I'm afraid I've been up to my ears with packing, planning and agonizing for the last couple of weeks. Art and I are going on a trip to Japan soon and it's taking all my energy to plan for my brother to take over mom's care while we're gone... to plan the omiyages (gifts) to bring relatives...get food ready for he and mom to have and etc. etc. etc.
I'm really sorry I haven't been able to keep in touch with all of you. I'll look forward to catching up when we get home and recover.
Anyway....
Here I was packing some of our things and making lists and more lists when I checked Art's luggage and found this.
The sides of his Travelon luggage is made of some kind of hard spongy like thing and it had completely deteriorated.
I hadn't painted the big K on it yet in 2014.
In 2019, I put the K on both of our luggage since it made it easier to see when it came out onto the conveyer belt. Also, it might give a thief pause to steal such a conspicuous item.
We bought the same Travelon luggage in 2019 for Art since I liked mine so much.
Well... we looked carefully a few days ago and found it wasn't made in the same way. My luggage doesn't have that hard foamy, spongy lining on the inside like his newer one did. Both Travelons had a 10 year guarantee, BUT we couldn't find a way online to get it exchanged, fixed or whatever.
So we had to throw it away along with this other smaller luggage I had. The straps just ripped off.
I guess it must be the salty Hawaiian air that makes things deteriorate faster.
So we went to Ross and bought another luggage after checking to make sure there wasn't any of that foamy insulation.
We also decided to get a Samsonite instead of a Travelon.
And my 10 year old purple Travelon?
It's still going strong. (Knock on wood!!!)
Go figure.
And the stress continues.
It will all be lovely when you get there. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteThey were no o-K, Kay.
ReplyDeleteI have always just wrapped both handles with silver duct tape to get mine to stand out and also to deter thieves since nobody wants a luggage being held together by duct tape. Our luggage are probably close to 20 years old at this point and still going strong. But to be fair, when we are hauling gifts to take back home, we pick up cheap luggage at auctions for fifty cents or a dollar to make the journey and then we just leave the luggage there for our return home. That saves wear and tear on our better quality luggage.
ReplyDeleteMy luggage is somewhere between 20-25 years old. Last year one of the wheels fell apart and I took it to a luggage repair shop. The associate told me not to get rid of it because 'they made it better back then'.
ReplyDeleteMy goodness, too much stress...maybe you should just stay home. I'm assuming as you are posting this that you have already headed out on your trip and are probably having a lovely time. You are a brave person to do international travel.
ReplyDeleteSafe trip! Glad it is sorted out.
ReplyDeletePacking and getting ready is the worst part of a trip. Once you are launched, things will smooth out. I have an office chair on which the roller ball covers are breaking up. Plastic!!! However, it does still roll. I am now going to check over all our suitcases, just in case the case is not good. (sorry)
ReplyDeletehttps://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-02-03/Panic-buying-causes-drug-shortages-in-Japan-amid-flu-outbreak-1AGLupyQl6o/p.html. Medication shortage. You might want to bring some but make sure it's legal in Japan.
ReplyDeleteFay, Jalna's friend
ReplyDeleteSafe travels. Looking forward to your photos.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I feel! Have fun.
DeleteAhhh. Just thinking about what I need to do and how to pack gets me so stressed out. One of the reasons that I don't travel at all nowadays. I just stay at home and make a mess and weed in the yard.
ReplyDeleteHave fun you deserve it! Ceci
ReplyDeleteWishing you safe and happy travels.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
Hopefully everything gets where you're going. In late elementary school, I took a family suitcase to summer camp. I dragged it down the rock-covered path to my cabin, which chewed up the stretched exterior the entire length on the bottom edge. It was a long time (college?) before I was given a new suitcase set. Aren't you glad I didn't traumatize you with that as your kid? Enjoy your adventures! Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteToo many times something is made and sold before it is tested.
ReplyDeleteSafe Travels!! I hope all your ducks line up in rows, mother and brother are fine and you can enjoy your trip!
ReplyDeleteWe bought some luggage from Ollies and it's a piece of junk. Zipper handles broke so it's very inconvenient
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful trip! I have old luggage but it's hanging in there. Sometimes what they add to make it fancy just causes issues.
ReplyDeleteJust ordered a new piece of luggage for an upcoming trip. Haven't bought any in years and we don't travel much. It hasn't come yet, so don't know what it's really like until it arrives. Sorry about the problem with Art's old luggage. Hope the new one lasts since you'all do a lot of traveling. Have fun! And safe travels! (And yes, it stresses me out getting ready also... so much you have to take when you're our age).
ReplyDeleteI hope your new luggage does the trick. You are traveling once again, and hopefully it will be a good trip. I look forward to your posts about it some time soon.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your new luggage
ReplyDelete