Home again

Despite the fatigue-inducing hassle that often comes with flying, there's a moment on each flight that makes air travel magical.

I don't think I've been on a flight yet where the moment wasn't there.

Right after the fasten seatbelt light is turned on for the last time, tray tables and seat backs are at their full and upright position, everyone is quite. Their electronics are off, their eyes are reopened, and they sit quietly with their stranger-turned-neighbor and stare out the tiny oval windows that run the length of the plane.

Yesterday the afternoon sun lit up our faces and made dancing patterns on the overhead bins as the airplane turned and the angle of the light shifted.

It's such a quiet moment. Maybe it's anticipation to be some place new, or a thoughtful time to regroup and ready yourself for home.

But it feels like group extra-spection. As you see the tiny roads and rivers carve out forests and cities, and the patchwork geometry of agriculture unfolds below, I know that I can't feel a little smaller, a little more like I'm just one tiny piece of something so big and so beautiful. It feels like the plane load of passengers is held in a collective awe of what we just did—spanned a continent in a few hours—and in collective awe of how beautiful the world is.

I'm not sure how God wouldn't cross your mind in a moment like that. I thought about Him, and said a thankful prayer as we touched down on the runway.

Lucca and Pisa

The few days between Mike's last final and our trip back home were packed. A few day trips, showing family around Bologna, our "lasts" of doing just about everything in Bologna. Our last Saturday we spent in Tuscany, visiting the beautiful city of Lucca and then taking a quick jaunt to Pisa for a few hours.

Lucca was amazing. It is a very small medieval city with the large city way still intact. Radiating from the wall are probably a dozen ramparts, many of which have play ground equipment or benches. I was taken back by how lush and green everything was. I'd put Lucca on a top ten best city to take a toddler to for sure.

After exploring the city a bit, we rented bikes and a little bike seat for Ada, and rode around the wide, tree-lined city wall—the wall has a road that goes all the way around. A loop only takes a few minutes. The view is incredible from on top. The girls stopped and played at a playground and let Ada get her wiggles out (ha. They never seem to be "out" at all . . .) and the boys rode in their gear down to Pisa. We met them by train.

Our visitors getting ready to ride with Mikey.

On top of the city wall

Then we made it to Pisa. The boys beat us with tons of time to spare, even though our train ride was under 30 minutes. They took naps on the grass while they waited.

The day was beautiful. The weather was perfect and everyone was happy. We grabbed a mediocre pizza near by, but to have a view of the leaning tower while we ate may have made it worth the price. The rest of the afternoon we relaxed and moseyed around the impressive sights. Ada loved being able to run about and make friends with other tourist (she stole a ball, someones shoe, and a bracelet. We've got to watch that little thief!) It was so leisurely, so perfect.

 

 

On the walk back to the train station with Mikey (he gave up his bike so his brother and sister-in-law could make the beautiful Tuscan countryside ride back to Lucca together) we talked about Bologna, reminisced about all it did to strengthen us and form us into better learners, better spouses, better parents and better disciples of Jesus Christ. A friend asked me last week in what ways I changed while I was there. I think I'll save that for another post, but much of what I have to say came from the walk we took back to the train station, holding hands and talking together. I think I'll always remember that walk back. It was beautiful and frozen as a piece of serenity in my mind; serenity I needed stores of before the flurry of packing and cleaning and moving and flying and unpacking and adjusting came on.

I'm beginning to miss Italy.

A view from walking back—the Arno river and Santa Maria della Spina.

Home is wherever I'm with you

I've become fairly convinced that international flights shave a few days off your life. You wake up early in one place, and 30 hours later you're half way around the world. It's a miracle, really. But when you walk to the baggage claim at your final destination, it feels like you just put your body through a tumble cycle and ate junk food for 30 days.

Ada was great. I can't complain, except for the fat lip she gave me on our first flight. I swiped Jordan Ferney's idea and wrapped some dollar store toys in crepe paper to serve as calculated distractions. Worked like a charm. When Ada would start getting fussy (i.e. the boredom that preceded the overtired tears) I'd grab a brightly packaged present out of my bag. The newness is all she needed. Something besides the same faces, the same aisles, the same snacks and the same two seats that the three of us packed ourselves into for hours on end.

