Story of lost luggage!

I make work related trips as and when the company requires. While some trips are really memorable others are definitely worth forgetting.

In the third week this February last I found myself traveling to Crawley in the UK on just such a trip. I was staying in the Crowne Plaza hotel which is very close to our Headquarters.

I make special mention of the 22nd of February, the last day of my stay this time round. Here's how that fateful day unfolded:

07:30 to 8:45 am GMT:

The morning weather (as usual in England!) was not inviting at all. It was very cloudy and it was pouring with rain.
As it was the last day of my stay, I packed everything and then headed towards the breakfast area dragging my large red bag behind me.

I reached the breakfast desk where, like all guests, I too was greeted by the waitress with a well-rehearsed smile. I confirmed my room number and kept my luggage beside the desk just like everyone else and sat down at an empty table.

I picked up a dish of cereal with milk and honey, a croissant and some coffee from the breakfast buffet and returned to my table. Half way through my dish of cereal, I was joined by my colleague from another department who was also staying in the same hotel.
I finished my breakfast and rose to pay for my stay and complete the check out by which time my colleague would have finished her breakfast so we could walk together to work. She was not checking out as she needed to stay for a further week.

I went into the desk to grab my luggage, and imagine my surprise and horror when I could not find it. I was really shocked and started to walk restlessly up and down looking for it. The waitress came back after showing another guest to a table and asked me as to what was wrong. I said that my bag had vanished.

Then she said: ‘the red luggage that was in front here madam?’
I nodded vigorously and then she said something which I never thought I would hear.

She said: ‘but that was taken by that gentleman who left the hotel a few minutes ago’

I: ‘what? How can he take my luggage?’

We both looked at the place where I had kept my luggage and saw another red luggage just behind the place where I had kept mine. This luggage was nearly the same colour as mine (slightly darker though) and nearly of the same size as well.
Then a thought occurred to me ‘Did this man taken my luggage thinking it’s his by mistake?’.

It seems the same thought had stuck the waitress as well. She ran to the hotel reception area to get the contact details of this ‘gentleman’. Once got it, the Customer service manager started to call him. But there was no response. After such unsuccessful attempts, she then tried to contact the airport (I no idea how they knew which airport he was travelling to). I was fuming literally and trying to control my anger.

So, I was left with my rucksack and thankfully, with all my important papers and my laptop in it. (I usually keep all my important documents/papers no matter where I am in my bag/backpack which I carry wherever I go). But my personal diary, my laptop carry bag and laptop charger (from work) were all there in my lost luggage!

Then the manager came back to tell me that she will be raising a police alarm (oohha! quite a drama ain't it?) so that they (police) can go into the airport and stop that man (oh la la) as nobody else will be let into the airport after security.
I told her that I had to rush to the office (my flight was at 14-55 pm, so till then I had to finish few things at work) and gave my contact details to update me on the police search (or whatever it can be called).

I then called my husband (I was shaking with anger and irritation) and told him the story. He comforted me and said that I at least had my passport with me.

9-00 am GMT:

When I reached the office, the news had already been told to all, (thanks to my colleague who was sitting with me during the breakfast) and then one by one they approached me to ask if everything was all right. I was thankful that they already knew the news as it saved me sometime and energy to tell them what had happened (I was still fuming and had no strength to tell the tale).

However some of them with whom I was working directly wanted a detailed version of this story. So I had to anyway tell them the story in full detail. (tiring!)

One of them (to lighten up my mood, i think) suggested me to buy a flowery luggage (possibly purple flowers on a white background) and to tie a red ribbon on it so that nobody will confuse mine with theirs in future. (Very nice of him!).

Another colleague said that I should make this an excuse to change my wardrobe (Whatever she meant by this? :-/)

10:30 am GMT:

Got a call from the Customer care manager of the Hotel. She told me that the ‘gentleman’ had already caught the flight and police could not stop him. She then said, she will again try and contact him after few hours (probably to wait for him to land at his destination) and keep me informed if at all she can catch hold of him over phone.

13-30 pm GMT:

I reached airport by a taxi that was booked for me. I finished with the immigration and security checks and then the boarding gate number was announced.
All of us who were to fly to Vienna walked towards that gate and reached it.

14:10 pm GMT:

Then a woman approaches the checking point of that gate in an uniform and all and we thought she was the checking officer, but her question made all our jaws drop to a dangerous level.

‘Why are you all standing here??’ (Was this some kind of joke?)

We told her that we were there to catch flight to Vienna as announced on the boarding screen. She then makes a call and then after she finishes her conversation, announces that the gate we should be standing to board is no. 4 (which apparently is on the other end of the airport). We all cursed the lack of organisation all our way until we reached the other gate and guess, it took nearly 15 minutes to reach there (half walking, half running, at that moment, I almost felt as a lady on a mission).

14:35 pm GMT:

Once reached the gate, the correct one that is, I saw a long queue for checking. At last, my turn came and I provided my passport to this young blonde officer who looked at my passport and asked 'where is Schengen VISA’?
I showed her my Czech residence permit (permanent residence- green card equivalent, mind you!) and she says ‘but it is in Czech Republic’. (What?? doesn't this woman know that Czech Republic is in Schengen area, who recruited her??!)

I was so irritated and I had lost all my patience at that moment due to obvious reasons. I had to make her see sense that ‘Czech Republic is in Schengen area' in a rather rude voice (I cannot do her job for her). But it looked like she was not convinced for she said 'I am only doing my duty ma'm'. (by being ignorant? eh?)
She then called her manager and that one too a blonde (I do not believe in stereotypes including the ones for blondes, but at that moment I HAD to tell myself ‘silly BLONDES’). This manager looked at my passport and VISA, and then went somewhere and took another 5 minutes (It felt like 50 minutes for me) to come back and to pronounce that ‘yes, Czech Republic is in Schengen area'  (clap clap) and they let me board the plane.

18:30 pm CET:

It took us two and a half hours to reach Vienna.
At Vienna, I finished the immigration checks and walked direct towards exit as there was no luggage to claim.
At exit, I had to find my taxi man (arranged by the company) who I was told would be waiting for me holding a board with my name on it.
Ah! I found him after few minutes, he too was happy to find me, (poor fellow). The drive from Vienna to Brno took nearly one and a half hours. The nearer Brno was approaching, the better I was feeling.
When I reached Brno, I was mentally and physically exhausted but felt light.

20:15 pm CET:

Reached my home sweet home. Kiran had prepared rice and sambar for me. I ate it in peace and again had to repeat my >damsel in distress< story for it seemed millionth time.
At least at that moment I was at home and was looking forward to throw myself on my bed for a beauty sleep.