traveling with hand luggage?

With a lot of chatter and fuss I announced it two weeks ago: I am going to Peru with only hand luggage. In the meantime, I am back from that trip and can now take stock: traveling with hand luggage, how did that go?

Let me start with a confession and believe me, I had actually decided never to share this piece of information with anyone. Because what happened? On the way there, I was extremely satisfied with myself, just breezing through to the security check. I had checked in at home, so I could walk straight through. Everything was going smoothly. My little suitcase and I were gliding to the gate, and just before we walked into the jet bridge to the plane, a flight attendant called out: “Madam! Oh madam!” I wanted to keep walking but turned around anyway, to see if I could come over to her.

“We have very little space in the hand luggage compartments, so I would like to ask you to let your suitcase go in the hold.” But WAIT a minute! This was not the intention! I stammer and mumble something about how that really can't be and um yes well. But before I know it, she has already taken my suitcase and then says in shock: “Oh wow, this is really WAY too heavy. This definitely has to go in the hold.” And okay, I have to admit that I might, just might, have stuffed that little suitcase as full as possible, “because with hand luggage, it’s much less noticeable.”

“Oh wow, this is really WAY too heavy. This definitely has to go in the hold.”

The reason I traveled with hand luggage came in threefold. First, to avoid waiting at the baggage claim, second so that I wouldn’t have to worry that my suitcase might not arrive, and third so that I wouldn’t have to drag myself around with heavy stuff. But all those things I could now just throw out the window. Goddammit.

Once I arrived in Lima my travel partner and I were waiting by the carousel for the suitcases. He got his suitcase almost immediately, I kept waiting and waiting. And it took a really long time. And even longer. Almost everyone had their suitcase, and the realization began to sink in that my suitcase might not be coming at all. YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING.

Well, eventually it did come, so no panic. And the rest of the trip was indeed heavenly not having to break my back with a suitcase weighing a thousand kilos and after a domestic flight I was standing very calmly waiting for the others to get their suitcase, and at least I was safe with mine.

On the flight back to Amsterdam, I got to fly business class and that was absolutely heavenly, just read here. And after arriving at Schiphol, I walked in a straight line to the arrivals hall, where my dear father was waiting for me to drive me back home.

So all in all, traveling with only hand luggage is the best ever. I’m even thinking about buying a small backpack so that I can also travel with only hand luggage during my own trips and vacations. Really, I can recommend it to everyone, you don’t need that many clothes and the convenience and peace you get in return is really worth a lot. Team Hand Luggage forever!