Thursday, August 16, 2012

Your thoughts and ideas are needed-


I know we've all moved before, we all know it sucks, yada yada...but I've never moved on such a limited budget and an international move at that. There's only one way to achieve this challenge, and that is to sell absolutely everything we own to cover the costs of flights and passports, and hopefully cover about 3 months of rent, utilities and groceries. Not only does selling everything raise money, but it also eliminates the need to ship things and therefore makes the move itself cheaper. Stuff is stuff, its replaceable, but life and experience within it are priceless, and I can't help but think this is the beginning of a better chapter for me and my little family.

One of the big hurdles we are trying to overcome at present is how to take our bikes with us and it truly is driving me crazy trying to decide what to do. There are limited options, they include- Shipping the bikes in freight, which takes a while, but is the cheapest unattended shipping method, although at $400-$600 for EACH bike, it eats up way too much money for us. That is a months rent in England when you take into account the exchange rate and a thousand dollars just doesn't go very far back home.

The second option is to have the bikes fly with us, which is pretty simple for the flight part of the trip and relatively inexpensive (under $200 for both bikes, sometimes free). The problem arises when we land and have to claim all our luggage and get it on the Shuttle to Paddington Station, it seems from what I've read that unless the bikes are out of the box we can't take them on the Shuttle, as in their boxed state they are too big. So the first issue is- two tired and jet lagged people (with a toddler) have to put together two bikes in an airport (with a toddler), need I say more? Then, we have to hope that we don't get stopped at the Shuttle with the Mundo, because its huge and takes up a lot of room we could be charged for seating tickets for it and the Boda Boda (according to the shuttles website), or we could be outright refused passage, which would mean we would be stranded at the airport. IF we make it past the Shuttle, we get to Paddington Station, now imagine- we have two unboxed bikes, 6 suitcases, plus hand luggage, stroller, car seat, toddler...how are two people going to handle all that in one of the busiest places on earth, and get it all on a train without potentially losing a bike, a suitcase...a toddler in the rush and bustle of London?

If you've never been to London or another equally busy city I don't think you can imagine how incredibly busy it is. Put it this way, when my family first arrived in the U.S. we were completely convinced it must be a holiday of some kind as Los Angeles was so quite (it was just a regular day in Southern California).  London is a busy city on it's own timetable and you either keep up or get out. Of course it's all prospective, and I may be wrong, but I think it will be a small miracle if we manage to pull it off without losing something like our minds or luggage. Of course we could rent a van at the airport, which I thought was a brilliant plan until I realized I don't have a license and we would therefore need Kyle to drive, something which is a bit daunting for Kyle whose never driven in a REALLY busy city, on the "wrong" side of the road, in a box van to top it off!  Oh and even that costs about $700 to rent for a one way trip.

What should we do people?
Sell one or both bikes and buy new ones (the Mundo is the bigger problem in regards to size)?
Fly them both and hope we pull it off with the aid of porters?
Leave the bikes with relatives and hope we can save up enough money to ship them at some point?

The other side to this is we're not planning on buying a car so bikes would be an awesome addition to our lives and a necessity if you ask me. Finding a job will be a lot easier with a bike and we had thought about starting a bike based business once we've gotten settled- the Mundo is a key contributor in that plan and we feel it really could be a great little business for us.

Plus, my challenge is not over, I do not intend to stop now, in fact this is just the beginning of a new chapter and I can't think of a more wonderful country to enjoy a bike in. I really stubbornly want our bikes with us, I love our bikes and honestly I feel pretty loyal to Yuba, I don't want any other bike, damn it!  But I'm at a loss as to how to budget the move around them. Maybe I should start considering doing a charitable car wash "Help me ship my bike to England"....but it doesn't have the same ring to it as sending a class-load of kids to an African Orphanage, does it?

End of rant.

30 comments:

  1. I follow another blog called "Rogue Priest". Drew is walking thousands of miles and has a donation button. He sends personal postcards to his big time contributors. I think you should absolutely add a donation link to your blog. You may be surprised by how much support you receive.

