Agatha Bertram Travels

Travels with my aunt and some others

  • Remarkable
    • Communities
    • Exploits and Expeditions
    • Food
    • People
  • Africa & Middle East
  • Americas
  • Asia
    • India
    • Japan
    • Vietnam
  • Australia
  • Europe
    • France
  • Useful
    • Books
    • Events
    • Health
    • Travel
  • About
    • AKA Agatha Bertram
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy

Eleven Luggage Lessons

June 29, 2015 by AggieB 3 Comments

suitcase_blackMy Mother and Father were planning a visit to Japan, with my Aunt. They were flying into Obihiro, in the middle of Hokkaido which is in the north of Japan and the city where I was living at the time. From there we were all travelling together by train back down to Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, via Sapporo and Hakodate.

I advised that they bring one small suitcase each and a day pack, this would make us all mobile. Aunty Jenny listened and bought excellently matching luggage. My mother and father did what they always do and shared a giant suitcase, each carrying a smaller bag. It drives me nuts, and the fact that it drives me nuts provides entertainment for the rest of the family.

So this is for you Mum & Dad, this is the science behind my excellent theories about luggage.

Lesson 1. It depends on where you are staying when you get there.

2015 luggage destination

Notes for Lesson 1:
For staying at a hotel or resort, travel with a suitcase. Hard shell offers protection for your valuables, clothes lie relatively flat, and you can pack a lot in! Carry-on is good but you can’t have all your essentials, including your multiple daily changes of clothes. Backpack and duffle bag – well you sort of arrive looking like Indiana Jones but I wouldn’t rule it out on those grounds.

Lesson 2. It depends on how you are travelling.

2015 luggage transport
Notes for Lesson 2:

So anyway, we were in Sendai (a city that later tragically bore the brunt of the tsunami) and we had 15 minutes to transfer from the train from Hakodate to the Shinkansen, Japan’s famous ‘bullet train’.  As we pulled into the station I had everyone in the go position ready to sprint across to the next platform.  To my eternal shame, I made Aunty Jenny sprint as well even though she was due for a hip replacement three weeks after our trip.  Dad struggled bravely on, with the giant suitcase and we made it!  Hooray!  But it could have been easier ….just sayin’.  Noone listens anyway.

Oh, and wheels! Must have wheels. Backpacks and plastic bags are marked down because they don’t have wheels.

Lesson 3. Quality vs cost.

2105 backpack2Pay the maximum that you can afford because this is not something that you are only going to use once. But having said that, substance is important over style. If you pay a lot for designer luggage that falls to pieces after the first knock it is not what you are looking for.

Lesson 4. Where do you live?

How much space do you have to store luggage that is not being used? Can you buy luggage specific for each occasion and put it in your immense storage space at home or do you need to find something that will best suit maximum occasions?

Lesson 5. Must have wheels.

Did I mention that?

Lesson 6. Can you lift it?

The first backpack that I owned was quite deep so that when it was full I looked a bit like a turtle, hunched over to offset the weight of the thing.

Lesson 7. It depends on what you will be doing when you get there.

2015 luggage purpose

Notes on Lesson 7
If the destination is a resort, then the more luggage you take the better. Maximum changes of clothes. If travelling for corporate work, then carry-on is the way to go – quicker to the office when you get there and far more convenient at airports. More than one destination = complications. Ideally if you have a stopover you can check luggage all the way through and have a change of clothes in your carry on. Recently I did some road trips and it meant being very comfortable with the weight and the mobility of the main bag, and actually packing a change of underwear and a Tshirt in a zip lock bag and carrying this in a day pack in case my main luggage and I got separated. Worked a treat.

Lesson 8. How important is security?

Travelling through South America in the bad old days one of the recommendations (that I never followed) was to put chicken wire on the inside of your backpack so that the bag couldn’t be slashed. Travelling by train in Mongolia and Russia in the early ‘90’s it was advised that you wrap sheets around the handles on the inside of the sleeper door (just locking it would not secure the cabin against the staff), and to chain your luggage to the bed. All interesting ideas and highlights the issue of the security of luggage. What about baggage handlers at airports?

Lesson 9. Demographics

Mainly about kids, but also see notes on parents above. Separate suitcases if you need to be mobile!

Lesson 10 – Separate compartments inside the luggage

Give some thought to separate space for liquids, and separate space for discretion when opening luggage in public.

Lesson 11. Personal preference.

Last but not least! Colour? Brand? Design features & enhancements. Remember – you’ll have to live with it for a few years.

Conclusion

The unsolvable problem is navigating the Paris Metro with heavy luggage. A lot of the stops don’t have escalators or lifts, you are likely to have more than carry-on because you want to look good in Paris and you will most likely be travelling to more than one place after Paris. Something has got to give and it will probably be your body as you carry your suitcase up and down, and up and down … up and down ….

  • Tweet
  • Share 0
  • Reddit
  • +1
  • Pocket
  • LinkedIn 0

Filed Under: Equipment, Travel, Useful

Comments

  1. Vera says

    June 29, 2015 at 12:41 pm

    We actually had a reasonably large suitcase each, plus a carry bag Sally so it was a bit difficult climbing the stairs ! Just as well we were younger and fitter those days.
    Mum

    Reply
    • AggieB says

      June 30, 2015 at 11:22 am

      Hi Mum :), that’s worse! Two big suitcases, aye aye aye. But we survived and it was a great trip.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. A Japanese Holiday says:
    March 9, 2017 at 2:01 am

    […] They are all good travellers, despite their well documented struggles with luggage (Eleven Luggage Lessons). […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply to AggieB Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Subscribe to receive periodic wraps of the most popular posts.

