Life out of my Blue Suitcase
Iam eternally living out of a suitcase.. and I'm always getting ready to go somewhere or another for months years, actually. I've been buying odds and ends as I think of them, little three-ounce bottles, new underwear (as you don't want customs officials to see your old underwear), a whole bag of lotions, travel clock, and all the other weird gear listed in the travel agency's “must have” list. Recently, I was going to Egypt to see the pyramids, the trip of a lifetime. I thought I was all set. I put all my litle bottles and junk into plastic zip-lock bags and dragged my suitcase out from storage so I did not have to look for it when it was time to pack. I was prepared—prepared, I tell you, ready to go.so, on the last weekend before the big trip, I was adding a few last-minute items to my collection when I realised that my suitcase looked rather large. It is after all an expandable bag. I had already been through the “carry-on vs. checked luggage” debate. I favoured checking in. But I wish I had chosen a carry on as it did seem faster and more practical since we had to travel light anyhow.
I measured my blue suitcase-35 inches !! How could that be? I took it on the plane to Jordan. Did it grow? Then I remembered that I had checked luggage on that trip and ended up scurrying all over the airport trying to find the baggage claim. i had a smaller size, 17 inches. No way could all my plastic bags fit in that. I thought of the old standby suitcase. The outside pocket is torn and it looks like the baggage handlers played some rugger with it. I began to think “new suitcase.” That's the thing nowadays about travel.. I hated to think of carrying my old torn clunker amongst all the shiny spruced up and jazzy bags that roll off the conveyor belt. I definitely needed a new bag though the last thing I wanted was to spend my mad money on a suitcase instead of miniature pyramid statues and camel rides.
I might as well tell you that I don't like shopping malls. Malls used to be a fine thing when I was younger and could walk from one place to another. But now, malls are aggravating. They are too big. Bigger is better when it comes to some things, but not malls. So I opted for the little shops in a row on Galle Road .
I was so lucky I thought.; luggage was on sale dirt cheap. But even dirt can cost an arm and leg. I looked at everything and found a cheap black one, but it was naturally available in only king and queen size. We even bribed the salesperson to check the stockroom for something smaller.
This is what happens when you wait until the last minute to buy a suitcase. If I had been a wise owl, I would have looked for luggage months ago, not at the last minute. I had to settle for what was available. Finally, I narrowed it down to two choices that were the right size, the right price, and, most importantly, in stock. I didn't have time to go chasing around all over the city looking for a suitcase.
The trouble was that the choices available were blackish blue with a yellow stripe, and magenta. I eventually decided to buy the blue one since the magenta one was even more ugly. What does it matter what colour it is? At least I could tell my suitcase from all the other suitcases at the airport. That yellow should practically glow in the dark.
And that's precisely what wrong choice I made, for it drew the attention of all customs officers, the security and also passengers. My exit from airports took double the time with the checks, and questions, of which one was definitely what made you get this suitcase !! Sigh ! So I am back with my whipped, kicked, hammered and thrown bag that if nothing else, helps me get out of the airport fast. And also I'm spared the usual questions that somehow include….. where are you going from here ?
I WAS SO LUCKY I THOUGHT.; LUGGAGE WAS ON SALE DIRT CHEAP. BUT EVEN DIRT CAN COST AN ARM AND LEG