Bags might fly
The prodigal princess has returned from her jaunterings abroad at last, excess baggage in tow as usual!
Owing to the mad rush in which I organised this trip, I spent at least two days too many in Saigon, as I was unable to alter my itinerary. After a tangential trip to the Mekong Delta and various Saigon city tours, what to do? Shop, naturally.
The result can be seen in this new bag stuffed with all sorts of Vietnamese goodies: a silk brocade kimono; a custom-tailored ao dai; fanciful beaded slippers; an armful of jade and wooden bangles and sundry rings; five silk cushion covers; an antique, ceramic water smoking pipe; two bags of coffee; a number of hand-embroidered and other ethnic garments (must support those rural cottage industries); a Dr Seuss hat, silk belt and necklace from Hang Nga Crazy House in Dalat; and presents galore. You might say I went a bit crazy myself.
Two days before I was due to leave I thought I should check if everything would fit into my bag.
It couldn’t possibly.
After a tangential trip to the Mekong Delta and various Saigon city tours, what to do? Shop, naturally.
The last straw was an adorable round cushion made of lilac, pink and olive shades of woven silk that I simply had to buy. Not a cushion cover, you understand. An actual cushion. What was I thinking?
I decided the only thing to do was to make one more purchase: another bag. I would stuff it full with all my shopping and carry it on the plane. (The round cushion was jammed into my checked baggage and made the bag look rather plump, but at least I was under my weight limit.)
I felt a little conspicuous on board – until I saw one Frenchwoman blithely disembarking with an enormous lightfitting dangling from one hand. At least that’s what it looked like, with coloured cylinders poking out of paper packaging. I can't imagine how she fit it into the overhead baggage compartments.
I had to laugh. I thought then I’d never worry about excess baggage again: all you need to carry it off is an air of insouciance.