Travel Luggage: Weight Counts or Ode to An Aging Suitcase

Struggling to pack and getting under the 50-pound weight limit is a challenge for me. Why, you might ask?  She is is supposed to be practicing the meditation of “traveling light.”  I haul back and forth to/from Mexico a six-plus pound projector, a weighty camera lens, usually a tripod, paperwork, a couple of pairs of shoes.  I think my make-up and sundries bag weighs eight pounds.  This is all packed within a woven bamboo basket with sturdy sides that I use for added protection.  This requires an elephant-size suitcase.   After almost 20 years of trusty service (bought it in 1993 for a trip to China), my 21-pound TravelPro suitcase is about to be retired because with that inherent weight, this leaves me little more than a few pounds of clothing to add.  

It wasn’t THAT long ago that international travelers had a 70-pound weight limit.  No more as airlines try to squeeze every dollar out of the travel experience which has become a nightmare unless you are a top-level member of some affinity program. The Huffington Post just announced that United Airlines has raised the fee for a second piece of baggage on international flights to $100 and did away with the online discount.  I can’t imagine what they will think of next.

Despite the broken handle, this trusty friend has been to Thailand, Australia, France, Italy, Panama, Guatemala, Belize, Mexico, the Caribbean, Malaysia, Singapore and back, plus frequent family visits to California.  It has been my shipping container for many treasures, including Federico Chavez Sosa‘s glorious rugs which are not of insignificant weight.

So, I began my quest for a replacement, found the site LuggagetoGo.com and ordered a TravelPro replacement with the latest lighter weight technology, only to hear the next day from Don that it was backordered and was not available to ship.  I asked Don, who  was immediately responsive, if there was a comparable.  Yes, he said, Delsey will ship from Maryland on Monday afternoon and you’ll get the luggage (weighing in at 12.6 lbs.) on Tuesday.  Perfect.  In time to pack on Wednesday and leave for Mexico early Thursday morning.  The bonus was that the online price of the luggage was $169.99, a big discount from the $400 retail price and shipping was included.  I had such a great, personal, customer service online shopping experience with this site that I want to recommend it.  I’m happy.

So, I’m hoping for no glitches.  The bonus is that with a really big suitcase, I’m hoping to get everything I need into it to avoid the second bag fee!  Yes, I can do it.