Weighty matters

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As promised, here is a longer discussion on weighty problems.
It looks like if you travel around in SE Asia and then head to India (basically not going directly from US) then the weight restrictions are not the same as when you originate here. I think that is about 35 kgs per person. Given the six different carriers we are on on this trip, my guesstimate based on talking to different agents is that it varies anywhere between 20-23 kgs per person.

Now that puts one into one of those math puzzle situations. You know the one with one boat and X people on one coast and need to take them to the other coast and all the permutations and combinations that are allowed/dis-allowed. Or the other one about driving across a desert in a vehicle with only Y gallons of gas, and that at every Z miles there is a gas station that gives you N gallons - you get the picture. Unfortunately, I never quite solved those to anyone's satisfaction, so the problem as applied to this trip remains a mystery to me.

The first time it dawned on me was when I got my usual supplies of chocolate, and then casually took a look at their weights - man! Chocolates are heavy! Not to mention the fact that they will be in the confines of a suitcase for some days before they are eventually freed and consumed. In all that expectant waiting, they might just melt away in anticipation (I wonder if melted chocolates weigh any less - hmm .... topic for another post).

So getting back to the crux of the problem, chocolates and some other usual supplies need to reach India. At the same time, the mrs and I plan to shop our hearts out in SE Asia, and our precious purchases need to make their way to India in the same suitcases as well. Space is not an issue (see picture attached), but weight is. So we're thinking of all options now - starting with wearing all our clothes in layers to wearing all chocolates in a mala on one's shoulders a la Rambo in First Blood , to donating them away to some happy young 'uns in Cambodia or Thailand.

The way back presents another interesting problem. I have already bought some stuff for myself to be picked up from India, and we will of course be making our generous doses of purchases during the trip. The worst case plan is that we will get another suitcase if needed, in India.

Keep watching this space to see what happens. Will our chocolates reach their end consumers? Will we have to drop off all our purchases at the airport in Thailand to the utter delight of several Thai air employees?

More seriously, I don't think any of this is going to be an issue because we don't have that much to buy, or to take to India. But it does make a captivating story, doesn't it 😊 ?

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Photos

This is where we store the loot!
These bags will help us solve some hitherto unsolved problems in combinatorial mathematics...

Comments

[renjini]

ooooops!!!
oh man!!! great confusions abt those stuffs more interested in the net result hope u can manage all those unsolved probs till the end waiting for all the updates from u guys