    Have you talked to Yuba to see if they'll hold your Boda Boda and ship it to the UK? Maybe you already have it and I'm behind in my reading... But if you can have the Boda Boda and Kyle's bike then maybe you can forgo the Mundo just for a spell..

    Do you have friends/family who can/will meet you in London so it's more than 2 adults with Jack? Even just someone to mind Jack would make an ENORMOUS difference.

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    1. Hello friend- oh the donation button lol! You are not the first person to say that, maybe I will and offer a little piece of unique bike art in exchange- I had thought of selling bike art before, so this would be like that in reverse lol.
      I spoke briefly with the Yuba peeps, and they said they won't be shipping to Europe for a while. I need to get on the horn and talk with them a little more once I get the dates set and stuff.
      No, we don't have family and friends- maybe I could hire a nanny for a day- or hire a lifter and let them do the hard work while I take care of Jack. He's at a really tough age too, its all temper flare ups and then sweet little jibber jabber, running like the wind and then throwing himself in a lump on the floor...you know, typical!

      thank you as always- the comments are what fuels my mind to really get moving forward.

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    2. Will you allow me to share your plight with my friends? Perhaps among circles we can find folks to help you.

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  2. Have you considered travel to London by ship? A cargo ship would be cheap and spacious. =)

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    1. John- do you mean us traveling on a cargo ship with our stuff?

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    2. http://www.strandtravelltd.co.uk/ It may not be what your looking for but I think it would be an interesting way to go. =)

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    3. I looked at the website John, and despite my initial feeling of fear, I warmed up to the idea...and then i saw the cost involved! Definitely not in our budget, but a great experience to be sure!

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  3. Why not fly with the bikes and then ship them from the airport to your destination?

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    1. Amrah- that is a good idea, I will look into it;) Thanks!

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  4. Have you heard of Care.com? I don't know if they have caretakers internationally or not, but maybe there is something like that in London? I'm thinking you'd need to hire someone because I think I already read somewhere that you don't have family over there yet. I agree that having 1 person making sure Jack doesn't go astray makes EVERYTHING else manageable.

    My other piece of advice is to smile and ask people for help. That's great if there are porters, but the airline you fly with should have some kind of concierge or customer help person that isn't working at a ticket counter and can help you co-ordinate getting your bikes off the plane and to the shuttle. Maybe that person could even help getting the shuttle people to okay the dimensions of the bikes would be ok ahead of time? I would call the airline now and say, "We want to fly with you, but here's my dilemma. How can you help me make it through the airport and onto the shuttle safely? Do you have any ideas?" Give them open-ended questions or only give them options that you find acceptable.

    Last thought: what about a bike shop over there? Maybe a cargobike roll call/airport greeting? Get someone over there who is familiar to help you. If found out that someone was moving to Portland from London, arriving by plane with their bikes & worldly possessions and toddler you bet I'd be willing to help them figure it out. In fact, I'm pretty sure I have at least 1 cargo biking mama in the UK on my twitter feed. Want me to look her up? Tweet at me!

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    1. Kath- thanks for such well thought out responses and ideas, sorry I'm just now replying! Making use of Jack's nap time! I am collecting ideas still, adding them to the list. Thanks for the awesome intros on Twitter too!

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  5. Have you researched a Half-TEU container for this and other things?

    Or how about selling your bikes in the U.S. and buying new (can be used) ones in Europe? Cash is easier to transport. Is it so important to have *these* bikes with you in the UK? (Especially when both Holland and Denmark will be an overnight car-ferry ride away? Hint, hint).

    Can you live without having a bicycle as you arrive?

    (They are available for short-term rental, even in a place as bike-unfriendly as England).

    Seems like a lot of work to add to an already major journey.

    And remember, your U.S. standardized bicycle may not be so wonderful to have in mostly-metric England. Little things like tire tubes with Shrader Valves come to mind.

