The Nevisport bag and the age of the wheel

I was on my way to work today, when I saw the newest advert by the airport in Welly. Seeing it suddenly reminded me that I'd forgotten to tell you all a story from my trip to the UK... So here you go you lucky things...

Here is the add:

Now I hear you ask... What does this sign have to do with your trip to the UK? or a Nevisport bag?! Let alone the age of the wheel... Well! Its a fairly long story if I tell it properly, but there are photos to make it interesting so don't lose hope!

You'll notice that the last 'Innovation in travel' on the sign is suitcase wheels - invented in 1972 (I never realised that it was that early - that's over a decade before I was born, wow!). So I saw this sign, and it made me realise that I'd forgotten to tell you about how (and why) I have now joined the 21st century, and have luggage with wheels! (well, it turns out everyone else has since the '70's, but I'm nothing if not a bit old fashioned...) Thinking back there are a few such wee tales from my trip that I haven't put on here yet - so watch out for more epic accounts!!

So why have I only just got luggage with wheels?
WELL!

It all goes back to the fact that I inherited (or basically claimed) a very cool Nevisport bag, back when I moved back to Scotland after primary school. The bag had been in the family for a few years, and today I managed to track down photographic evidence for those who don't believe me!


Mum is carrying the bag on a trip to the Farm!!

And this is me the next day - so you get an idea of how long ago it was! I think I was about 9...

So you can see this bag has been around for a while, and I used it for many holidays, to move to Scotland, as well as trips to the US, South Africa and a few others, as well as of course moving to NZ... So it's very dear to me! Apart from its awesome retro blue colour, the bag is also, of course, a Nevisport bag. Nevisport is a company set up by a family friend in Fort William, so it's got significance because of that too...

So anyway, fast forward 16 years, and Thomas goes on holiday back to the UK. Of course he takes his trusty Nevisport bag... (and yes, I was the Dr's companion for a time, we did naughty things... Don't tell Rose!)

Unfortunately I did too much shopping (as you can see from the extra bags I was carrying in that photo) and I tried to put too much weight into the trusty old bag... and this happened...

So now, I was on the other side of the world from home, and my need to buy pretty things had endangered the life of my trusty bag! What to do what to do??! Well of course, I was in Scotland, so the clear answer was go to Nevisport and buy a new one (and maybe one that isn't retro blue too - although there is nothing wrong with retro blue...)

So when I got to Fort William, I went and had a look in Nevisport... Unfortunately the Nevisport brand has been going through the eye of the needle recently - and most of the shops had been bought out - only the original one in Fort William still carries the name, and because of this, Nevisport branded bags are as rare as hens teeth. The only one they had left in the shop was this one... which opens at the top like a doctors bag, is very ugly and no where near big enough!

And so we get to the resolution of my problem, and story. I couldn't buy a Nevisport bag... I did buy a bag from Nevisport though, and it is a very cool Salomon bag (who did make my old one too) which isn't retro blue but modern and red, and even has WHEELS! Wow, I now own a bag with wheels, I feel so modern! (and a bit lazy I guess...)

And flash wheels too!

I did manage to fit my old bag inside my new one and bring it home too, so I'm sure she'll give me many more years of service, I just have to make sure I don't over work her again!


So that's the end of my story really... The sign I saw today made me remember several things: That I was WAY behind the times when I didn't have a bag with wheels... that I broke my bag that didn't have wheels... and that I now have a bag with wheels which is very nice!

However, just for the record, I do have friends and get out - in fact I went out with a friend tonight - I just thought I'd share this interesting (sort of) story with you...

Also I'm not bag obsessed... and the fact that I've got a picture of a bag from 1994 only goes to show that my old bag has been in my life a lot, and that I take WAY too many photos... which you should already know...
OK I'm finished now :)