Hello everyone! Today we have a lovely guest post from Katie, the lovely lady behind the wonderful blythe blog, 2:22am! Today she has so many wonderful tips to tell us about traveling with blythe, and how to make it stress free and fun! Hope you all enjoy! Thank-you so much for posting, Katie!
Travelling with Blythe can be amusing, rewarding and at times aggravating. I've brought my dolls on numerous trips around Australia and one international trip across Europe. I try to travel internationally at least once a year, with a trip to Japan coming up in a few weeks, I have found myself pondering Blythe more than what clothes to pack for myself. If you are going to bring your dolls on a trip internationally or even interstate, I recommend you consider the following:
Which Blythe should I bring with me? Now before you say "The KENNER!" think about the fact that the dolly may be jammed up in some tight baggage, may not be able to go on the plane with you and will be held up quickly for pics at tourist sites and then shoved in your handbag. Bringing a Kenner on an international trip for me, was not really an option. Sorry Monika and Valerie! Their pretty faces are just too valuable to me, and their delicate bodies could easily be broken. Imagine if you got robbed and your Kenner was in your bag? It isn't worth the cute pic.
Samantha in the window of a chauteau in the Czech Republic.
Another thing to consider is her hairstyle, I brought my Prima Dolly Cassis across Europe and her side part hairstyle was a real pain to deal with. A girl with short hair and bangs would be so much easier to manage in quick photo situations, without having to brush her hair. Simply Vanilla in comparison was a lot easier to photograph on the run.
Freja from the top of a hotel in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
How many dolls should you bring? I took two dolls with me across Europe and I have to say that I really wished I had only brought one, they take up a lot of valuable bag real estate and being demanding little ladies, they had their own luggage for me to deal with too.
Samantha taking in the view of the Rhine River, Germany.
Will you be buying any dolls on your trip? Going to Japan, it is extremely likely that I am going to buy more than one doll on my trip. For this reason I think that I am going to resist bringing any girls with me, and rely on the fact that I will have a dolly to photograph after visiting some of the shops that sell Blythe. Make sure to bring a doll carrier (the soft bag kind) or a pillow case with you to wrap any dolls that you buy in so they don't get scratched.
Two Kenners on a short trip to Sydney.
What clothes should I bring for my dolls? Clothes that won't get crinkled, clothes that will suit different backgrounds and scenarios. Bringing boots means that they won't fall off as easily and get lost in the bottom of your bag.
Samantha in Bamberg, Germany.
Travelling interstate? When travelling interstate, I pack my girls up into either my Takara Blythe carry case or a little pink suitcase I have. There is a lot less to worry about as you generally have the car or a friends house/hotel to store dolls in during the day if necessary. I'd still recommend making sure you bring girls with appropriate hairstyles for travel as snapping a quick pic of your dolly and having it ruined by hair that won't sit right or goes into her eye is a waste of a good pic!
Monika in my Takara Blythe Carry Case
Chance for a dolly meet? Managing to fit a dolly meet with my foreign or interstate friends is always the icing on the cake of a good trip. I stayed with a friend in the Netherlands that also happened to collect Blythe dolls and we had a ball dressing them up. Check your Flickr friends list and see if there is anyone you can meet up with (with your parents permission of course!)
Even with all these things to consider, bringing Blythe on your holiday is absolutely worth it. The fun I've had when strangers come up and ask me about her, trying to balance her in strange places, deciding on her outfit for the day and photographing her in public outweighs any of the negatives. Blythe can be a clown and entertain you on long and boring trips! This is especially good if you are too young to drive and are just stuck in the back of the car. Bring a dolly along!
Samantha and my boyfriend on the train to Berlin, Germany.
Thanks so much to Emily for letting me make a guest post on her blog, along with the wonderful prize of having my banner up on her site that I won! Feel free to visit me over at http://www.222am.org for more of my random Blythe musings.