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    1. Erik- you do bring up some really good points, I hadn't thought about the details of metric and all that.
      The area that we have been looking at has far better bicycle infrastructure than our present U.S. city so I think they would be a major asset in regards to finding work and hauling home furniture to our new abode.
      Of course its all very up in the air still- thanks for commenting!

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  6. Hi, a friend directed me toward you post. I'm an American who married an Englishman and we moved to England with our two young kids. (Exciting stuff, since we paid for our move ourselves and while we have shipped some things, we also got rid of A LOT.)

    I would be inclined to suggest buying bikes in London. The flight will be kind of stressful because there is a real possibility that your toddler won't really sleep on the flight. (I've dealt with that so many times with my kids.) Dealing with a toddler, luggage, customs/immigration is exhausting, adding the assembly of bicycles might bring out all kinds of emotions in the moment.

    There should be quite a few bicycle shops are that would suit your needs. And like the rest of your stuff that you are getting rid of, the current bikes can be replaced.

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    1. Thanks Genevieve for taking the time to respond, it is true they are replaceable, but alas we wouldn't be able to afford to replace them with similar bikes and that is where the issue is for us. Having 2 cargo bikes in the family is certainly an asset that won't be replaced with the type of bike we could afford in the UK.
      Cheers, hope you are enjoying life there!

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  7. Can boxes be found large enough to fit the entire bike so you would not have to tear it down? Then you can just take out of box and go.

    Also explain the situation to the airport personnel before you get there. See if you can leave the bike there for a day or so in a storage area such as luggage claims, then get Jack home and settled in the day you arrive and go back the next day or two for the bikes.

    I would hate to see you give up the bikes after all the time, effort and mileage you have put on them. I know you would be getting new bikes, but they just wouldn't be "your" bikes

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    1. Thanks for your ideas Medicsgirl- I think we spoke on Facebook too? Really awesome how helpful everyone has been- cheers! L

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  8. Here's a thought! Why not have kyle fly in first with one bike and some luggage, get settled, then meet you when you and jack arrive, say a week later to help with the rest of the stuff? Or there must be someone there who can pick you guys up with a van or truck, no?

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    1. Thanks PATB, aside from the extra costs of train tickets and stuff, we do really want to fly together- just so we can share the delight that is a 2 year old on an airplane lol.

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  9. Hi Lindsay,

    Your bikes are oversized, so you will struggle to get them carried on many UK trains - the spaces available are often only sized to take standard bikes. You will need to find out if the trains you need to use can take tandems and trailers.

    Another possibility is to take a coach - the CTC points out that National Express will carry bicycles packed in boxes. Check out the local bus operator at your destination, they may run a direct service to Heathrow.

    Andy

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  10. Here's another possible option, why not bring over only the frames and rebuild with parts in England? The frame of the Yubas are the specific part, everything else can be bought and or replaced in England. Metric or Imperial, bike parts are standard all over the world. As an example, most 3 piece bottom brackets have been standard British thread for over 100 years on the majority of bikes. The Yubas have 26 inch wheels which are standard mountain bike size available anywhere.

    Gerry

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  11. I think the idea of shipping the packed bikes once you are at the airport is a great idea! When we shipped across country we had an opportunity at the airport in PDX to use a shipping company for excess stuff we couldn't take on the plane (weight issues). I am sure if you contact your ticket provider or Heathrow (I assume) to see what companies they have in house at the airport you can then get an estimate of how much and how long it would take for them to ship your bikes. I am not sure how much you have reached out to the cyber-bike community in London (if you have a connection there or not) to see if you can post a call to arms with someone there to see if they can meet you and help transport you and Jack and Kyle AND bikes for a nominal fee. Heck they may help put the bikes back together once you get to your destination!

