Cabin Zero Bag Review

I didn't get the opportunity to try the Cabin Zero Bag I was sent for review purely for hand luggage as my planned trip to Ireland with Easy Jet from Birmingham didn't go ahead but I did get to travel to Hong Kong and Dubai and back to the UK with it and I must say I was very impressed with the ease of comfort of carrying and transporting the bag.

Available in different sizes and a variety of colours, I opted to have the Classic 44L - Ultra light Cabin Bag in Galactic Green, a great colour for spring.

It very nearly didn't reach me as my Father took a liking to it and declared it 'perfect for his fishing trips.'

Not only did the bag have adjustable straps but I was able to able to alter them easily without having to take the bag on and off my back to do so. I also used the straps to secure the bag to my suitcase  keeping it safe to and from the airport and save carrying it without worrying about safety.

I felt comfortable and safe carrying it on my back whilst travelling as the zips were easy to conceal from view and adjustable side straps meant the bag would only open slightly. I asked my husband to attempt to get in the bag without me noticing and he wasn't able to do so. The zips also opened and closed with ease and with internal pockets it meant items didn't get caught in the zip on opening and closing.

The bag fitted comfortably under the seat in front of me on the plane and as I prefer a window seat, it saved me from getting up and down to get various items from it during my flight.

The Cabin Zero Bag and I flew over 23,000 miles in 31 days. I used it as a day bag at the Rugby 7's in Hong Kong, carrying waterproofs, spare clothing and my camera. It also meant in a crowd of 40,000 my husband was able to find me.

It was used on the beach in Dubai.

The bag is tough and easily cleaned, making life easier at the airport on a long lay over in Istanbul not having to worry about damage when freshening up in the toilets. Surprisingly not everything drops to the bottom of the bag when carrying it, due to the design of the internal pockets.

At £60 it's a bag designed to last a while and it is worth the investment, due to the durability of the straps and zips. I've had cheaper bags in the past and they've only managed 1 long haul flight and 2 weeks worth of day trips before seams, straps or zips have failed. I think my recent travels and it's daily use have probably tested the bag to it's limits as a day bag and when I finally get to Northern Ireland in July, I'll let you know how it worked as a hand luggage only bag in regards to the using overhead lockers, ease of carrying the bag when it's full, as there is no weight limit with Easy Jet and how comfortable it is carrying for longer periods of time.

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Packing hand luggage

I'm off to the UK tonight, my suitcase is packed full of gifts and wedding decorations and winter and water proof clothing. I'm flying with Emirates airlines as they have a very generous 30kg allowance.

As an expat, international flights are common, but this is my first trip back 'home' where I'm flying direct from Dubai. My trips from South Africa used to involve any thing between 2 - 9 hours stop over in Dubai and therefore I packed my hand luggage very differently to this trip.

For my latest flight I packed what I normally do, but didn't need two spare sets of clothes, shampoo, towel or as many toiletries.

I prefer a window seat and once seated I rarely get up, unless I'm desperate for the loo, I exercise in my seat following the instructions on the card in front and always purchase additional water prior to boarding and a few sweets. As I sit near the window, I pack my hand luggage with a separate bag inside containing everything I may want during the flight and if I'm doing a stop over I always buy my duty free allowance on the 2nd leg of the trip so I'm not dragging additional bags through security and around the airport.

All of this came out of my hand luggage, I took the photos as I packed, it also helps if I make a list in advance of what I need.

When flying out of Johannesburg, it is essential that all electrical items and items of value are packed in your hand luggage to prevent theft and your suitcase is wrapped in giant rolls of cling film to make theft that little bit harder. I still pack all charges and cables in my hand luggage and additional jewellery as you never know and in case of my case getting delayed there has to be room for a spare t shirt, underwear and deodorant so at least I have one change of clothes on arrival.

Thankfully the airport in Dubai is air conditioned so I arrived wearing winter clothing, boots and a coat, leaving me with more space and weight in my checked in luggage, although I did wear sandals for the trip to the airport, leaving them with hubby in a plastic bag to take home.