After a short trip over the Alps we spent 4 hours in the coolest airport on the planet (how many airports have baby care lounges?) before boarding our flight to Chicago. As soon as every one was buckled in (and I was rejoicing at the empty seat to my right—what luck!) they announced that the plane we were on had some issues and we were going to get off, wait for a new one, and board again in two hours. As soon as the microphone when dead, flight attendants handing cups of ice cream flooded the aisles. Well played, KLM.

As I ate my ice cream (and the cup they gave to Ada) all I could think was: Two hours. As just under the amount of time we have between landing in Chicago and boarding for Salt Lake. Two hours. As in, we were going to miss our connection.

My only consolation was the empty seat.

When we reboarded, two extremely happy travelers filled the empty seats. They would have missed their flight. (At least someone's prayer was answered). My heart sunk a little. But ever-optimistic Michael kept assuring me, "We'll make it!"

When we landed in Chicago we got another announcement: the gate wasn't free so we had to wait for a plane to move before disembarking.

That is when I lost all hope of getting home in time to meet my family at Cafe Rio and reunite over pork salads and salsa.

We arrived in Salt Lake just before 9 pm. As I looked out at the Rockies—the mountains that mean home; that are jagged and rough but act like big, welcoming arms— I could hardly believe that at 3:30 that same morning (though nearly 30 hours prior) I was walking out of my shoebox apartment on Via Solferino, climbing in a dark taxi, and trying to convince Ada that it wasn't time for jabber, but time for more sleep. We waved good by to our city from the air.

This morning I woke up in my parent's old bedroom. Everything is so familiar it almost feels like the past year never happened. It's a strange paradox that I think we experience every time we make a major shift in life: that it seems at once far distant and very close.

Milan

We spent Tuesday in Milan. One perk of having a house guest is I get to have a travel buddy who doesn't require finger puppets to entertain her, knows that it's not okay to scream in churches and can man the map, rather than just ripe it into tiny shreds.

We followed a simple day-trip itinerary (thanks Brianna!) and visited Basilica di Santa Maria delle Grazie to see da Vinci's Last Supper, Castello Sforzesco, Parco Sempione, Milan's spire-studded Duomo, Galleria Vittorio Emanuale. We took a peek at the statue of Leonardo da Vinci in front of the Teatro alla Scala, went inside the "Church of Bones," ate delicious panzerotti at Luini's, and found a few other little places to rest along the way. All in all a great day with two of my favorite people in the whole world.

I think it's an easy day trip from Bologna. We even took the slow train home and were back in time to fit in an episode of Lost before heading to bed.

Now it's back to reality; the laundry that has been accumulating since Saturday, the dishes that are stacked high next to the sink, the dingsbums that love to find new homes under tables, on chairs and in my shoes. My daughter already has the workings of a hoarder. And she is slowly curing me of OCD. We're a great pair.

In other news: we leave in three weeks. What the?

The new "Cheesy Cheesy Smile"

In Parco Sempione in front of Milan's Arch of Peace

In a small garden memorial in honor of Milan's fallen during times of peace.

And still, no pictures of Melissa and I together. What is wrong with us?!

Trains

The tough thing about trains is that you can strap your kid in and just give them books to read and snacks to eat. You have to hold them on your lap, and if your kid is anything like mine, if they're not buckled in, it must be time to roam and explore and play.

Most people on the trains (and nearly every Italian I have ever met) are absolutely smitten with kids. They pick them up, give them kisses, ask their name, let them rummage through their bag . . . but when you get feeling a bit self conscious about other people taking on the role of entertainer on the train, here are a few things we've learned. 
 

On the way to Ravenna.

Less is more
I am prone to over pack snacks, toys, distractions etc. Usually this means more stuff to juggle, keep track of, and drop on the floor. On our trips this past week I only brought one book, and two small toys for the train. The winning "toy" was usually without fail the cell phone or taking lids off of pens and trying to put them back on. Basically, my things were always more interesting than her things anyway. 


Peek-a-boo is a winner
Hand games (Here is the Church, Here is the Steeple; Itsy Bitsy Spider; Where is Thumbkin, This little Piggy, Which hand is it in? etc.) kept Ada occupied for a while and it doesn't require packing along extra stuff. We would also sometimes sit back-to-back so she could play peek-a-boo with whomever was behind the seat.