    Hope you can come together with a plan!

    tricia

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  12. I wonder if there's a warmshowers.org (or couchsurfing?) host in London that would be happy to have all of you for a night? Maybe they could help you somehow with the airport fiasco and then the next day-- after some rest-- you could better tackle the train trip? Also (my curiosity got the better of me), it looks like you can cycle right out of Heathrow on bike paths: http://www.heathrowairport.com/transport-and-directions/cycling-to-heathrow. Maybe you could somehow pull that off-- with a cheap Craigslist bike trailer/stroller to carry extra luggage? But that doesn't solve the craziness of setting up the bikes or dealing with things in the train station...

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  13. Tricia raises a point we thought of- do some research on cycling clubs or organizations in London & reach out to see if they can offer any assistance.

    We don't know where you're eventually headed, but is it necessary to go through Heathrow & London? Goodness knows we try to avoid that airport even with only carry-on luggage! Stanstead? Bristol? Cardiff? Birmingham?

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  14. There has got to be a group, someone within the CTC that can work with you in getting your gear from the airport to your destination. Google around and hopefully you get lucky! I would be more than happy to warehouse the bikes. For free and ship them over to you when you can afford it if need be. I just hate to see you sell them.....

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  15. lindsay, maybe keep the yuba and sell kyles bike. replace it there in london. your bike is the unique one. since its oversized, maybe design a set of wheels that can be packed in a top corner of the box to help to move it around so it doesnt take two people to maneuver.insure the mundo if you can/need. pack needed tools as well close to the top corners as well as some extra tape if you need to have to repack tools. one thing that i have read a couple of times that you did not address, do you have any help in england? hope you do.

    john zee

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  16. First off, congrats to you for the heart and strength to decide to ride with your baby.
    My recommendation is to ship the bike(s) on the plane with you-may pay less in import fees that way and have a courier service take them from the airport to your new abode. One of the three links below may work or I am sure one of them could direct you to a company who can help you. It is common to have courier services pick up stuff at the airport/home and deliver it in countries where lots of people don't have cars. (Lived in Japan for 3 years) Black Cat (below) is the company I know did it in Japan. http://www.blackcatcouriers.co.uk/services.html http://www.parcelhero.com/Home (sorry, don't know how to make it a link) http://www.couriernet.co.uk/ourservices.html
    Whatever you do, don't try to put it back together in the airport with the six suitcases and toddler. BTW, You will have to deflate the tires b/c change in air pressure. You MAY have to prove you did so. You may also desire to transport tires etc. in a separate box to stay under 70lbs per box to minimize over weight fees.

    Contact this company that sells Yubas in the UK http://www.practicalcycles.com/page64.htm and ask what if anything they change for the UK rider. Besides, they are a resource in country for replacement parts. While you are at it, look around at their site and see if they have a different bike that would suit your needs for a price you can pay. Their cargo bike selection is one of the best I have seen. I haven't checked on import fees yet. they may be steep.

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  17. You can get all of your luggage on the stopping train from LHR to Paddington. This is cheaper than the 'express' train (from memory £8)
    I would recommend packing as much of it as you can.

    https://www.heathrowconnect.com/index.asp for the times.

    London is busy but there are always quiet side-streets and the like and having a bike here is definitely the way to travel. However take some time to get used to the foibles of the traffic and how other road users behave around cyclits

    The above poster is right that one can cycle out of LHR and into West London. If you've just been on a long flight with kids, I wouldn't really recommend this. It is about 13m from the city centre to LHR.

    If you want to bring your bikes, bring them. Just think about the mechanics of getting to your destination from Paddington. If you are in 'zone 1' I would recommend paying either for a cab or 'van courier' to collect you and your stuff from near the station. It could cost around £30 but I think it really money well spent




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  18. What about hiring a "man with a van" type person to meet you at the airport and take your bikes for you. (And any other luggage you might have). You pay them buy the hour or day so if they have to wait for you (at your new home) while you're travelling by train it shouldnt be an issue.

    Not sure how much they cost though. They won't be able to help them claim your luggage at the airport but should be able to wait right outside and load there.

    Good luck.

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