Retirement is a week filled with Saturdays and Sundays interrupted only occasionally by a holiday.

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Friday, June 29, 2007

My Suitcase RIP

Since so many of you suffered with me as I searched for the perfect suitcase for our trip, I thought you should mourn with me as I bid farewell to the poor thing. As many of you know, I spent a good portion of the weeks before our Ireland trip in search of the perfect suitcase…one which fit not only the airlines size requirements but also the tour company limits. After searching high and low, I finally found one at a discount store for a really good price.

Well…you know that old cliché…”you get what you pay for.” Yep…that about sums up the quality of the suitcase. I must say it seemed sturdy enough and it certainly was large enough to pack all my clothes and accessories. So imagine my surprise when I first spotted it on the luggage carousel at the Dublin airport. The handle at the top of it was broken on one side which made grabbing it off the track really “fun.” Thank goodness I went on our trip prepared. I found the cable ties I’d packed in my carry-on bag and used two to re-attach the strap…call me ingenious. (Oh…I also traveled with two travel sized rolls of duct tape.)

Then about halfway into our trip, our bags were delivered to our room and I noticed that my bag was shmushed on one side. Obviously another heavy bag had been placed on it in the storage area of the motorcoach causing the bag’s plastic frame to partially collapse. Oh well…it wasn’t pretty but at least it was still sealed.

Then, a few days before the end of our trip, the same handle broke again (cable ties apparently are not indestructible) so out came more cable ties.

Thankfully the bag made it through the rest of the trip plus the handling at the Dublin, Atlanta and Los Angeles airports on the return flights. And now it rests in some landfill having done its job during its short but important life.

So a word to the wise...if you're shopping for a suitcase to take on your vacation, spend the money and buy a good one. You won't be sorry.

16 comments:

Empress Bee (of the high sea) said...

well there is two sides to this story. sometimes you buy a really good one and they rip it anyway so disposable luggage is not always a bad thing! glad you are okay though.

smiles, bee

ms chica said...

I never thought to pack duct tape, I'm amending my packing list. That might come in handy for restraining an irritable flight attendant ; ~ )

Patti said...

Hey, disposable luggage may be the wave of the future.
You just may be on the cutting edge of a new trend, Joan.
And I'm fascinated by the duct tape idea.

Lynn said...

You are so resourceful...are you sure that you're not a Girl Scout?

Special K ~Toni said...

It's karma! I found this out after we lived in Germany- I have very nice luggage now!

the moose buyer said...

did you have a memorial ceremony for the bag or did you just flush it like we did goldfish??

I too packed tie wraps. Must be something in our genes. no duct tape though. Only pink gingham ribbon on the handle to identify suitcase.

Joan said...

Empress bee: Actually disposable luggage works great for us since we didnt have to wonder where the heck we were going to store the darn thing!

Patti: I took duct tape just in case our luggage got slashed during the trip...you never know what those baggage handlers and security agents will do.

Lynn: No...not a Girl Scout...just a Girl Scout's aunt.

Toni: So what kind of luggage do you own? I'm always looking for suggestions.

The Moose Buyer: No funeral...just a fond farewell. And I never travel without cable ties and now duct tape...you just never know when you might need it.

Carole Burant said...

Now there's a gal after my own heart...I pack duct tape too! LOL Never know when you'll need it, right? hehe Oh dear, that poor suitcase was sure put through the mill but thank goodness it did make it home with you at least!! xox

Michele said...

Duct tape is wonderful and now that is comes in a bazillion colors you can always color cordinate it to match your suitcase! :)

meno said...

I have never taken duct tape or cable ties on a trip with me. What a good idea!

Val said...

Wow, you're back! But very sad indeed about the suitcase.

Duct tape is indeed a great item to have with one at all times, constituting one half of all the tools you ever need to have, duct tape and a can of WD-40.

If it doesn't move and should, use the WD-40.
If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape.

the moose buyer said...

I just realized you show the places you have been but not your mom's homeland. Don't the summers count?????

Joan said...

Pea: Duct tape is certainly one of a girl's bestest friends. :~)

Michele: I must be shopping in the wrong stores 'cause my duct tape only came in the one traditional silver color. If I'd only known...

Meno: I travel prepared because I know, if I don't, everything that can go wrong will go wrong!

Val: My dad taught me at an early age that WD-40 can fix just about anything. I'm never at home without it!

The Moose Buyer: Yes they count but I'm only showing the places I've been SINCE I've been retired. :~)

Susie said...

I think the disposable luggage idea is a good one. I'd feel sick at heart if I spent a bundle on good luggage and it got ruined. (which we have had happen BTW)
hugs!

the moose buyer said...

Joan - Mai called yesterday for my birthday while she was in the city. She said the old place isn't the same without us. Of course the new sidewalks up the road from the village could also have something to do with it.

Joan said...

Susie: I'm beginning to think the less I spend on luggage, the better off I'll be. Thankfully, I really do have all the bags I need right now but one never knows what the future might bring.

The Moose Buyer: Glad you heard from Mai. I'm having a really hard time accepting the idea of sidewalks up the road from the village...it's supposed to be the "country" for goodness sakes!