Bags, Bags, Bags!

Bags. I'm a sucker for bags. What also sucks is that is that I can't afford them.

You remember when we were kids and use to lug around big ass backpacks which could fit 6 textbooks in it? (Here in Malaysia if you don't go to a blue blazer private school, you don't have lockers)

I remember the day I got my first "cool" backpack when I was in high school. A bodypac that barely fit 4 notepads and a pencil case, that my dad had bought for me one day when we were out walking around the mall. It cost him 50 bucks. Which was a shit load compared to the 10 dollar bags I use to have. I treasured that bag until the dag i finished high school (Which, honestly, was a year later than i expected, so the bag lasted real long).

Then I went to college and a buddy of mine was telling me about this place that sells cheap knockoffs of American brands. I headed there one day and got myself a really cool looking, but uncomfortable "Manhattan Portage" messenger. College kids can't afford imported 400 dollar bags, so I was pretty happy with it. Then I got myself a nifty laptop and realized the bag didn't have the necessary padding. I spent hours scouring the internet for a bag that would properly protect my laptop and not cost me my arm. And I found NOTHING.

So I trudged along with my laptop in that same beat up messenger. From my first college, to my second and then to my third.

By then I had already bought a camera which had gone through one free gift sling bag, an unwanted free gift sling bag, and a hand-me-down sling backpack which my friend didn't want anymore (I later saw why). I ended up with a really awesome backpack I bought on the street outside a 7-Eleven in Bangkok. I still use that to this day.

It was then I decided maybe I needed a bag that could fit my laptop and my camera all in one. So on the internet I went again. And found this.

The Timbuk2 Snoop Camera Messenger Bag.

It was perfect.

It looked awesome. Had a camera insert option, and fit my macbook, along with tons of other stuff.

Problem was, because Malaysia is such a shoddy country, they didn't want to sell online to us (They were victims of credit card fraud here once). So I called my cousin in San Francisco and asked if she could get it for me. I had to wait a month before she got home from Seattle. By this time, I was already exploding on the inside with excitement.

Then I found a guy in Malaysia selling this same exact bag online. 50 bucks cheaper too. So I bought it and anxiously awaited its arrival at my doorstep for a week.

It came and I started to get skeptical if it was legit. I cross checked mine with the original specs online and realized this asshole sold me a knockoff. It generally worked in the same way but was missing a few parts, like the memory buckle and proper padding on the strap.

I lost it. I had spent 400 bucks (original price after conversion) on a bag that wasn't even legit. I gave up and began using it. Telling myself everyday that it was fine. It worked and thats all that mattered.

Then I took it on a trip and came home with one shoulder partially paralyzed and decided to go back with my backpack and leave my laptop at home.

These days I spend everyday sitting in front of the computer searching the interweb for a backpack that would fit my needs. I can now afford them, but realize that none of them can do or offer what I need.