If you can, take the fast trains
We only took them twice (they only run between major cities), but boy are they nice. Besides the fact that they are fast, they are more comfortable, have more things to explore (lights on the arm rests? folding table parts?!) and you can get seats with a table. For some reason the table made things a lot easier for me.


Take care of diaper changes before you get on
There aren't places to change babies on trains. We squatted near the door a few times and hoped no one walked past while we were finishing up the job. It's just a good policy to try and take care of this before you get on. The train stations usually have changing tables in their bathrooms, but be aware you have to pay to use them (and if you get a crappy machine like I did, it will cost you twice as much to use the bathroom because it will think your 1€ coin was only 20 cents. I'm not still bitter).


Use trenitalia.com to look up times and buy tickets
I've seen a plethora of other websites when people talk about Italy and trains, but the website the locals use is trenitalia.com. It's the official Italian train website and the fares and timetables are accurate. They don't have all the options online (we went to the window in Florence and got a better price/time to get back to Bologna) but it's definitely good for getting an idea for planning. 

On the way to Florence. Having 4 sets of hands is also a good tip :)

Ravenna

We had been to Ravenna before and were excited to take my parents to a less touristy, but equally beautiful city as some of the other big-time site-seeing cities. (Plus, it's only 1 hour and €4.40 away from the biggest beach resort in North Eastern Italy—Rimini. We still haven't been . . . yet . . .) It's famous for Byzantine Mosaics and they certainly don't disappoint.

The best part about Ravenna is that it's an easy day trip, maybe even half-day trip (or half day there and half day at the beach?) It has a handful of major sites that are all relatively close together, but plenty of open grassy areas, serene piazzas and gardens to be able to take as many breaks as your toddler needs. Our toddler needs lots of breaks.

Cloister in Sant' Apollinare Nuovo

Toddler-friendly places in Ravenna


Basilica di San Vitale
This is one of the easiest church to take your toddler to. Inside the church is open and without bumpy tombs to trip on on the ground. Be aware that they do try to maintain a sense of quiet reverence in the building. But the church grounds are wonderful for exploring and walking about. The green space out back (between the church and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia) is enclosed, grassy, and usually full of kids and strollers.

Botanical Garden just off Piazza Paolo Serra
There's a little fountain, gravel paths and plenty of plants to explore. Just be careful not to upset the grounds keeper. He can be a little over-protective. When we were there in the fall, the trees were all bursting with over-ripe pomegranates. It's a quiet place with benches and pleasant sounds.

Basilica of Sant' Apollinare Nuovo
This church is open, bright and has a fun cloister (with bathrooms that have counters by the sinks...possibly diaper change?)

Piazza Arcivescovado
This piazza is right by the Battistero Neoniano and the Archbishop's Chapel (which is now a museum). We had a pleasant lunch here. There were trees to hide behind, benches to climb (and sit on), a enough flowers for crowns.

By the way, one of my favorite things to bring along on all these trips were bubbles. They're easy to pack and are always sure to provide a few minutes of fun/distraction.

Venice

I felt like this was the hardest city to take a toddler to. She wasn't fascinated, like I was, by the fact that police, ambulances, taxi's, appliance delivery, and funeral hearses are all done with motor boats. She didn't find the glittering ceiling at San Marco's to be breathtaking. She did stop to gaze at the quaint bridges spanning narrow canals that weave through the city or smile at the dead-end streets that lead straight to the water. Instead, she was restless in a very crowded, very tight, but very beautiful place.

Don't bring a stroller
Venice is a city of foot traffic only. There aren't cars, which is nice, but it also means the streets are very narrow and full of stairs. You cross bridges every few minutes as you walk down the island. (It's truly incredible, just not the most stroller friendly environment). We opted for a baby backpack (my dad snagged one on KSL for $2) and it worked great for us. Ada slept a bit and liked being up with all the adults. We were in Venice with a stroller in March. It was bearable (and I did appreciate having a place to change Ada by lying the stroller flat and putting down the travel pad), but especially if you're going in the spring time/tourist season, I think it could be a serious hindrance.

Get a 12-hour transportation pass and a good map
We made the mistake of only getting a one-way ticket for the vaporetto (the water-buses which are Venice's form of public transportation). If I could do it again, I think the day pass would be worth it. The most amazing part of the city was being on the water. The island itself, as I mentioned is weave-y, narrow, and not easy to navigate. We tried relying on the few maps from my guide book which were sufficient, but we did get lost a few times and wished we had something better to help us find our way around. Getting lost isn't fun for parents or for toddlers as it means more time in the stroller and grumpier adults to hang with. Ada also seemed to enjoy the wind in her face and the splashy sounds of the water.

