Luggage to suit your styleWritten by Gareth Powell
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• Do not buy any luggage which has built-in or hang-on gimmicks. They invariably fail. As do combination locks and foldaway handles. Zips are also perhaps best avoided. I have had several sad experiences with zippers which have left me physically and mentally scarred. You may well be luckier. • Have wheels, will travel. In my experience, there is no rarer animal than airport porter – an endangered species – and airport trolleys are not allowed past customs. Some are charged out at outrageous rents and you never have right coin. Therefore, a suitcase with wheels is not a bad idea. Some are easy to maneuver, some aren't. Test before you buy. Better yet is a folding trolley which most aircrew members use. Get one with biggest wheels you can. Oil wheels before you leave, otherwise you will squeak, squeak, squeak your way around world. • Clearly identify your luggage with labels and tags, preferably plastic. Do not make it so that your name and address can be read by a casual, and possibly evil-minded, observer. • Paste your name and address and telephone number into inside lid. If airline loses your luggage – and this happens less and less – this is one of stock questions. Good to be able to give a firm affirmative. • Buy a strap-around webbing belt in a bright color with a difficult buckle. Go further and use instant glue and pop-rivets to rivet and glue three straps to it. When these are tightened bag is unopenable at speed. Thieves want easy mark so they pass it by. My current main suitcase has its straps fastened by rivets and glue and is, I think, probably thief-proof although that is tempting fate. • Make your luggage look different. Even if you only bind handle with bright tape, make sure your baggage is easy to recognize. This will not help in recovery of your lost case – airlines only telex style of suitcase to last destination, not descriptions. But it will help you to spot your case as it comes off carousel.
Gareth Powell is the author of several travel books, has been the travel editor of two metropolitan newspapers and has a travel website - http://www.travelhopefully.com
| | Relive the Battle of Trafalgar with Superbreak.com!Written by Robin Richmond
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The Naval theme will also continue later in year at annual Edinburgh Military Tattoo. In their own tribute to Admiral Lord Nelson 56th Tattoo will be embracing a distinctly maritime theme. Again Superbreak is offering a number of excellent packages that include top-price reserved tickets, hotel accommodation and tours of Royal Yacht Britannia. Who are Superbreak? Superbreak.com, incorporating Theatrebreak.com, is internet division of Superbreak Mini Holidays Limited, market leader for short breaks throughout UK. Superbreak is part of Holidaybreak plc, a publicly quoted leisure company whose share price can be found in most major UK newspapers, or at http://www.holidaybreak.com. Based in York, England, Superbreak specialises in booking 2-5 star hotel accommodation throughout Britain for leisure traveller. Superbreak hold allocations of rooms at all hotels and we can book up to and including day of departure.
Robin currently lives in Edinburgh, working hard for a Leith based media company, and writes occasional articles for http://www.travel-tips.co.uk/
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