Jump to content
Post-Update: Forum Issues Read more... ×
BPAL Madness!
helarctos

Traveling with BPAL

Recommended Posts

Is it too premature to start worrying about moving my sizeable stash in one year from now? I'm going from IL to CO, likely in my hatchback (2B!) and while I'd love to make sure everything is absolutely safe, I shouldn't sacrifice space for necessities in my car for, say, perfoom. I'm also concerned that I'll be traveling in late May in the middle of the country, where it could get warm - boiled BPAL is likely Not a Good Thing.

 

I was thinking of getting lots of bubble wrap and boxes from Uline before I go, but I don't know if I even have too much stuff to require using 25 boxes :P. Mostly dry medical textbooks, a computer, and way too many smelly things.

 

In addition to the topic of security, they totally are random. One time they took my toothpaste, LUSH face cream, and sunblock (you do not take a future dermatologist's sunblock!!!), not because of size restrictions, but because I decided to use my opaque Aveda bag instead of the ziplock baggies they want you to use. That would have been nice to know, say, going into the line, and, well, providing said bags for customers instead of nabbing your stuff at the check-in. I did lose some replaceable imps, and The Lion survived by wedging into the very corner of my bag under the seam line. Cowardly The Lion ftw.

 

I've traveled with checked imps in my luggage fine, in a chocolate mint altoids tin. They escaped during one trip, though, luckily no breakage, but I'm still looking for one or two of my Salon decants. I HATE TRAVEL.

Edited by Lycanthrope

Share this post


Link to post

Hmm... cooler full of BPAL. As opposed to alcoholic drinks.

 

The fratboys who find my cooler will be sorely disappointed, unless they're 'family.'

Share this post


Link to post

I've flown out of various airports - Baltimore, Wilmington, Myrtle Beach, Norfolk, Portland - with imps in my carryon and have never had a problem. I keep them in a baggie to avoid leakage, but I can also whip them out and declare them if I have to.

Share this post


Link to post

I have not yet traveled with BPAL but I did carry a few imps with me today to further enable a friend. Since I wasn't carrying a purse, I slipped the imps into a small velvet pouch with a drawstring top. Stuck that into my pocket and had no problems at all.

Share this post


Link to post

I fly A LOT!! (my boyfriend lives in Mass and I live in VA!! :P ) I always take my imps instead of my bottles. I place them in a very small zip-locking bag, placing that in my plastic bag with all my other liquids. I have never had a single problem with carrying them! :D

Share this post


Link to post

would you, my dearest BPAL family, advise against carrying my huge collection of 50 or so imps with me? O_o I'll leave the floral ones that I got for a girlfriend's birthday coming up, and I MUST take at least the imps meant for my guy's birthday (about 6), but aside from that... should I only take a small handful of favorites? Will I be okay to take the majority of them?

 

if it matters I'm flying ATL to YYZ (toronto). I'd prefer to carry only one thing on with me and check the other since my wheelchair makes traveling a pain! Not as bad as traveling with crutches, though. Thanks a bunch! :P

 

ETA: Okay, I think I've narrowed it down to 15-20.... ahh! Should I be alright?

Edited by systemaurora

Share this post


Link to post
*pokes thread* I'm leaving in a few hours. Anyone? :P

 

If you have enough to double-stack them, I've found a Penguin Mints/Altoids/etc tin works very very well for transporting 20-or-so imps. :D (I don't have my tin with me, and can't double-check the exact number. It's something like ten across, twice, and four over top to keep them from wiggling.)

Share this post


Link to post
*pokes thread* I'm leaving in a few hours. Anyone? :P

Well, you are probably already gone, but I do what thedoctorscompanion does, pack a few imps and decants in a plastic bag and place it in the larger plastic bag that goes through the security check. I have never had any problems. I sometimes will take a GC bottle along if I think that I "need" it. :D

Share this post


Link to post

good ideas. I don't have a mint case but I put them in the plastic bag inside my other plastic bag... if anyone asks I'll just tell them honestly that it's perfume and maybe make a few converts. :P

 

Sadly, I realized just now that as a white, wheelchair using female with a good smile I shouldn't have any problems. Yay for society judging people by how they look...

Share this post


Link to post
good ideas. I don't have a mint case but I put them in the plastic bag inside my other plastic bag... if anyone asks I'll just tell them honestly that it's perfume and maybe make a few converts. :P

 

Sadly, I realized just now that as a white, wheelchair using female with a good smile I shouldn't have any problems. Yay for society judging people by how they look...

 

 

I wouldn't count on that.. I am too, and travel a fair bit.

Share this post


Link to post

My pal, scarletgenesis, gave me a really cool cigarette case with Alice In Wonderland on the cover. It's about 3"W X 4"T and deep enough to hold imps. It holds 16, 8 on one side and 8 one the other. The imps tuck under a springed gate that would hold the cigarettes in place. It works great!

Share this post


Link to post

I carry imps in a little medieval-themed decorated tin that I ordered from MamaCat on the forum. Check out her shop on Etsy! It is called badinfluence.

Share this post


Link to post

Just thought I'd add a word of warning about putting BPAL in metal containers and flying... I flew from San Diego and was worried about how to transport my BPAL. I considered putting them in a metal container and considered just slipping them in with my liquids bag (which was humongous). I decided to bank on them not noticing it among the plethora of other liquids and it's a good thing I did! On my way back, I'd purchased some tea which was in a metal air-tight container. Security stopped me and I was convinced my BPAL was doomed. But, no, they just wanted to check my tea container. They let me keep the tea after some sniffing, but I can only shudder at the fate of my BPAL had I stored it in a similar way.

