Carrying Suitcase

[KJN]

How is it that when I go on holiday or away for a weekend I seem to struggle carrying the suitcase when actors/actresses on television seem to be able to carry them as though they are empty. Hmmm wish I knew what the secret was, please do not reply saying their cases are empty because that would be silly carrying empty suitcases when they go away.

[EDDIE51]

Problem is that the cases on TV and films ARE empty , they are just props.

[Buenchico]

When I was running a railway station I met a lady who could give you some hints about handling heavy suitcases, KJN.

She was an African lady, dressed in a traditional African (beautiful, multi-coloured) dress. She had a trolley-load of luggage and (as it was before the station had lifts installed) I was escorting her as she pushed the trolley across the tracks.

The reason that I wasn't pushing the trolley myself was because I was struggling with an additional (massive) suitcase, which there was no room for on the trolley. (The only time I'd had to handle a suitcase as heavy as that one was when I'd assisted a weightlifter, who had all his weights in his suitcase).

Seeing that I was struggling though, the lady simply said "Oh, don't worry about that". So saying, she grabbed hold of it herself and, with just a flick of her wrist, plonked it on top of her head. She then strode across the tracks, pushing the trolley with one hand and steadying the suitcase on her head with the other, with no apparent effort whatsover.

So the trick to handling heavy suitcases, KJN, is to USE YOUR HEAD ;-)

[grasscarp]

I was working in Angola a couple of months ago. Carrying stuff on their heads was the norm for women. Big bowls of fruit, a rucksack, crate of stuff. It was amazing. One woman had huge bowl on her head, baby in sling on her back and arms swinging by her sides.

[Buenchico]

There's obviously a knack to it, Grasscarp!
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/Mysore_woman_balancing_basket.jpg/220px-Mysore_woman_balancing_basket.jpg

[Buenchico]

Easy peasy, KJN ;-)
http://www.bforbag.com/image-files/men-carrying-bags-on-head-up-stairs.jpg

[grasscarp]

Indeed. Strong neck. I saw it in Zambia too.

[EDDIE51]

grasscarp So you were in Zambia ! I lived 3 years the, in Kalulushi near Kitwe on the Copperbelt . The best 3 years of my life!

[EDDIE51]

3 years there !

[grasscarp]

I stayed in Lusaka. Was teaching at the airport.

[EDDIE51]

I know Lusaka airport well but only visited Lusaka itself once to register my daughter's birth with the British High Commision. Good job I did as the Zambian central office of births deaths and marriage burnt to the ground,it was a wooden hut, and all birth records were destroyed. It was only due to my registering the birth with the High Commission that she was able to prove where she was born as we lost the Zambian birth certificate in the move back to the UK.

[grasscarp]

It's a strange place Eddie. Most Dilapidated building where the office was but laden avocado trees outside it. When you think what we pay for one avocado here!

[EDDIE51]

Yes I had Avocados , Bananas, Lemons , Oranges and Mealie cobs (sweet corn) in my garden but no potatoes .
The lemons were the size of rugby balls and that is NOT an exaggeration!

[THECORBYLOON]

I can't work out how the person carrying the red case in CHRIS' second photo got the third case on their head, unless they threw it on?

[EDDIE51]

Did you get to Victoria Falls or the game parks? I went on a walking safari in the Luangwa National Park staying in tents and walking out at 6am every morning to see the game, we walked round a bush and came face to face with a Lion! . Victoria Falls was great as well , no wonder they call it 'The Smoke that Thunders'

[grasscarp]

I can believe you Eddie. The avocados were much bigger than what we get here.
Corbyloon I hadn't looked at that photo. The rainbow strap round the case is same as one that was missing from my case on carousel in Luanda airport!

[grasscarp]

Eddie it was work not holiday. Tomorrow I am flying to Mauritius for a week on business.

[EDDIE51]

I was working in the laboratories of the Copper Mine companies but we got holidays and The Falls and the game park was too good to miss as I was in the country. The same holiday would have cost £1,000s from the UK .

[grasscarp]

I can see why you enjoyed it Eddie but lion would have scared me.

[EDDIE51]

It scared me as well , there was a guard with us but he only had an ancient rifle and two very old corroded bullets for it. Plus it was not loaded the 2 bullets were in his pocket not the gun!
The guide told us to just walk very slowly backwards, we did as he said and the Lion lost interest and wandered off !

[KJN]

Thank you Buenchico, I am going food shopping with the wife on Tuesday so may just take a basket and give it a go. Bit worried about not having too much hair but heyho it's a challenge.