The National

Flying can be quite nerve-wracking for us. In addition to all the clothes we have to pack (regular clothes and gigging attire, and often stuff for different climates), there are the instruments. For us, that's a guitar (big, checked in), a bouzouki (checked in), fiddle (carried), mandolin (carried) bodhrán, usually carried, sometimes stuffed into a suitcase), flutes and whistles (carried). Now, add to that the leads we take (one each, generally 35-footers), the floor boxes (5, each just over a kilo) and we're pretty close to the limit.

We're generally allowed 2 bags each, not exceeding 23kg. Added together.

Now add on the CDs. 100 CDs weighs 17kilos. We have 2 albums, and if it's a new recording, you need a lot of them. They sell. Then there's the T-shirts. This stuff isn't that optional -the money from the merch pretty much pays for the next set of flights to the next festival. The gig fee pays for the food, the drinks, the repairs, cabs to the airport, a new shirt, strings...

And for this festival, the National Folk Festival in Canberra, where it is currently 4 degrees C and we're staying in Tent City, we need to bring bedding. That's a lot of luggage.

Which is why I have to thank the amazing Martin and Jonathan from the ABC who managed to get us special musician luggage waivers, at literally the last minute (they arrived just before we left).

I'm sitting in the airport, waiting for our slightly delayed flight. Mannie and Sarah are sitting next to me giggling about something (probably me). We get into Canberra at about 10pm. We'll dump our stuff and hit the sessions.

It's going to be grand!

I'll blog when I can. Promise!

Paul

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Location:Brisbane Airport, Australia