Share this post


Link to post
good ideas. I don't have a mint case but I put them in the plastic bag inside my other plastic bag... if anyone asks I'll just tell them honestly that it's perfume and maybe make a few converts. :D

 

Sadly, I realized just now that as a white, wheelchair using female with a good smile I shouldn't have any problems. Yay for society judging people by how they look...

 

 

I wouldn't count on that.. I am too, and travel a fair bit.

 

Well, yet another flight experience to confirm my theory... lol. No one even asked, but I just smiled a lot and warned them ahead of time that I had perfume samples in my liquids bag as I went through. It was about 6 AM and I was the only one in line at the time. :P They didn't even blink at my liquids... they were more concerned over the cell phone I forgot to take out of my pocket, oops.

Share this post


Link to post

So...

 

Anyone with experience transporting a stash, it's counting down time until I join the CO BPALers... June! I may consider moving a bit of BPAL with me the first trip and storing it - or would y'all not?

 

Anyhow. I have already prepped most of my backup stash except for the new incoming backups (lots... sigh) with sealant tape (the white rubbery nonsticky type) and a thin layer of bubble wrap. Then I pack them as tight as they will fit into these interlocking Target boxes. They sure are heavy.

 

I'm wondering if anyone else has add'l info - my time is not going to be plentiful unfortunately so I can't do anything too elaborate, but I must secure the smellies for the long drive.

 

I'll probably haul the box in and out of the hotel... more important than my computer :P

Share this post


Link to post

Not sure if you moved already, but...

 

I recently moved 1500 miles with my ridiculous BPAL horde. Granted, I drove, so I just added strips of bubble wrap (folded over) in between the rows of bottles in my tea boxes). Nothing moved by the time I was done, so I felt okay not threadseal taping them. We all arrived in California without any unsolicited exchanges of fluids.

 

If you're putting them in a bigger box (like packing boxes), I would definitely tape the bottles then.

Share this post


Link to post

Has anyone ever had trouble travelling with BPAL in their luggage? I'm planning to come back from my trip to the US with lots of the lovely in my baggage, all padding-wrapped, and I'm just wondering what baggage check are going to think when they x-ray it and discover all these little bottles...

Share this post


Link to post

Every summer I drive across the country to visit my family and then my fiance's family, and something like this is what I carry my BPAL bottles in. Bottle box. I'm actually in the process of making a larger, and overall better one for this summer.

 

That box originally had a hinged lid, but it snapped off (not due to travel, it was just a kinda crappy box.. :huh?: ). I painted it, glued a piece of felt to the bottom, and made an interlocking grid from strips cut from an old cardboard box (painted it, and added ribbon). It just sits on the passenger side floor without problem. I bring it into the hotel each night to keep it from getting too hot in the car in the morning. I don't bring many imps, but each section can hold four or five standing up as well for the few I do bring (or, more likely, for the imps I get along the way as I'm still able to order BPAL on my trip :P).

Edited by ShadowsDance

Share this post


Link to post

I was thinking more flying and airport security. It's getting so they won't allow you to have any liquids in your baggage.

Share this post


Link to post
I was thinking more flying and airport security. It's getting so they won't allow you to have any liquids in your baggage.

 

Yeah, that was a general reply to the topic rather than to your post, sorry.

 

Share this post


Link to post
I was thinking more flying and airport security. It's getting so they won't allow you to have any liquids in your baggage.

 

They won't? I checked the TSA site and it says "Air travelers may now carry liquids, gels and aerosols in their carry-on bag when going through security checkpoints" (with size limits), so if anything they seem to be getting less strict. There was no reference at all to limits on checked baggage, unless the liquid is flammable. So I don't think you need to worry.

Share this post


Link to post
We all arrived in California without any unsolicited exchanges of fluids.

 

I just woke up and this made me cackle.

I either need to go back to bed, or ... uh... go back to bed :)

 

I can't say how to transport BPAL. Having not purchased any (Next paycheck /twitches, scratches arm jonesing) and seeing what Ive seen, the small bottles seem pretty sturdy from what I've seen. I will tell you that any bottle thats into sturdy, and can *bend* will have negative consequences placed against larger bottles or, bottles that don't bend. I had a medium sized bottle of amber resin oil that I used as an incense for my home, that got tossed in another box with bottles. I threadsealed it, it should be fine.

 

I could smell it as soon as I opened the moving truck. My roommate at the time was like "Wow, what did you move that smells so good?" It was at the front of the truck box, behind all our stuff, on a hot day. It was nearly choking us by the time we got that far in. Something slid and crushed the flimsy bottles plastic bottom.

 

So it goes right?

Share this post


Link to post

I'm flying cross-country next week (Pittsburgh, PA to Seattle, WA) to visit my sisters - one a fellow BPAL'er! :cheer: I'll be bringing slightly more than a dozen imps and four or five bottles for a long distance meet-an'-sniff.

 

Since I'll be checking a bag (how I hate to drag a suitcase around an airport on layovers :rasp: ) the majority of my smellies can be packed snugly. I'm thinking of re-using one of the USPS boxes that BPAL ships in, and wrapping everything up with the same bubble wrap. Some teflon tape tightly around the lids, and the box taped shut and tucked in the middle of my bag should do the trick.

 

And since I just can't be without smelly goodness for the long trip, I'm going to carry my imp-case (Garden of Earthly Delights :wub: ) with a few favorites. But at the security check, they will have to be in the 'toiletries' zip-loc bag instead. Once through, though, they can go back in their sturdy metal case to enjoy the trip in style!

Share this post


Link to post
×