Luggage Found

On Saturday, 7 days after I returned home, I had a glimmer of hope that my luggage might be returned. The Continental website indicated my luggage was rebooked on the Virgin flight I originally took, just a week later. I was pretty excited. I had already begun the process of listing the contents of my suitcase. Do you know how difficult it is to recreate, 6 days worth of clothes? They wanted make, model, color, size, where and when purchased...this was not a fun process...I know I buy most of my stuff at Kohls, but recreating this was gonna be a pain. My clothes were nothing compared to figuring out how much my camera power cord, UBS cable, plus cell phone and iPod cables...what a night mare. Luckily, I only wasted about an hour of my life doing that before I got the good news. Of course, with all good news, must come some bad news. Of course my bag didn't make that flight. It did make the flight on Sunday and my bag was schedule for delivery sometime Monday. Originally when I filed my claim I indicated the bag could be delivered at any time, if I were not home they could leave it on the front porch. The morning passed, noon passed, it was almost 3pm and I was getting mad. You'd think since my bag was 8 days late, they would try and deliver it 1st thing in the morning. I contacted my friends at Continental:

"They started to deliver at 8:30 and should be done in 6 hours", the nice lady told me.

"It's been 6 1/2 hours", I observed.

"Good point," she replied. "Let me check"

"They tell me they have delivered all of the bags. Are you sure it's not on your porch?

Now, our front porch is nice, but not by any means big. I would k now if my suitcase were sitting on it.

"Have you been home all day, have you checked around your house", she asked?

"No", I replied. "They are supposed to deliver to the porch."

So I walk around the house and there it is, by the backdoor, off the garage. What an idiot! (not me, the delivery person. How would I know it is there!

The good news is that all my belongings appear to be there. Rose and Sean both really like their gifts, even though 8 days late

But what to do now? I should be compensated in some way. Anyone out there ever been though this? Please let me know what I should do.

Welcome Home

I know there are more India stories to be told, however....

To make a long story short, Saturday had to have been one of the longest, worst days of my life. I was travelling for 30 hours starting at 3 AM Bangalore time. I woke up with a stomach ache and intestinal issues. I tried to be real careful while I was there, I ate vegetarian to avoid under cooked meats, I brushed my teeth with bottled water, but still I got nabbed. Not sure how, but that is all water under the bridge. I hardly ate on the flights and slept very little. By the time I got to Newark, I was exhausted. In order to get through customs you need to pick up your luggage. I'm standing by the baggage carousel, when I think I hear my name being called with some others. I figure since the plane was late and I was short on time to get to my flight to CLE that they were going to expedite my movement through Customs. WRONG!

I was informed that my suitcase did not make the flight to NJ and I needed to put in a claim when I got to CLE. I was kinda upset, but also too tired to really care at that time.

Well, 4 days later I still don't have my bag. They did call yesterday to see if there was anything inside the bag that might stand out. I mentioned my Hawaiian shirt, "Good" she said, "that is different". I also told her that in every pocket and inside the bag was my name and contact information, "Good", she said. Not sure I feel better, but she seemed happy.

In regards to the illness, it only took me till Wednesday to feel better, between the sickness, the exhaustion and the jet lag, I was slammed.

The good news is that it was great to get home. Rose, Sean and Charlie were all very happy to see me. Sean and Rose made me a welcome home poster, with flowers and a card. It was great to come home to them. I'd show you a picture of it, but my camera power cord and USB cable are all in my luggage....

It was great doing some relaxing Sunday and Monday, and getting settled in. I worked from home Tuesday/Wednesday to re-acclimate myself. Today it's off to the office for the first time. If I don't get my luggage soon, I'll need to do some shopping as most of my work clothes are in my luggage....