Thursday 16 September 2010

Packing for the holiday

First of all don't read this if you work for Ryanair, it's of absolutely no interest to you, truly.
I wish this could be a light-hearted little post about my minimal wardrobe and holiday knitting, it isn't. You remember last time we were at our house in Italy, a couple of months ago, we had problems connecting the newly installed wood burning stove to the newly installed flue liner. We left the house with lots of metal pipe fitted in the chimney, the hearth and stove in position and nothing working. Back home Mr FF did some investigation and decided we needed a flexible flue, a product that is manufactured in Italy but not readily available there, we did make enquiries during our last visit. The cost of having a flue delivered back to Italy from the UK was enormous so Mr FF spoke to Ryanair about the possibility of taking one on a flight and they said that provided the item complied with their dimensions for hold luggage we could pay up and check in what liked. He ordered the product and explained to the suppliers his intention asking them if they could pack it to the approved dimensions. The said they would but they didn't and this arrived, large yes but also wide.
I'm starting to feel a bit ill just writing about this.
Mr FF then suggested he repack the flue and put it in the bag he uses to take his bicycle on flights, he also suggested that he book it in as a bike but I thought we needed to be honest and not risk rejection. So he decided to source a suitable box and in Edinburgh we found a bike box that we intended to cut down to the required dimensions. At the weekend we attempted to recoil the flue, though it is flexible there is a limit to how must stress it will take and it was just too wide to fit into the box. It's now bubble wrapped again and in the bike bag, its huge and quite heavy because also in the bag are four new legs for the stove. It didn't sit level on the completely level marble hearth and the manufacturers sent us a new set of legs that we need to fit though I'd much prefer to bung a bit of something under the wobbly leg and get on with my life. We are parking our car at the airport so that if we are not allowed to check in the monster bag we can leave it in the car for two weeks. Our flight is at 6.30 on Sunday morning, I am worried, very worried, about getting the bag on the plane, getting it into the hire car at the other end and stuffing the bloomin flue down the chimney if we get it to the house. I can't even think about what knitting I want to take.

17 comments:

  1. Console yourself with wool - thats the only advise I can give (and perhaps have a stiff drink!) xxxx

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  2. Well fingers crossed for you. Would it not have been any easier, at least for your nerves, to of had it sent courier to a neighbour over there?

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  3. Take deep breaths........then.......Diane is right, have a stiff drink, then go and pack your wool, you will need something to do to relieve all this stress when you're in Italy. I'm crossing my fingers that it will work out fine for you x

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  4. Oh, my goodness, Jenny...that's a LOT to worry over between now and Sunday! Hoping very much, keeping fingers, toes & everything crossed that all will go well and there's not problems! Keep us posted when you can. And enjoy your time in Italy when you get there. :o) Happy Days ((HUGS))

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  5. Hello - I'm new here!
    I'll have everything crossed for you ... Ryanair and flexibility aren't two words you would normally find in the same sentence. Have a lovely time in Italy, with or without your flue!Chrissie

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  6. Amazing! I bet you wish he had sourced it here in Italy after all. Good luck and I shall look forward to reading the next instalment.

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  7. Oh dear, poor you. Fingers crossed that you have someone reasonable when you are checking in. Pack yarn in your hand luggage - you will be able to fondle it at the very least at any times of stress, and hopefully get some knitting done while Mr FF gets on with man-jobs. Hope it's less stressful than you anticipate, and you manage to have some proper holiday days too. xx

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  8. Apart from saying, Gin, the answer is Gin.

    If it fails and okay, a hubby has to transport it back to the car and all that that entails, along with the stress, strain and cost..

    Will that mean, you can actually spend a few More days on holiday...

    I suggest if the worst happens you buy wine and cheese on route and enjoy the last of the summer.

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  9. I'm just echoing what everyone else has said.

    Have a few drinks and hope for the best!!

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  10. If the flue isn't bigger than a bike, and it fits in a container that a bike usually fits in, will they really care that it isn't actually a bike?? Air travel is so difficult now. We are still having to take our shoes off; they even made a lady take the sandels off her little baby's feet to put the little 2 inches of shoe through the xray! Crazy!

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  11. I've no advice, really. We've managed to get a boxed recliner chair (leather IKEA one, self assembly)on a plane and there was the time we had a very large box with a heavy brass reindeer (a Christmas piece) which almost needed its own seat. But I have no experience of checking in a flue. Good luck and have a lovely time in Italy (with or without the flue).

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  12. What is it about flues? we built our house and found it impossible to find proper information about constructing a chimney and fireplace for a coal/wood fire and then it was difficult to find the components when we'd worked it all out for ourselves. And this was in Scotland, where it is blooming cold!

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  13. My God, he doesn't so things by half that husband of yours! I hope it all works out and that you have a great trip!

    Hugs
    Brenda

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  14. I find travelling on Ryanair incredibly stressful anyway, so I'd be freaking out too! They're just not very user friendly are they?
    I wish you lots and lots of luck!!!
    Love Kathy xxx

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  15. Oh dear! How worrying. Hopefully all will be well. Please do remeber to take some knitting with you and have a lovely time. Ros

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  16. While reading, I kept thinking - 'round peg in a square hole'. But in the end, it sounds like it's under control, bike bag and all. Be cool, like you do this all the time and know that we all are sending good vibes for a successful trip and installation. Then enjoy that gin, well earned gin!

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