So in my hand luggage goes:

Laptop on top of bag so easily removed for security checks
Small clear zip lock with toothbrush/paste, face cloth (to be used as a small towel), deodorant, wet wipes, comb, hair bobbles, anti bacterial hand wash, tissues

Lap top charger and adapters

Head phones
Phone and usb cable
Notepad and pen
Camera and all related cables and charges
Jewellery pouch
UK bank and store cards, sim card and currency, Wallet
T shirt and underwear
Sun glasses in case
Eye mask
Socks to wear in flight
Neck cushion

Separate bag for removal during the flight containing the following items from the first list

Laptop
Head phones
Phone and usb cable
Notepad and pen
Toiletry bag
Neck cushion
Socks
Wallet
Bottled water and sweets (bought after passport and security checks)


No hair straighteners in hand luggage this trip, as I wasn't leaving Joburg I was able to pack them in my checked in luggage. I also packed my address book, diary and papers relating to the UK in my checked in luggage for this trip, but I was a little apprehensive about doing so. I've never lost a case but hubby and 2 of the kids have had their luggage delayed in the past and hubby has also had items stolen from his checked in luggage.

Timeline for an expat move

January 2014

Visit Dubai to discuss potential move.

July 2014

Arrange replacement passports after theft

October 2014

Order online replacement documents online from the UK
Sell car
Obtain quotes for shipping, give notice on house, gym, insurance, banks, utilities, tv and licence.

November 2014

Visit UK to collect documents, get son's new passport and submit to foreign affairs
Hubby arrives in UK
Visit UAE Embassy in London for documents to be attested
Fly to Dubai to submit documents and house hunt
Return to South Africa for farewell party and supervise shipping, meeting 19 year old at airport
Obtain quotation for moving cat and dog and necessary paperwork
(1)Hubby stays in Dubai to submit work visa application

December 2014

Sort hand and checked in luggage, air freight and shipping, distribute donations
Collect 15 year old from airport
Collect hubby from airport
Air freight collected and put into storage in South Africa
Take and collect cat and dog's blood tests, arrange injections, scan all paperwork
Move into Guest House
(2)Close bank and utility accounts, cancel direct debits
Wave bye to cat and dog
Drive to airport
Arrive in Dubai with hubby and 15 year old
Move into hotel
(3)Go to rented house, discover house is not ready for moving into
Collect borrowed car
Meet cat and dog and settle them in after their flight
Take 15 year old to airport
Shipping arrives in Dubai and goes into storage
Move hotels
(4)Open bank account
Travel back and forth to house for pets and to chase builders and landlord
(5)Make arrangements for 19 year old to sleep somewhere
After a lot of shouting medical aid was issued, with a folder, contact made with company to ask for meeting re car, contents and personal cover....NO RESPONSE

January 2015

Builders and cleaners quote for repairs, work starts
Remain in hotel until work visa application is processed and residency visa applied for and in place
Leave Dubai as 30 days will be up on visitors visa and for hubby to process his
Arrange for shipping to be delivered to house and air freight to be sent from South Africa
Apply for my residency visa
Leave Dubai to process it
(6)Take 19 year old to airport



(1) Hubby was informed work visa application would be made on November 29th 2014. On our arrival in Dubai we were informed we'd hear by Christmas Day only to discover that the application made was for permission to apply for a visa and it hadn't actually been done. Expected time scale was  2-3 days for work visa to be stamped and a further 3-5 days for residency visa to be stamped, air freight to be sent and arrive by January 1st to enable 19 year old to move into property. Shipping to arrive January 1st, 3 days to clear customs and enable us to move into house 5th/6th January 2015.
Work visa ready January 13th

(2) Followed guidance from companies as in give 30 days notice to close accounts, but not informed until will closed them that it would be another 30 days before we got final statements for utilities. Bank account still open on January 3rd. TV company took another payment which they are now having to refund. Still waiting for landlord to refund deposit into company account which will then be transferred here. bank accounts closed January 7th Deposit refunded January 13th.