Search

Thought for today

Follow the trip that Gandalf and Co did over the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, with a view of the volcanic landscapes and Mt Ngauruhoe which featured as ‘Mt Doom’.   Not far from Mt Doom is beautiful Lake Taupo

New Zealand, Feb 2022

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

#Aggiebtravels

aggiebtravels

The custard apple lady, Hyderabad #incredibleindia The custard apple lady, Hyderabad #incredibleindia #exoticfruit
Mohammed Bin Rashid Library #dubai #booklovers # Mohammed Bin Rashid Library  #dubai  #booklovers #firsteditionbooks
Spending some quality time with the fam - Denmark Spending some quality time with the fam - Denmark on the south coast of west Australia @discoverdenmarkwa
Instagram post 17983434584134993 Instagram post 17983434584134993
Buildings in Bucharest - we were given cake at chu Buildings in Bucharest - we were given cake at churches because it was (still) Easter, saw the statue of King Karel I who was a German Prince, invited by the Romanians to be King, and finally the Houses of Parliament, second biggest government building after the Pentagon.  Built by President Ceaucescu while the economy was in tatters. 

#bucharest #romania #trekkup #trekkupdubai
A day in the life - Transnistria. We had lots mcg A day in the life - Transnistria.  We had lots mcg with the lady in the first pic, one of the few remaining statues of Lenin, market shopping and a memorial to people who died at Chernobyl #transnistria #tiraspol #moldova #trekkup
Meeting a monk today who has lived in a cave for t Meeting a monk today who has lived in a cave for the last 20 years, outside Chișinău in Moldova.
Walking in the Wadi Abadilah. Taking advantage of Walking in the Wadi Abadilah.  Taking advantage of the winter weather ! #uae
Starting the new year with an early morning run 🏃‍♀️ #dubaicanal
Attack birds - photo of a stranger. #gnarabup #we Attack birds - photo of a stranger.  #gnarabup #westernaustralia
Family time in Perth (and south). Family time in Perth (and south).
80,000 people, a drinks break and a light show at 80,000 people, a drinks break and a light show at the MCG.  The final match of the Men's Cricket T20 World Cup.  #PAKvENG
I have so many memories associated with manual sco I have so many memories associated with manual scoreboard day in cricket.  Now a new one - Adelaide Oval #MT20worldcup
Perth by night #perthstadium Perth by night #perthstadium
Southbank, rain on the way! #Melbourne. Southbank, rain on the way!  #Melbourne.
Thanks to @vavien75 and Pierre for their hospitali Thanks to @vavien75 and Pierre for their hospitality in Bretagne BZH.  Overnight in St Malo before a ferry back to Jersey and a flight back to Dubai.  As I was flying out, I thought at first that Guernsey was really big, before I realized it was France 🇫🇷 😂😂
Last day in Jersey. What a beautiful place ! #ch Last day in Jersey.  What a beautiful place !  #channelislands #wartunnels #elizabethcastle
Jersey in the morning. Elizabeth Castle, St Helie Jersey in the morning.  Elizabeth Castle, St Helier #jersey #channelislands
Walking rescue dogs in the UAE #straydogscenterua Walking rescue dogs in the UAE

#straydogscenteruae
Still a big fan of yarn bombers. Saw this little Still a big fan of yarn bombers.  Saw this little outcrop in Wellington.  #newzealandlife

#yarnbombing
Load More Follow on Instagram

#allaboutfrance

Lou Messugo

Affiliates

Web Hosting

Categories

Africa & Middle East Americas Asia Australia Books Communities Equipment Europe Events Exploits and Expeditions Food France General Health India India Japan Japan Markets Movies New Zealand Oman People Remarkable Snapshots St Etienne Travel Uncategorised Useful Vietnam

Archives

  • July 2023 (2)
  • July 2020 (1)
  • June 2020 (1)
  • January 2020 (1)
  • December 2019 (1)
  • November 2019 (1)
  • February 2019 (1)
  • January 2019 (1)
  • December 2018 (1)
  • November 2018 (1)
  • October 2018 (2)
  • July 2018 (1)
  • June 2018 (1)
  • March 2018 (1)
  • January 2018 (1)
  • December 2017 (1)
  • November 2017 (1)
  • October 2017 (1)
  • August 2017 (1)
  • July 2017 (2)
  • June 2017 (2)
  • May 2017 (2)
  • April 2017 (1)
  • March 2017 (2)
  • February 2017 (2)
  • January 2017 (1)
  • November 2016 (2)
  • October 2016 (1)
  • September 2016 (1)
  • August 2016 (2)
  • July 2016 (4)
  • June 2016 (3)
  • May 2016 (2)
  • April 2016 (2)
  • March 2016 (3)
  • February 2016 (3)
  • January 2016 (2)
  • December 2015 (3)
  • October 2015 (1)
  • September 2015 (1)
  • August 2015 (1)
  • July 2015 (5)
  • June 2015 (3)
  • April 2015 (2)
  • March 2015 (5)
2016 03 bike_white

Privacy Policy Terms and Conditions

All content, layouts, designs, and graphics are my own unless otherwise noted. Logo and Illustrations by Ignacio Brito
2016 03 suitcase_white

Copyright © 2023 · Magazine Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in