My New Messenger Bag

Last week, I posted the Grid-It organiser which was to complement an earlier purchase which arrived yesterday.

My notebook bag was starting to get 'tired' and the velcro fastener had somehow lost its 'grip'. It's almost a year old and I got it free from a shoe purchase at Al-Ikhsan. I liked this bag. It had a padded compartment to secure your notebook and most importantly it was a vertical bag.

So I decided to buy myself a bag for a change. Prior to this, it was always freebies. Either it came with the notebook or it came free with a purchase or from an event.  After much scouting and deliberation I found that the best options were not available locally. Therefore, I searched online. 

Looking for the right bag is tough. I would have preferred a vertical bag but they were either too small or plastered with zips and/or straps all over the outside of the bag. I like something simple. My search for a vertical messenger bag was unfruitful. There was nothing that I liked. 

So, back to the classical messenger bag. Again, same problem. Strap here, zip here and there. Handle at the top like a briefcase. Colour. All kinds of criteria. What made it even more difficult, I was looking for a leather bag.

After weeks of searching, I finally shortlisted the bags I liked. Then the issue of shipping came up as some sellers did not ship to Malaysia. Even Amazon didn't. The bags that I really liked didn't ship to Malaysia. The ones that I didn't like, shipped! What gives!

Eventually, I found a seller on ebay who would ship to Malaysia and it ain't cheap. Shipping cost me USD40 via USPS First Class Mail International / First Class Package International Service. I completed the purchase on 10th November, at about 10pm (US 9th November). The shipper sent me my tracking number on 12th November at about 4am.

USPS Tracking info.

Pos Malaysia Tracking info. Cool, you use the same tracking number.

It was a pretty long wait but I think Pos Malaysia was pretty efficient considering that the 22nd and 23rd is considered the weekend here. Two weeks in total.

So, this is the bag that I bought. Plain in the front with a zipped compartment at the back (which almost all bags have). It is fastened by two magnetic buttons.

I don't like zips, pockets and straps on the outside of the bag, but inside you definitely need some. And this bag had SOME...
1. A phone pocket which fits an iPhone nicely.
2. Five card slots.
3. Two pen holders
4. A large zippered compartment.
5. Another large zippered compartment.
6. A pocket.
7. A small zippered compartment.
8. A small pocket on the outside of the bag but under the flap.
9. Another small pocket
10. A large zippered compartment.
And you can see that it fits the notebook and the Grid-It organiser perfectly.  And there's still room for an iPad.

I'm loving it. :)