Normally, when I'm boarding a plane or just travelling, I will have my violin/viola case, a small check-in bag, and a laptop bag with me.... it is a crazily familiar feeling having the laptop bag hang off me on one side, and the instrument case on the other whilst trailing the check-in bag behind me. It is how I know that I have everything... three things, one on each side, and something behind.

So... today, I'm travelling crazily light... and it feels just wrong! I have a free day today between performances, and so I'm flying back for a night to do some teaching, do a small function concert, and to conduct a youth orchestra. I figure that there is no point skipping students and handing the orchestra to a caretaker if I don't have to... plus, the ensemble covers this travel, so I'm not out of pocket for doing it either.

The only thing is that I do miss out on a nice relaxing day in a different town... but I'm sure that there will be other times when that can happen. On the other hand, I doubt that... I'm starting to think that this is going to be the way with tours here in Australia... In Europe, I would do this much less often, but the tours were often packed day to day with very few free days. In Australia, I'm finding that the larger projects have annoying gaps in them... which is okay as we are still paid for those days (at a reduced rate...)... but it does mean that other things can get shoved aside or blocked out. And if you are like me, I would prefer to be doing things rather than sitting around!

Anyway, I'm travelling only with my trusty Timbuk2 messenger bag. My brother bought this for me soooo long ago... maybe 10 years now? And although there are a few little holes on the outside canvas, it is holding up strong. I actually had bought a replacement one, but I've yet to shift to that as a full time travelling bag. Perhaps I will need to soon, and then the good old trusty brown one can act as my non-travel workhorse.

I didn't even bring a violin back for me this time, the ones that I have here for the concert are the wrong ones for teaching and the function concert (I have the period ones here, I need to have the modern versions)... I think I should have time to get back home briefly to pick up the right violin before bouncing out to teaching. However, if my flight is delayed, then I'm going to need to ask someone in the function group to bring a spare crappy violin so that I have something to play on! Because, I'm sure as hell not going to sing!

Actually, I'm starting to like travelling light... no fuss about the violin, no need to check in a bag... and at the other end, no need to pick up a bag from the carousel. Just a walk in and out, I've checked in with the online app... so, no need to do anything at all! Now, if only Melbourne had better security screening... this would have been a really pleasant experience!

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