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A Life in Twenty-Two Kilos
A Life in Twenty-Two Kilos
Forty-four kilos is the average luggage allowance for a couple flying abroad – twenty-two kilos each. That is how much you can take with you, even if you are starting a new life – even if you are emigrating. It is the airlines’ norm. I can see why that is and I have no argument with it.
However, that is from the airline’s point of view.
Two years ago, my wife of twelve years and I left Thailand for Spain to start a new life there. It was very exciting and a great triumph, because it had taken us a lot of effort to get the correct papers together for my Thai wife. (They included a WHO health certificate, a certificate from the Special Branch that she had no criminal record, plus marriage certificates etc – all in Thai, Spanish and English and certified by the Thai authorities).
However, the most difficult thing by far was choosing the twenty-two kilos of luggage that we each wanted to take with us without paying for any excess. I suppose it was a little easier for me than my wife, because I had moved from the UK to Thailand with my twenty-two kilos twelve years previously, and with the exception of a blood-pressure monitor and updated clothing, I took the same things back to Europe with me. However, it was very difficult for my wife.
It was a question of clothing for her, and I know that she sneaked some of her stuff into my bag.
Now, we have been here for two years and she has a heap of extra clothes, shoes and accessories to choose from. My guess is that she will need to leave about three-quarters of her stuff in a local charity shop.
So, if you were to move abroad, whether it be forced or by choice, do you know which twenty-two kilos of your stuff are most important to you?
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All the best,
Owen
Podcast: A Life in Twenty-Two Kilos
