A twentieth century incumbent at Dudmaston [NT], in
Shropshire, was a British ambassador abroad, taking nineteen suitcases in three
taxis each time he and his wife went off on official jaunts - though,
admittedly, they would have expected to be away for some time.
I had also been a little surprised to see folk bringing fairly
large cases onto our Icelandair flights last month. I had thought that cabin
bags were limited to very specific dimensions these days. Not all air lines
apparently, so we had the added entertainment of some very substantial cases
being put in overhead lockers. Cabin crew on Icelandair must have some very
well-developed biceps.
I thought back to when we went on family holidays by train
as children. I carried a rucksack but Mum and Dad had leather suitcases with
metal clasps and locks. Often such items were also strapped up, as though there
was little confidence that they could otherwise take the strain. Our taxi
dropped us off on the station concourse at Birkenhead Woodside, Liverpool Lime
Street or Exchange, where it was easy to attract the attention of a porter, who
Dad would tip, once the cases were up on the luggage rack.
As youth hostellers in the 60s and 70s, we could live out of
a rucksack for weeks at a time. Today, I’m reassured that having checked
wallet, glasses, pills and keys, I could readily acquire while I am away anything
else I might have forgotten to pack. Even so, we still usually take too much
stuff on holiday with us. I confidently predict that the next time I buy a
suitcase it will be smaller still.
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