From: Mary Beth (dlvdisc@geekbabe.com)
Date: Fri Mar 10 2006 - 22:09:13 CST
A couple of notes on packing and shipping:
I always send my heavy/bulky/awkward stuff (make-up mirror, breast
forms, make-up, jewelry, shoes, etc) ahead via UPS. My luggage for the
airplane contains only clothing, which won't show anything unusual in
the X-Ray machine. On overseas trips I'd taken several years ago, my
suitcases were always having the locks cut off. I finally came to the
conclusion that the X-ray machines were probably reading my hard
rubber breast forms (or as I like to call them, my "travel tits") as
plastic explosives. Not a good thing at all.
I can usually get all the stuff into a 15x15x15 carton, which costs
about $30 to ship each way (UPS charges by weight; in my case it's
around 25 pounds of stuff). It's worth it to escape the hassle of
dragging it on the airplane. To ship it home, there are four UPS stores
within 5 miles of the strip which are open on Saturday from 9 to 4 PM
(they are closed Sunday, so you have to ship on Saturday.) The UPS
stores will also be cheaper than using the hotel's Business Center,
which will charge you a fee for having UPS come to pick up your
stuff.
Once while on my way back from England I was pulled out of line in
customs for a bag search. Before the agent opened my bag I told her
that I was a crossdresser and that the bag she was opening contained
all my female gear. When she open the box with the travel tits in it,
she got a queasy look on her face and hurriedly ended her search.
First rule - if they search your bags, get right out in front of it
immediately. Tell them up front what's in the bag and why.
Mary Beth
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