Prepare to entertain, mark some small campos on your map
Because it's not the most toddler friendly and most places are too crowded to just let Ada roam, we did a lot of entertaining. Songs, snacks, little toys. When we did let her down, it was when we found a quiet campo (the Venetians term for piazza) where she could stretch her legs a bit.

Toddler-friendly places in Venice

The vaporetto
Both Mike and I loved the vaporetto. It really gives you a chance to see how unique the Venetian water culture is. It also seemed fun for Ada. The sounds, the motion . . .
 
Piazza San Marco
Though it is very crowded, it's full of people feeding pigeons and Ada got an absolute kick out of all the flapping commotion. (Though my Italian teacher last semester did warn me, very seriously, that pigeons have parasites . . . all pigeons??) If you're good at sticking to your kid like glue, this is a fun place to burn some energy.

Murano
We didn't get out to the island (refer to vaporetto pass section) but I have heard that Murano is the most kid-friend island. This island is where the famous Venetian glass is made. Maybe watching glass blowers could entertain. There are also a few public parks on the island. It mostly seemed appealing to me because it would be less crowded than the main island of Venice.

Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari
This was one of my favorite places we visited. The church was quiet, not too many people, and the surrounding streets were relatively empty. Maybe my best advice when traveling with a toddler: find places to take a break from the crowds.

Here are a few other  I read up on:
If your kids are a bit older . . .
Forum on Trip Advisor on toddlers and Venice
Lots of people recommended buying a Venice WC card. Some bathrooms have changing tables.
A few parks mentioned:  Parco Savorgnàn (Cannaregio, near the station and Guglie bridge), Giardini della Biennale, and Giardini di Sant'Elena, and a couple on Murano

Rome

Easy snacks at ancient ruins

Switch up the snacks and bring emergency meals
One thing I tried to do was get a variety of new things to snack on (or play with) for Ada which saved us many a time. Sometimes our eating schedule didn't exactly line up with hers, so I was glad I had easy things to give her on the go. I especially love baby food that comes in pounches by Plum Organics. Too often convenient food means junk food, but these are nutritious and easy. We also got some GoGo squeeZ applesauce from Typewriter Grandma. Ada loves it. And I love that I don't have to carry around a sticky spoon when she's done.

Make reservations/get the Roma Pass
If you're efficient while you're out and about, you won't feel as bad about calling it a day earlier than you would sans-kids. Like Florence, we got the tourist pass offered and were glad we did. We got right into the Colosseum, the Forum and all the other sites we went to see. I also made sure we had our reservation for the Vatican early (and we made ours for the earliest slot, 9:00, so there would be less chance of a back up). We didn't have to wait hardly a minute at any site and it made Mom happy if no one else. Also, the metro pass (included in the Roma Pass) was a huge perk. We used it every day. There are escalators but not always elevators, so sometimes strollers can get clunky, but not un-doable. 

Making ourselves at home. Ada does this without pants on.

 If you're going to splurge, do it on a nice place to stay
In Rome we stayed in a great bed and breakfast just a few minutes from the Vatican. I was especially glad to have a place where we could hang out since our trip to Rome was a rainy one. It made a huge difference to have a nice place to come home to, dry off, and cook up some pasta. With kids you're bound to have more down time anyway, so you might as well pay to stay in a place that you can create some good memories in.

Bring a stroller
Rome, like Florence, has many accommodations for strollers (elevators, ramps, alternate entrances) and like most major cities, the sidewalks are wide. The one hard thing about strollers here was finding places to cross the street. The Italians will park a car anywhere it will fit—including straddling the crosswalk and wedged between trees. Sometimes we had to walk down a block or so to find a gap wide enough to pass through.

Dada and Ada at the Roman Forum

Toddler-friendly sites in Rome

The Ancient Forum
This was maybe my favorite place to take Ada. Not only was being outside all day great for her, but there isn't the quiet museum atmosphere, there are tons of rocks/ruins to climb, gravel to sort, places to explore. Get some earphones and listen to Rick Steve's audio guide and you've got yourself a great few hours for both parents and toddler. Bonus: she was so tired after all the running around that she took a great afternoon nap. On a related note: I was glad she was asleep for the Colosseum. I wouldn't rank that on a fun place to take toddlers.

