I have lists, many lists.

to be continued...