suitcases anectotes

Round 1:

When: 12 years ago: around 8 a.m.

Where: meeting at the train station in Paris Going to south of France for a week, to prepare university end of year exams.

With: my sister a friend of her (boy) and a girl, friend of mine.

The girl (5 feet 2 tall/ 1m60) coming at the train station, brought by her mom, with “the suitcase” 4 feet high and 2 feet 6 inches large (1m de haut/80 cm de large).

Us 3 in chock. We all knew that the car waiting for us at our arrival in the south will be very small (a twingo, renault)

The girl says hi, and meet the boy for the first time. Next minute, she was asking the boy to carry the suitcase for her. The boy, in a very gentleman attitude executed himself to this challenging task.

Life, Love and reason: the boy somehow fell in love with that girl and ended up dating her for a couple of months a year after this trip….

Round 2:

When: 4years ago  (afternoon)

Where: Schipol Airport Amsterdam (NL) going to New York city (USA)

With: my husband our first child 4 years old or second one and a half years old and me.

With: 3 luggages,  and hand bags oups, we forgot our strollers at home!

Arriving at the airport, we split in two group, the kids the luggage and me. Kids are still awake. My husband go and get cart to carry or luggages.

Oups, we didn’t think about the efforts needed to succeed in this simple task. Kids still awake, it’s ok, and goes smoothly.

Time passes we land in New york, kids asleep the challenge starts, customs etc, than getting the luggages, carrying the sleeping kids and documents passing customs. Then thank G., in New york you have bell mans. It’s worth it, just the time to fine one.

Question: how are we going to do in the way back, no bell man in Amsterdam and kids asleep…one thing at a time…

After carrying luggages  and asleep kids at the same time, we went to the conclusion, that we could not travel with more than 2 suitcases, unless we found a way to multiply our numbers of arms.

As soon as we arrived we bought two strollers, but still challenging to push strollers carry luggages or push a cart at the same time.

At this moment you discover that you are stronger than you think, and can find a way to push 2 strollers at the same time, but at what price. I bet we would not have won a beauty contest after that. Maybe found a new tanning process though.

Round 3:

When: 24 December 2012

Where: From Luxembourg (11 am) to London (afternoon) to New york (5 pm NY time/ 11 pm Lux time).

With: husband 3 children (7, 5 and 2 years old) and me

With: 3 suitcases (Originally we had 2 suitcases an extra bag in case the airline would fine one of the suitcase to heavy, which I did at the counter at the airport in lux) and 5 (small) back packs (one each, at least though one each, ended up to be 5 carried by one)

And oups again: Forgot the double stroller.

Transfer in London a real challenge, 1 hour and a half of walking dow corridors, passing customs taking transfer bus and train. Carrying bags and kids, taking of 5 pairs of shoes again and again through customs, getting documents out…

A note for later, never take a transfer through London anymore.

Finally in board direction NYC. Kids not sleeping. 2 of them finally falling asleep 30 mn before landing.

Humm, how are we going to do, carrying 5 hand luggages (4 of them filled with toys, doudou and children’s books) and 2 kids and holding hands to our tired eldest.  A nice lady, proposes out of pity to push one of our hand suitcase. we managed

New conclusion: only one hand luggage and don’t forget the stroller!

Luckily, the airline lost 2 of our suitcases, brought back at the hotel 2 days later. Only happy customer at the lost baggage counter.

Who would have though that you could not find a stroller to buy in NYC on 24/25 December.

Now, carrying our last child around NY for more than one day, back pain, tired arms, and smiling face how nice to be carried around.

I think we must have been the only 2 adults loosing 4.4 pound / 2 kg in 2 days in the states.

Priority first thing on 26 December : buy 2 new strollers.

It was our 3rd stroller “forgetness”..and I hope our last.

First time the girl meet the bog