Forums > Technical Discussion > European travel with poi

Posted: 5th Nov 2001
Since the 11th I've flown to Malta and the US with fire poi and collapsible staff in my main baggage.I'd say you're fine as long as it doesn't smell and you don't carry your kit as hand luggage. If something smells flamible they're not going to want to let it through, espically if you're flying. But if wicks are kept in air tight plastic bags and wrapped up in cloth there shouldn't be any smell.Dom

We're nothing but the nerds they think we are

Posted: 5th Nov 2001
Actually, that fuel odor can permeate even multiple layers of plastic after a few days of contact. It gets into the plastic itself. With poi heads, if you really want to avoid this, you could get a small paint can and seal them in that. With staves or anything else where the heads can't detach, well, I'm not sure what to do. Wrap them in plastic and dip that in wax? I dunno.

Laugh while you can, monkey-boy

Posted: 5th Nov 2001
has anyone tried sticking poi heads in a for poi-only nalgene bottle? those have pretty thick platic that might work good. i'd suggest maybe building a carrying case out of pvc tube for bigger fire toys because that's pretty thick plastic also but i imagine that it might look a little too much like a homemade pipe bomb. hmmm... any other suggestions for fire toy travel? i know i'm going to be flying home in a few months so it would be good info to have. now is mailing it a bigger risk than flying with it? ugh... after the bombing combined with anthrax paranoia i think things might be a little more difficult. would it help to use white gas only to reduce stink factor? has anyone tried fire place deodorant (yep its an actual product...) to de-stink their toys?

Posted: 5th Nov 2001
well this is a little off but... I have a friend who made his staff with copper pipe fittings on the ends. Where he has attached threaded ends so that his wicks can screw on and off. Just take to it with a wrench and within minutes it's travel ready. He keeps the wicks in a paint can with some hangers punched into the top and sealed over. Keeps them hanging in the fuel and you can pull them out when you pop off the top. Oh well this might be better suited for staff construction. But it might help in transportation too Bit

I create, I destroy... who said you can't have the best of both worlds!

Posted: 7th Nov 2001
In Australia I got my wicks confiscated as they were soaked in kero. They were even dodgey about letting the poi through but they relented (after lots of begging) and let me just put them in lots of plastic bags in my rucksack - not as hand luggage.Everytime Ive travelled sinced I ;1. get two plastic bottles cut in half 2. put the poi ends in of the bottle ends3. place the other bottle end over the top, forming a lid4. seal with masking tape5. put in loads of plastic bags and seal that with tape too.Happy travelling!

Posted: 7th Nov 2001
Thank you everyone for your advice. Was in a hardware store last night and saw some kero deodorant (!?) so I think I'll get some of that and then use a shit load of wrapping and bottles to get the things over the channel....now all I gotta do is find my passport!------------------"The tincture of night began to suffuse the soup of the afternoon. He considered the sentence, and found it good. He liked 'tincture' particularly. Tincture. Tincture. It was a distinguished word, and pleasantly countered by the flatness of 'soup'. The soup of the afternoon. Yes. In which may be found the croutons of teatime."

---------------------With a bit of luck, his life was ruined; always thinking that just behind some narrow door, in his favourite bars, men in red woolen suits are getting incredible kicks from things he'll never know.