Today I’m throwing away the first ever travel backpack I got, back in 2002, before my first ever solo trip to Europe. If I remember correctly, I got it for around $50 during a clearance sale. It’s an Eagle Creek, around 55 liters in volume, and weights in at a whooping 4 1/2 lbs. From the outside, it’s pretty much indestructible. On the inside though, the lining wore off and it’s staining everything you put in there with black residue.
This backpack’s first trip was to Europe for 2 1/2 months with me in 2002. I took it once to Canada in 2005. My sister used it on 3 separate trips to Europe, and my friend Johnny took it one more time to Europe. It has been on way more trips than I did myself.
It saddens me a bit to throw it away since it has been there since the beginning of my wanderlust bug, but it’s unusable right now and just taking up space. RIP.