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Introduction

My parents and I were always a suitcase family. I have fond memories of my mother bouncing on the suitcases to get them to close. So when I got to take my first solo trip in the early '80s, from Hawaii to the West Coast at 19, I took one large suitcase for my 10-day trip.
The airplane landed at Los Angeles International. I had to catch a bus to my friend's house. To do this, I had to go to the luggage carousel, find and retrieve my suitcase, then walk out to the arrival area. Oh -did I mention my suitcase didn't have wheels, and that I'm only 5'3"? There I was, lugging the heavy suitcase to the bus stop, auto exhaust obscuring my path. As I looked up, I gritted my teeth and proclaimed, "If god is my witness, I'll never carry lots of luggage again!" ...hence I began my long journey to become a carry-on only traveler.
The one thing that continually baffles me, is the amount of luggage people carry when they vacation here in Hawaii. Hawaii! As I write this in February, when the rest of the US Mainland is experiencing their coldest winter, my air conditioned office is colder than the outside (which is a clear, balmy low 80s F). My mind swirls every time I see them at the airport. Suitcases!! People checking in their maximum allowable numbers of luggage! Are they buying 500 cartons of chocolate-covered macadamia nuts?