The enormous suitcase

Thanks again to the several friends who responded to my FB appeal for “a large suitcase you don’t need to see for a year.” The one I ended up borrowing has the distinction of being large enough to fit me inside it, while staying about an inch under the total maximum dimensions for SAS checked baggage (29+21+11 = 61″, max allowed = 62″). The trick, therefore, is to keep it also within the weight guidelines (50 lbs max, of which the suitcase itself takes about 16).

lydia in the suitcase

curled up in the suitcase

lydia in the suitcase

a little better fit this way

Aaaaaand the verdict is: nope, not unless Mills comes to the rescue by adopting heavy objects into his checked backpack. Which happily, he does! And all our assembled bags — the humongo-suitcase, Mills’s modest pack extra-stuffed with heavy-ish things (while the giant suitcase goes at least a third empty), one knapsack apiece, a 5-string fiddle, and a nyckelharpa — fit handily into the little Insight.

the Insight all packed

Ursula & Norbert wave from the back of the Insight

The last remaining transport hurdle was to get both instruments on board safely without challenge. Mills carried the fiddle. I printed out a copy of this handy article describing the relevant FAA ruling of Feb 2012, in case of emergency. But when it came to it, we just gave ourselves pre-boarding status by joining the line a bit before our row was called, and didn’t even get a raised eyebrow in response. Whew!

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