(3) House was rented on December 7th, agency fees paid as was a years rent upfront. Rental agent and relocation company employed to sort this on holiday until January 1st. Landlady and builders passing the buck, endless phonecalls, stress and running around. House cleaned by ourselves after cleaners have been in, ready to move into January 8th

(4) Bank account in Dubai opened, but single account in hubbies name, relocation allowance and expenses, including UK trip from November now claimed. Salary for December in South Africa and deposit from landlord can now be paid. Savings in the UK = ZERO, can't use off shore banking element till my visa is ready and joint account applied for.

(5) & (6) Money is running out, all expenses will be repaid but bank account has to be opened first, in the meantime due to no 1 & 3 above, we cannot afford to put 19 year old up in a hotel so he is sleeping at hubbies bosses house and then moving on to a mates and we have to rebook his flight to return early as we can no longer afford to fly him out to Oman to get his passport stamped to extend his visitors visa. Expenses to date from the UK, South Africa and costs to date in Dubai received on the 16th January.

Peter's residency visa and Emirate ID ready by next week. We notified the agency of his work visa on January 13th who then did the 'typing' there is a special way things have to be done round here. This morning 15th they took him to make his application, filled in forms, blood tests, chest X-rays etc. We are now waiting for his bloods to come back and the residency visa will be stamped into his passport and then the following will happen. This post was published on January 14th. It is the 22nd today and we still don't have the residency visa.

Request made for container to clear customs in Dubai on 22nd January delivered on the 27th January
Request made for air freight to leave South Africa on 30th January delivered on February 4th
Red Card applied for on 9th February
My residency visa and Emirates ID applied for on 10th February, collected on
Driving licences issued hubbies: February 8th Mine:
My bank account opened
Car purchased

How to survive airport travel

I’m not a good flyer, it’s the take off and landing I’m not keen on. I need to sit by a window so I can keep my eye on the wing and the ground and make sense of what’s happening. The actual flight is ok, It’s probably the only time I sit and watch a movie.

As an expat I make regular trips between South Africa and the UK, preferring the Dubai route as I get to build up my air miles, use the Emirates lounge and it has the most leg room and more importantly, proper cutlery, not plastic forks that always snap. I’ve flown with various airlines, direct and with stopovers. Despite the Dubai route involving an 8 hour flight, 2 hour stop over and another 7 hour flight, plus the travel time to and from the airport, making it in total a 20+ hour journey, it has the most generous legroom in economy, checked in baggage is 30kg and trust me it’s not possible to get more than 30kgs in a suitcase. This disadvantage is the hand luggage allowance is only 7kg and as an expat and flying out of OR Tambo airport I carry all the paper work I need to sort out when I’m back in the UK and all valuables as theft from baggage is a high risk. Other airlines have a more generous hand luggage allowance of 10kg and purchase of an additional 23kg weight starts from around £45 where as Emirates charge £140 for up to 5 kilos.

It’s not just the ticket price you need to check when booking, how important is the luggage allowance? Is the cost of baggage wrapping included in your ticket price? What’s the charge for changing your ticket? Is insurance included in the price?

Top tips for travelling.

Check in online. I never print a boarding pass as from experience they prefer to issue you with one, but be warned, some airlines do charge for printing a boarding pass at check in.

When selecting a seat, you’ve more chance of having a spare seat next to you if you book an aisle seat; it is common practice for the airline to fill up the aisle seats first.

Avoid seats with extra legroom unless you’re particularly tall, the reason being these seats have fixed armrests, so if the seat next to you is empty you can’t stretch into it.  Also passengers will congregate on long haul flights near the exit doors whilst queuing for the toilets or they are near the galley where the cabin crew sit and passengers will stand and chat.

If flying from OR Tambo airport check with your airline to find out if baggage wrapping is included in the cost of your ticket. If not make sure you arrive in plenty of time not only for check in and clearing customs but for queuing to get your baggage wrapped.

After going through passport control, check the boards for your gate and locate it, it could be anything up to 30 minutes away and involve a train or a bus. It’s quite common for the gate to be changed, don’t just rely on your boarding card.

Once you’ve located your gate, grab a coffee, locate the smoking room and buy your duty free.

If travelling via another country, even if you are in transit, check what you can and can’t take through in regards to liquids. Best to buy your duty free once you’ve cleared security when you stop over, as they will not let you take liquids through, even though you haven’t left the airport.

