Air Travel (short flights) with SD starter and kefir grains

Being an avid kefir drinker and sourdough baker, I couldn't imagine going a week without when we went on a much needed vacation! So my husband thought I was crazy but I did manage to vacation with both!

I air-travelled in the US where we have security checks that involve limiting any one liquid amount you are carrying onto a plane to 3 fluid ounces and all the liquids must fit "comfortably" in a closed 1 quart ziploc/plastic bag.We only did carry-on luggage. That includes everything-shampoo,lotions,deoderant,meds,etc. No problem!

SOURDOUGH STARTER

Easy! PMcCools method worked beautifully! I fed my starter the week before travel every day so it was in a really active state. Then see this:

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/25422/prepping-starter-travel

I took about a tablespoon of starter and rubbed it into flour until it was totally dry and then put a few tablespoons of the dry starter into a ziploc. Not even a liquid so it went into my regular carryon luggage with my paperbacks and other toiletries. When I arrive, I mix it with water and flour and Voila-active starter!

KEFIR

This was a little more challenging. The kefir grain I brought with was about the size of a grape. It would have to go in my bag of liquids. I needed all the space in my liquids bag so I had to minimize the size of the container for kefir travel.I bought a small (1/2 ounce)empty, screw-top cosmetic container, put the kefir grain in it with some milk. These containers don't seal that well so I suggest you bag the container into another small plastic ziploc bag.Then I put the bagged cosmetic container into the 1 quart ziploc with my other liquids. If asked, it is a beauty treatment. (Well, it is!).This is only the temporary home for the little grain. I always bring an empty halfliter water bottle with me through the security checkpoint so I can fill it up once I am inside the secure area and have water on the flight.This time, I brought 2 bottles -the halfliter water bottle and a smaller one with a little wider mouth (so my "grape" would fit thru).Once through and in the secure area, I filled my water bottle as usual and then bought a cup of coffee at one of the food kiosks inside the secure area. There I put my kefir grain in the wider-mouthed bottle and filled it with a few ounces of milk from the coffee station and tucked it back in my bag for the flight.Kefir in motion! At my destination, I just treat it as usual and enjoyed kefir all week! Return trip was the same.

Of course, if you have the space,the kefir grain would survive quite nicely in a 3 ounce container of milk for a day or so. Just tuck it in the "liquids" bag and be done but the container must clearly appear to be under 3 ounces or it will be questioned. I try to avoid any questions by those folks.

Thanks to PMcCool for his great experiment on storing and traveling with sourdough starter! I've used it several times quite successfully!