Liz Barron

A year ago this past summer, my husband and I were traveling in South Africa with some friends who had rented this huge Toyota van with a back door that was hinged at the top so it opened straight up.


I was sitting in the front (motion sickness) and my friend in the back seat kept saying "something doesn't sound right back here". Her husband, who was driving finally stopped the car and when we got out to check, the back door was straight up in the air...my suitcase, my Foldie, and my husband's CPAP had fallen out. We all got back in the van, pulled a fast U-turn (we were on a red dirt road!) and sped back the way we came. FIVE miles later, there's my suitcase and Foldie in the middle of the road. (A mile up the road was my husband's CPAP.) To say I was nervous would be an understatement...my Foldie had my wallet, passport, credit cards, etc....and I was already thinking about where the nearest US Embassy/Consulate would be in case I needed assistance. The Foldie was no worse for the wear (to include my laptop at the bottom of it!), although I couldn't say that about the carry on suitcase which was pretty banged up. Needless to say, now that I have the sling bag, I will always have my important items WITH/ON me!