Roman Baths
Though it was raining the day we went so Ada was stroller-bound, I can imagine this as being a great place for toddlers to roam and play as well. There are large grassy areas next to the ruins that looked like the perfect spot for a picnic lunch.

Vatican Museum
Most everything is behind glass, up high, or roped off so little hand can't break anything. Ada was awake for a bit of it, but, as we planned (and she magically went along with) she slept through most of it, including the Sistine Chapel which would have been a small nightmare with her. It's so crowded in there and no one is watching where they are walking. Everyone's eyes are, rightfully, glued to the ceiling, which makes tripping over a little one a distinct possibility.

St. Peter's Square
Fountains, pigeons, Berini's statues. What isn't to love? Plus you can get lots of wiggles out before going inside the church. 

Santa Cecilia in Trastevere
One of my big regrets about Rome is not getting to Trastevere. My Roman visiting teaching companion said this area is "Romanissma!" But the weather while we were there was not only a downer, but a slower-downer. We opted for less soggy options since it was a slow slog through the city. I have heard from several people, however, that this church has a great garden out front that mothers and babies alike love to dally in. Bonus, the church is beautiful and only minutes away from one of Rome's most magnificent and oldest churches, Santa Maria in Trastevere.

At Castle Sant'Angelo

For more tips on traveling with toddlers in Italy see my other posts in the series:
Overview
Florence
Venice
Ravenna
Trains

Florence

Because Bologna is only a short train ride from Florence, we decided to stay at our place in Bologna the night between our two-day visit to the city to save money. The evening following the second day, we rented an apartment with an amazing view (and less amazing amenities) which was really nice to have after a long day of site seeing. I followed a piece of Jordan Ferney's advice on traveling with young kids and choose a place with location in mind first and foremost. We were steps away from the Duomo and got to fall asleep staring at it all lit up.

Strolling through Boboli Gardens. We're the ones with the stroller.

Tips for traveling with Toddlers in Florence:

Bring a stroller
Florence is a pretty stroller-friendly city. There are sidewalks on most streets and many places have elevators or alternate ramp entrances. I'm not sure about everyone's kid, but mine sleeps really well in her stroller (especially when riding on the bumpy cobblestones. We're convinced they lull her right to sleep). When you're out all day, it pays to have a place where they can get some shut-eye, even if it's a bit abbreviated because of travel schedules.

Plan itineraries around nap times
This worked less well in Florence than in some other cities because we were coming off of a very irregular weekend (Easter, church, a day trip, adjusting to having these awesome grandparents around all the time . . . too many new things to bother with napping). But we were able to see some sights completely toddler free because they coincided with her nap. If you're dying to see the Uffizi, do it during a nap. This was our longest museum visit and possibly the hardest one to bring a toddler to.

If you want to see sites, get the Florence card
We came out ahead cost-wise, but money saving aside, the flexibility and time-saving the card provides is really nice. We were promised no need for reservations and no lines. This proved to be extra convenient. Not having to entertain Ada while waiting in a line was great, and had we planned a bit better, we could have waited until she was asleep to pop into some of the bigger (and more time-intensive) museums.

Try to intersperse toddler-friendly and non-toddler friendly places
Below are some places that worked well for us as "toddler-friendly" venues in Florence. We tried to intersperse these (or plan them during non-nap times) so Ada could have some time out of the stroller, walking around, and feeling a bit like it was a vacation for her too.

Boboli Gardens
It has open, green space and was a perfect place to spend some time eating lunch, resting our feet, and enjoying great views of the city.

The Academia Gallery
If I had to choose between one of the major museums (i.e. The Academia v. the Uffizi) and I was bringing along a toddler, I'd choose the Academia for a few reasons. 1. The David simply doesn't disappoint (but make sure you look at him from the side, square in the face so you can see his look directed at Goliath: The I'm-gonna-get-this-S.O.B. look—as Mike so eloquently put it). 2. There are a few interactive things to do in the musical instrument gallery (which I thought was super cool regardless) and provided a bit of a pick-me-up for Ada. 3. It is a bit less crowded—at least once you move 20 feet away from the David . . . but the biggest reason is 3., There is a CHANGING TABLE. A rarity in Italy in general and basically an impossibility to find in bustling-with-tourists cities.

