I came to this country in 1991. I had 2 suitcases, two large ones. And that’s it. Actually, no, that’s not quite “it”. I also had my drum set with me, which is a big Madonna, we’re counting about 7 packages here. The lightest would be around 14 pounds, that’s the hi toms in his cozy flight case. And the heaviest would be, anybody… anybody? Not the bass drum, no, but I understand where you’re going with that. The heaviest one, by far, is the case for all the mighty stands. I’ve never weighted the thing, but I’d say a good 120 pounds, at least.
By the way, when I see the amount of crap I’ve gotten over the years I miss my two suitcases.
I traveled with my big drum set all over the Midwest, discovering, among other things, that said Midwest contains a lot of cornfields (bad joke). It would take me a little less than 15 minutes to set up or tear down my kit. I was really quick. If you have a flight of stairs to get to the stage, let’s say 20 steps, add 5 minutes because, again, the hardware box doesn’t want to move, glued to the ground at all time, no matter the cursing, the sweat, will not budge unless you got the determination of Hulk himself coursing through your veins.
These days, I pack light. I mean it. First because I don’t travel with my kit anymore. Second because when I do travel it is for pleasure and not for business. So, I pack the way my stepfather used to pack. The guy (that was his name by the way: Guy) the guy went to Morocco and lived there for 10 years, traveled through the desert as well as the Atlas mountains, was part of a Berber tribe, met my mum in a pottery class and came back packing, (I hope you’re sitting down?) 2 pairs of undies, 2 pairs of socks, 2 shirts and a small toiletry bag. The rest he needed he was wearing. Isn’t that beautiful? I mean, there is packing light, and then there is packing Zen. He was in the Zen category.
Now, I can’t copy his traveling habits (who can?) but I do tend to travel with too little rather than too much. I do pack light and so does my Sweetie. These days, when we go somewhere, we share a cabin suitcase. I get one quarter of the space, she gets the rest and we got a happy marriage.
