[SharpBlade]

Hi,
I am just curious.. What do people bring in their luggage (apart from the obvious) when they get a 64 kg allowance ? What is so essential to you that you can't leave it behind with the shippers ?
I am starting to think about what we will need during our first few weeks in Chch . We have 4 small kids (aged 6 5 4 and 2) but apart from a couple of teeshirts, swimming togs, crayons, maybe a favourite toy or two, what else do they need ?
The complicate bit is this one : even if we get a big luggage allowance, we are limited by our first flight (Ireland to Manchester, with BMI. .you only get a 15 kg allowance). But somehow, I don't see this as a problem (that 's my optimistic nature!). ? Too optimistic ?? Am I missing something here that everybody know ?
And what did you bring but then realised you could have left home ?
cheers ,
laura
(ps: Robothamma, how did youdo with the kiddies bags ? what did you bring ?)

[jubjub]

Apart from clothes, we bought towels, couple of sets of bedding (quilt covers/sheets), basic set of cutlery, few books, all vital paperwork that could not be replaced should our container fall in the sea. my jewellery.

As we were in a rental with not much cooking equipment, we bought the baby george over (that was a godsend actualy!)

Hairdryer, ipod, chargers, 4 plug extension socket to plug UK stuff into, laptop.

Basically we took the viewpoint of, if it would fit in the case and it would be used on a day to day basis, it went with us, to save us having to buy it again. Believe me we used every ounce of our allowance!

With regards to BMI, hubby got a funny look when he got on the Glasgow to heathrow flight along the lines of "you have got to be kidding with that lot" but as he said to the girl, what am I meant to do, I am on a through booked ticket, and I have this allowance for my next flight, as I am emigrating, how else is it going to get there?? No probs, she just put it on the plane! Although it was a quiet lunchtime flight.

[Miffy]

We flew with our mountain bikes so that took up half our allowance to begin with!

We also took sleeping bags and camping mats as we knew that we would be in a rental before our furntiure arrived so we would have something to sleep in / on.

we also took some camping cooking gear - wok, cups knives & forks mess tins so again we could cook in the house and not have to pay out for more kitchen wwear when ours was only 2 weeks away.

Power adaptors etc for the lap top / phones / ipod added weight very quickly. So did all the essential paperwork.

You'll also needs towels (more than one each ??) for everyone, unless you are going to buy new here while you wait fo ryour stuff to arrive ...

As for colthes well living out of a suitcase for 6 weeks is limiting on wardropbe choices. Especially if you need to include smart stuff for job interviews and work stuff once you've clincehd that perfect job as well as every day wear. (smart shoes take up alot of space and are heavy especially blokes ones)

Although we ar now going into summer spring days can still get chilly (or is that just because I'm down in the south ;) ) so although shorts and tees are needed so will fleeces and jeans etc.

As you've got a bunch of littlies surely you are going to bring over games / books /toys etc so they are occupied and can play? Again these little extra all add up in the space / weight stakes.

The problem we had was getting bags that could hold the amount of stuff. Air NZ lets you take up to 64kg BUT its only allows TWO bags for the hold. so that 32kg per bag. they got very iffy when we asked for a third bag each but still inside the weight allowance. so we didn't risk it in the end.

[Carol]

photos....precious precious

paperwork

"camping out equipment"

some toys for the kids

gravy granules (nah - just joking:laugh )

as folks have said - stuff to get us over a few weeks without our own gear.

[Smiler]

Precious personal and company paperwork, hard drive and router for PC so I can work, clothes, adapters and uk plugs, hairdryer (essential) jewellry. Laptops in hand baggage, big book for the flight and the midnight jolts I'm bound to get in the first few days! And 4 bars of Wrights coal tar soap for G's Dad in the US. :wah

I think we might be stuffed at the airport today then with our THREE bags and 64 kg allowance. OOOPPPSSS.

Ddeborah

[driver]

I've been wondering how I could do without my guitar for 6 wks or so, and the thought is too much. I'd like to bring it with the luggage but of course the case is quite big and cumbersom not so heavy just a nuisance to carry.
Did anyone else bring theirs on the plane?

[sizzlingbadger]

I would stock up on nappies and wipes and put them in the container. Nappies here definitely aren't as cheap as they are in the UK.

We had a 20kg limit each, 2 adults and 3 kids (at the time 4,2,14mths). We took three large suitcases, 3 car seats, travel cot and pushchair in the hold, 2 rucksacks as hand luggage although gained another 3 rucksacks and a laptop as the kids each get one on the flights as freebies ! !

Packed about a weeks worth of clothes each and as it was going into Winter lots of jumpers and trousers. Although we could have done with shorts and t shirts for the first month. We did have a rental set up to go to on day three with a washing machine, just had to be ruthless with the clothes. Lots of nappies for the youngest. Also packed loads of toys and books in the hand luggage. Big waste of time in our case. As we flew in one go and on night flights the kids slept nearly the whole way. We also had the seat back tvs so the older two watched tv and films if they were awake. Also packed the wedding photos and my youngest's baby album (just couldn't let them go in the container just in case it didn't make it).

Good Luck with the packing :-)