Piazza della Repubblica
I think piazzas in general make traveling in Italy marginally easier than other places (though the only other place I've really done it is Germany). You can usually find one this is quiet, out of the way, and sporting a few open benches. But Florence's piazzas seem to either be filled with cars or vendors. Piazza della Republica, however, has a beautiful carousel and it only costs €1 for a ride. Ada instantly knew the ride was a treat just for her.

Basilica of Santa Croce
This church is where many of the Italian Greats (think: Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, Marconi . . .) are entombed in elaborate, beautiful sepulchers. It also has beautiful alter pieces by Giotto. But why I like it for kids is that it has a beautiful, quiet, enclosed green cloister. Mike and I took turns popping into the adjacent museums while the other stayed with Ada and blew bubbles. They also have bathrooms here.

Traveling with toddlers

Toddlers are tough to travel with. They're too old to be content in a carrier all day, but they're too young to really be interested in anything you're visiting. This week I'm going to post tidbits that I picked up about traveling with toddlers and post tips about specific cities we visited in Italy. I'll also link some of my favorite sites/post to people who are seasoned toddlers-in-tow-travelers.

For now, here's a preview of what we did:

Italy 2012 from Paige Anderson on Vimeo.

The much anticipated flight

Guess who was a well behaved baby on the flight? That's right, Ada. I got a little fussy, but if Mikey kept feeding me snacks, I was just fine. In all seriousness though, here's how it all went down.

We got through checking our bags and security in no time at all, and had a nice little wait in the airport before taking off. The flight left right on time and Ada fell asleep right after I fed her during take off. She slept for most of the flight to Chicago. Our layover there was short--just enough time to eat, fed Ada, change her, get our boarding passes, and scurry through the gate. This flight was the one I was dreading. All 8+ hours of it.

But the best thing happened: the guy in the seat next to me moved because of the crummy leg room (I'm pretty sure we had more on this flight than any of our others...) so we had an open seat on our row. DREAM COME TRUE! We barricaded Ada in with our backpacks and she crawled around, played with toys, stood up to do some jumping, you know, baby stuff. She got a little fussy before going down for a short nap in her bassinet (also a DREAM COME TRUE) and then again when she got hungry. (By the way, feeding a baby on the airplane is so easy with the baby foods in the pouches. We didn't even use a spoon. By the end of day 2 she pretty much held it and sucked it out herself--mess free!) She slept pretty well that night until we had to wake her up at 1am Utah time to get off the plane. So while the survival kits probably weren't necessary, people appreciated the gesture regardless.

Surprise! We got to visit 5 airports rather than the anticipated 4. Jealous much? I thought so. Our flight number stayed the same but we had a layover in Madrid. I was super grumpy in Madrid. And thirstier than I have ever remembered being.

The flight to Barcelona was short and sweet. The layover in Barcelona was long and sour. I was exhausted, Ada fell and hit her head on the tile floor (and I feared it was a foreshadowing of the next 9 months of our lives), and we couldn't figure out the internet. Boo.

The last flight to Bologna was on the tiniest plane I've ever been in. Mike and I both had the same thought, "There's no way all of our stuff made all it. Especially not onto this pint-sized aircraft." Ada slept the whole time. That was a plus. She was probably the best traveler. I was probably the worst. Always hot. Always thirsty. Always grumpy. Mike held us together (as per usual).

Survival Kits

It's no secret. I'm terrified that we're going to become Public Enemy Number One if (after) Ada cries, screams, and squirms during entire flight. I've been on an airplane with a screaming baby and talked to enough people to know that no one likes the screaming baby. Rather, no one likes the wailing baby's parents. Me. And I want people to like me. Who doesn't want people to like them?

So I've put together some Wailing Baby Survival Kits for the passengers unfortunate enough to sit next to us on the plane. The contents include:

• A book of Sudoko puzzles
• A pencil
• Advil (for those crying induced headaches)
• Wipes (for spills and possible baby-related mishaps)
• Ear plugs
• Gum
• Chapstick
• Chocolate

We also included a little letter to our fellow passengers:


I'm hoping that in the (very likely) event that we disrupt others on the plane, they'll at least give us a bit more patience than they maybe would have because they know we know just how obnoxious we are.