For me, buying a new suitcase is like adding a new room to your house. It’s a big deal. Today I spent a long time at a luggage store – maybe not the best way to appreciate Vancouver, but an essential stop for me. I left Portland with insufficient luggage to carry all my stuff, and it’s been bugging me ever since. I ended up augmenting my luggage stores, not replacing, so now I have to check a bag when I travel. This isn’t a bad thing. If I’d caved and done this earlier, I might have enjoyed the logistics portion of this travel more.

I now travel with:
– a rolling carryon / computer case / file bag (which I bought today, it’s a kind of office bag)
– a guitar in a hard shell case (which gets checked)
– a purse
– a oversized backpack (which gets checked)
It’s like one of every type of luggage. And I also have a collapsible duffel within the oversized backpack, for dirty clothes.

Having this new “room” to my house – the office/file/computer bag – makes me much more relaxed about the traveling that still lies ahead.

Tonight we’re going to Autreche – tomorrow I take the bus back to Seattle.