In Russia, before you say farewell, there's one last thing you must do: you have to sit on your case.

This is not a legal term, but one of the great traditions that perfectly reflects the Russian soul: the deep-rooted, heart-on-sleeve, warm, nostalgic, romantic Russian mentality.

If you have ever read a classic Russian novel or seen a movie of the Doctor Zhivago genre, you are familiar with one fact: Russians do farewells like no one else.

Going away in Russia is serious business. You don't just stuff your bag, rush out the door and jump into a cab. Often, even the packing itself is done under the close scrutiny and intense involvement of family and friends. In any event, there is probably a send-off party prior to departure.

You would be well advised to leave plenty of time to get to the airport, train station or bus depot. Because when the time comes to actually walk out the door, to this day, young and old Russians like to say, davai prisyadem pered dorogoy, or ‘Let's sit a while before we go.’

What happens is that the departing person sits down on or near the packed suitcase. Everyone present grows serious, silent and contemplative. The people in the room just stop to think. It is simply a few minutes' reflection amongst people who will soon lose each other's company for some time: ‘I will miss you’ – ‘I will miss you too.’

The Russian custom of ‘sitting on your suitcase’ is one of those simple, rustic, heartfelt traditions that ought never to go away.