End of An Era

The time came today to dispose of my trusty travel bag which has been my flight companion whenever I've had to check something into an aircraft hold at any time during the last sixteen years.   I bought it, a surf bag, in Brisbane airport in 2003 on our way back from a wedding and it was to return to Oz twice more in as many years.   It has done every Brazil trip.   Fittingly, it was last checked-in in Cairo airport on Tuesday.  

It's outer pockets are now gone and the wheels are a bit wobbly.  It’s best feature was the elasticated border between the zips and the main fabric, so it could always be relied on to stretch that last vital inch to accommodate one more item of clothing.   And, of course,  no other bag looked like it, so it was never at risk of being a 'switch bag' on the luggage-collection conveyer belt.  

I feel a bit exposed as I don't have a replacement lined up . . . maybe a wee trip to Brisbane is needed!