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The right kind of luggage can make your trip memorable and comfortable too
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BAG IT Luggage friendly
It's true, carrying the right kind of luggage can actually make or mar your trip.
Yup, `Luggage Envy' is bound to be there when you are trying to deal with a family of four, while fellow passengers casually walk by, strolling and humming without a worry in the world.
Summer's here and this simply means travel time for a family. A quick scan through a luggage store will show you just how much variety there is in the market today. Enough to please your `i-Pod protective son' to your `I want my own bag,' little five-year-old daughter.
Mini trolleys and daypacks with cartoon characters on it are great for little children who want their own piece of luggage to carry.
These bags are just large enough for a colouring book, crayons and a bottle of water. For women, mid-size strolleys with a matching vanity case eliminate the need to carry two separate pieces. The vanity case can be slid down the handle of the bigger piece, making it one easy piece to handle.
VIP makes a range of these and they cost Rs. 3,000 at the lower end. Luggage trends are also changing with technology. The latest backpacks have internal padded pouches for a CD player or an i-Pod with a small port for headphones. This way your player is safe and can be used on the go. Other have a pouch for cell-phones attached to the front strap for easy access and safety.
Solo travel
If you're a solo traveller, a backpack is your best bet. There's no headache of dragging it, finding a trolley or looping one hand around the handle to prevent losing it. As long as it's strapped onto your back (and fastened securely of course!) if someone tries to grab or run away with it, you would know. One disadvantage of a backpack is that it's literally like a gunny bag — with a top and bottom opening; so all your stuff is crammed in and clothes end up horribly crushed. A really cool variation of the backpack is the backpack strolley.
It's actually a strolley and when you don't want to drag it, just pull down the wheel caps and strap it onto your back. The straps are well-padded and just as sturdy as a mountaineering backpack.
The larger ones can hold up to 25 kilos and the smaller versions come with a detachable daypack. Giordano makes the backpack strolley, while Samsonite and American Tourister have smaller sized strolleys and well padded backpacks.
These cost in the range of Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 3,500.
And then there are the hundreds of people who visit shopping destinations like Bangkok, Dubai and Sri Lanka and come back with a new bag or suitcase. If you're one of them, make sure you buy a practical piece that you can use for some time to come and not one that only serves the purpose of carrying home your shopping.
Railway stations will have hundreds of coolies and airports may have trolleys, conveyor belts and even staff to help you, but during rush hour, expect no help.
When you have to hop off a train or a bus midway, or have to tell a coolie to get lost `cause he wants you to pay him double, it sure feels good to be able pick up your own piece and walk away casually.
RENUKA VIJAY KUMAR
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