The start of the year, the perfect time to start a new “quest”...my last one, if you recall, was for a gold bracelet...a hunt that went in various directions but eventually led to my talon cuff. The process worked (for me, at least)...finding ‘possibles’...getting my thoughts down on (virtual) paper...taking the time to mull over all of the pros and cons...until I found "the one". And now it’s time to start all over again, though this time with a slightly larger purchase in mind...luggage. Though I should probably clarify, as “luggage” always conjures up an image of the kind of matching set used by Joan Collins or minor royalty...whereas my requirements are much more modest...I only need one bag, but I have plenty of criteria...
- The bag must fall within the airlines' size guidelines for carry-on luggage. It's strange, I used to pack a quarter of my wardrobe for a short trip...but perseverance (and Mr. Heb's constant whining on the subject) have allowed me to do a complete 180...I can fit all of my needs for a week or more inside one carry-on bag.
- It must be able to stand the test of time... I want to be able to throw the bag around and know that it will still look relatively good.
- Having said that, the bag mustn't scream "I cost a lot of money" as I am paranoid about having my bag slashed open and the contents stolen.
- No wheels. I'm an adult...and I'm not incapacitated in any way...I can manage to carry my bag for the 5-10 minutes necessary. Additionally, I've noticed in airports recently that those with wheeled bags don't seem to move any faster than those without...in fact, they may even be slower as they are forced to continually adjust the bag as it topples over.
| At the moment my needs are being met...well, some of them at least...by a nylon duffel bag from American Apparel but, it has to be faced, it's only a matter of time before the bag rips and my clothes are strewn around the concourse in front of my fellow travelers...and so, "the quest". At the moment I'm thinking about a leather bag...with handles for carrying by hand or over the shoulder...but we'll see what turns up. |  |
Sal - it took a lot of effort (and practice) to get down to get myself into "carry-on for a week's clothing" mode...immodestly I was somewhat impressed myself ;)