Dubai airport have showers available at no charge. I always pack a hand towel so not to take up too much space/weight in hand luggage.

On arrival the first thing I do is activate my sim card, top up and message family and friends to say I’m here, this is my number, I’ll contact you again when I’ve reached my first overnight stop.

Coffee…any chance to purchase a coffee.

Travelling Light, currency, plugs and other tips

I know many people who buy new clothes, shoes, make up when they go on holiday (Mother) and pack an iron, hairdryer and 2 full sets of clothes, just in case, every toiletry item they think they’ll ever need and end up bringing most of it back unworn and/or unused.

I’ve known people to pack coffee, crisps, nappies and even blocks of cheese as they’re going somewhere new and foreign and are afraid they won’t get a few of their ‘home’ comforts while they’re away for a fortnights break.

There’s a big difference though between being a tourist and an expat, once an expat you’ll NEVER holiday or travel like a tourist again, trust me.

As an expat I’m a regular flyer, back and forth between South Africa and the UK, I however DON’T travel light, with all the family, 5 kids, 2 mums, a dad, siblings, nephews and nieces etc along with friends, my case is ALWAYS full of gifts and a ‘little touch of home’ for some South African friends, there is often little room left for clothing and I tend to pack bulkier stuff as after all I’m travelling to a colder climate. I do have a store of items I leave at my mums, that I’d never wear back in SA, winter coats, thermals, etc. However, this does leave room in my case for the return trip, where I stock up on the ‘home comforts’ such as tea bags, make up and aubergine pickle and pick up Summer sale items of clothing for wearing back in SA.

I’m currently on holiday in Dubai, just a holiday for me, hubby is working and we are extending the stay for a few days, so he has packed work clothes and leisure ware, including a suit that found it’s way into my suitcase. Hmmmmmmm

This trip I’ve only packed for me. I won’t be buying souvenirs or trinkets, in fact I won’t be buying much with the exchange rate as it is, other than a thank you gift, from the airport as we leave for my friend for dog and cat sitting for the week.

My case only weighs 19kg was extremely out of shape, hubbies suit took a battering, and when plastic wrapped to guard against theft at OR Tambo it and most of that is in the form of toiletries, half bottles of stuff such as shower gels and shampoos to use up, although believe it or not, most hotels these days do provide things like this without additional charge.

There are a few things I can NEVER travel without and these are all hand luggage items. For starters it’s a ‘no, no’ to pack anything of value in hold baggage, especially coming out of South Africa.

•   Laptop, charger, Iphone and cables.

·         Plug adapter to convert from South African to British, Plugs in Dubai and at most airports use British plugs.

 Although I do have a laptop cable that has a British plug also.

·         Cable ties – for return to South Africa to use on the cases.

·         Luggage tags x 2. One used with destination and another with home address to use on return. (Don’t want people at the airport when you’re leaving to see where you’ve come from and that the property is going to be empty for a while)

·         Eye mask and inflatable pillow, not just to use on the plane, but whilst waiting for transfer, the bus and taxi ride to the hotel also.

·         Ear phones, preferably noise reduction for the plane, iphone etc.

·         Spare cell/mobile phone and charger, in case of theft and I also have 2 South African SIMS and 2 British SIMS, as I’ve discovered my SA SIMs on PAYG don’t work in Dubai. Roaming and cellular data switched off the second one boards the plane.

·         Bank cards, South African and British, already had one card declined when checking in at the hotel.

·         Local Currency, not a lot but at least enough to buy a coffee and tip the porter. I’ve always found a few pound coins help for tips, especially in Egypt, Turkey and Tunisia and don’t be afraid to say ‘no thank you’ to someone offering to help with your cases at the airport. I chased a thief for hubbies passport, end of last year, who helped himself when ‘helping’ us.

·         Medical aid card or Insurance, don’t forget to inform your medical aid company before you travel.

·         I also pack a face cloth, change of top and under ware as well as a toothbrush and paste, facial wipes and a pair of socks to wear on the flight, a book and some sweets.