Small problem, I'm going to Debrecen Hungary in October for an athletic competition and then afterward a bit of touristing. Problem is that I carry my athletic gear, fencing mask, foils, uniform etc, in a hard shelled bag originally used for golf equipment. You've probably seen similar ones at airports. They're somewhat oversized still most airlines allow them. My problem is that after the competition what do I do with the bag? I'll be traveling from Budapest to Paris by rail. My other luggage is a carry on bag and a back pack. At first glance it seems my options are: 1.) schlepp the bag with me 2.) ship the bag home 3.) leave the bag in storage in Budapest and then return to Budapest for it. But each option seems to practical issues some of which are obvious but I keep thinking there may be ones that I'm not aware of. So I would appreciate any helpful comments.
1.) Keeping the bag with me is just plain awkward. I've not gotten a read on rail travel from Budapest to Paris but it may require connections and while I've schlepped this and similar bags around airports it's always a pain. And while it's big and awkward would it be attractive to thieves?
2.) Shipping it home. Is this a cost effective alternative? Anyone ever done something similar? Weight is under the international limit of checked baggage. But how long will airlines keep a bag at the receiving end? No one at home to receive it but the cat.
3.) Leaving the bag in storage in Budapest means of course that I have to retrace my journey to Budapest. Did this once in Vienna. Worked ok leaving the bag at the Airport which had storage. But not sure about wanting to retrace my journey. Might be an adventure or a real pain.
It's been ten years since I did this last and things do change. So appreciate any knowledgeable travelers advice.