Learn a look, lighten the load
Happy Easter, bunnies, from a breezy terrace above a modernist stretch of Lisbon. A couple of days ago I decided that this column will occasionally be devoted to life in the Portuguese capital as I’m enjoying establishing a new base here and all the good things that go with it: finding forgotten hardware stores filled with dead stock exclusively made in Portugal, meeting charming locals, being introduced to new tunes from Angola and generally getting the feel for a place that’s bursting with opportunity. All that said, we’re not going to be starting that series today dear reader. Rather, we’re off to Jakarta via Dubai for edition four of The Chiefs conference – and it’s time to get packing.
Speaking of packing
My recent flight from Zürich to Lisbon reminded me that we’re officially entering the season of the unlicensed traveller. It was in Zürich that a potentially major incident might well have occurred as a family from San Francisco attempted to manoeuvre six XXXL wheelies, two children and various hold-alls onto the escalators and make their way to check-in. Mercifully, the morning wave of flights had departed and the airport was calm, otherwise the family would’ve found it impossible to move all their suitcases off at once while also panicking about boarding passes that might have been on paper and might have been on-screen – and where were they going to eat? We’ve all seen what happens when an escalator gets blocked by human traffic. Frightening. Thankfully, some quick-thinking locals shoved the luggage aside, glared at the parents and chaos was averted – but this is just the type of family that needs a licence to travel beyond their own neighbourhood. If you have any thoughts on what should be on the exam, how much the licence should cost and what countries should be the first signatories, let me know. In case you’re not sure where to find me, I’m at tb@monocle.com.
Packing: Part Two
Does one become a better packer with age? I say yes! When you’re younger it’s unlikely that you’ve found your style groove and this means that you’re probably caught between multiple trends and influences that demand volume up top, bagginess below a high waistband, a few sportif looks for the morning, a dump of confused daywear and some ensembles that are supposed to pass for the evening. Fortunately, there’s a magic moment when most of us find our uniform and packing for a weekend or a month (all the same really) can be reduced to a few essential items more pared-down even than Donna Karan could have conjured. Monocle is looking at its 2026 book line-up and there just might be something in the territory of “finding your uniform” and packing everything that you’ll need for a lifetime in a bag that’s in the 27-litre range.
Packing: Part Three
Are flight attendants primarily on board for your safety? Depending on who you fly with, the answer is increasingly yes. On a flight out of Dallas this past autumn, I watched in shock as a flight attendant told a woman in her eighties that her bag was too heavy to board with and that if she couldn’t put it in the overhead bin herself then she would have to check it. As is usually the case in such situations, someone swiftly stepped in to lift the bag (with one hand), place it in the bin and offer the woman a knowing nod. Meanwhile, the flight attendant attempted to build a coalition in the cabin by suggesting that the woman should have had someone to support her with packing, to weigh the bag and accompany her on the flight. Seriously? What if she had no family to support her? Maybe her partner died the week before and she was distraught and figuring out life on her own? Or perhaps it could be that assisting a passenger with their bag is a matter of safety too, and said flight attendant should have parked her routine and done the right thing.
