Suitcases

Anyone who knows me knows I have traveled a lot. It was not uncommon for me to be at the ticket counter rearranging stuff in my suitcases because they were overweight. I would go overseas for at least 3 months at a time and you never know what you might need. Is 50 pounds really enough weight? I don't think so! When I moved to Colombia my dear friends threw a couple of really great parties for me. One was so great that when I got on the plane to Miami for a 3 day conference about acclimating myself in another place I was still highly intoxicated and my dad was shoving mints in my mouth! The classic of this is I, once again, was moving stuff around in my suitcases because they were too heavy and I couldn't see to open the locks. I told my mom it was because of how early it was (or possibly the fact that I was so drunk still) but when I got to Miami and was filling out very important documentation about my life I still could not see. When I finally got settled into my hotel room and a moment of peace and quiet to myself I realized I did not have my contacts in my eyes! NO WONDER! Also anyone who knows me knows that I am BLIND without any form of help to correct my vision. I think my mom was finally able to laugh about this after I was safely in my apartment in Colombia!
So this summer we once again when to Colombia. On our way there we were reminded frequently as to WHY we do not make that trip very often. It is ALWAYS something. This time on my way down there I decided I'm going to write a book titled How to be a Savvy Traveler, but first I need to finish the book How Not to be a Savvy Traveler because we definitely have that down! Anyway, we had a midnight flight from Houston to Bogota this time and at 6:00 PM I notice a tear on the outside of my suitcase. I get out my needle and thread and Juan tells me that is not going to work just to go to Ross and get a new one. So I hurry myself down to Ross and quickly go through every suitcase they have on their shelves. I was going to grab the UT burnt orange one but thought I better not so I grab the biggest black suitcase they have. Run back home and get everything transferred. We get to the airport to find this new suitcase is OVERWEIGHT and OVERSIZED! They weren't going to let me take it on the plane but then found that there were some exceptions (there are ALWAYS exceptions!) but it was going to cost $50 for being to heavy (in fact it was so heavy we had to take stuff out in order to get to the point that they would let us take the suitcase!) and $100 for being oversized! When we got through that area Juan and I both looked at each other and said 'that suitcase is staying in Colombia! And it did! We had one suitcase filled with stuff for his family so we were able to get everything in the suitcases we had. So of course there is more to the story! When we land in Houston on the way home a leg is missing on one of the 2 suitcases we had left and now falls over when trying to stand it up! WHY ME! I am getting ready to travel to Atlanta for the National Board for Professional Teachers national conference and I need a new suitcase! Yesterday I was in Ross with every suitcase with 4 wheels laid out in front of me. I was about to select one I really didn't want when right above me was the perfect one! We will see how this beauty makes the trip!