Less Traveled Path

Despite my wanderlust tendencies, I do not have a carry-on suitcase of my own.

I used to have a 26″ suitcase until I lost a wheel. Poof! It was gone somewhere between the walk from the Airport Bus stop along Nathan Road in Hong Kong and my cousin’s place.  And the ground started shaving off the plastic casing of my suitcase.  A PAIN to deal with, I promise you.

This wouldn’t have been that big of a deal had I not had multiple destinations to travel after that… like the Beijing Olympics.

So I tried to come up with a contingency plan.  Perhaps I could buy a new suitcase while in Hong Kong or convince one of my friends leaving for Hong Kong days later to bring one for me either from an online store or an actual store.

One day, my mom came back from the market one day with a plastic wheel. What a smart and resourceful idea, I thought.  I had forgotten about seeing, on my last trip, a shop piled high to the ceiling with random items that were waiting to be disassembled into parts:

Little Shop of Parts

It would probably have been easier for me to find a replacement part than I thought if places like that were around.  My mom got a plastic wheel instead of a rubber wheel because she forgot that the exchange rate was about 7 to 8:1, so the 35 HKD wheel sounded pricey when it was really just 5 USD than the plastic wheel which was 7 HKD (1 USD).

It was a lot of pressure to find a suitcase and after losing a wheel, I wanted to make sure I got a high quality suitcase (and one with a good warranty). After some searching, I figured the best option was to find one after returning to the US especially since products purchased internationally usually have region specific warranty coverage.

Meanwhile… I had to do something about my gimpy suitcase.  I made it to the Hong Kong airport except the rod holding the wheels in place was not staying put. Packaging tape (next to duct tape) cures all… and the check-in counter staff was glad to provide it.

On my return flight to SF, the Beijing counter did not have packaging tape for my suitcase and instead gave me luggage label paper instead.  You know, the labels they print out and loop around your luggage sticking the label to itself.  My suitcase was looking quite ghetto at that point:

Ghetto Suitcase

Since the trip of luggage woes, I haven’t been able to find an appropriate replacement.  I’ve been borrowing carry-ons from friends or using an even larger heavy suitcase (Australia, Ireland, Minnesota, San Diego, Orlando, Dallas).  I wanted to buy a Samsonite because I’d rather pay more than to have to go through the trouble of having to deal with a one wheeled suitcase away from home.  Ross is the best place I’ve found to buy suitcases and if you happen to shop with someone who’s 65 years or older, you can get an additional 10% senior discount on Tuesdays. They even carry Samsonites.

If a good sale comes out, however, then all bets are off. I just got the following Samsonite set for $60 from eBags… now I can stop borrowing other people’s carry-ons and start acting like a real traveller!

(Well, after my trip next week since it’s scheduled to arrive while I’m gone.)