While traveling, as in life, any number of things can go wrong.

I am embarrassed to admit, when we first started out on this most recent journey we had a fiasco of our own making that could’ve ended with a unhappy ending.

We are shocked that it occurred – or how we let it happen? The only explanation is that we were out of travel practice, are several years older, and had just lost a night of sleep flying over the Atlantic.

We also had too much stuff! Leaving in July – to escort a group Holy Land tour in very hot and humid weather, visit several other countries plus go on a couple of cruises – and not returning until November. We had overpacked.

With new overstuffed roll-aboard suitcases, and a carry-on each as well as one CPAP device in a small bag. I also had a small cross body purse which I could place inside my carry-on but it made it more cumbersome and heavy. We were bringing additional items we’d never traveled with before: refillable water bottles, a 4-month supply of prescription drugs, electrolytes, See’s Candies for gifts, and extra things for the group tour, and for me: a third pair of shoes, new tennis shoes and a straw hat!

As much as the goal was to travel carry-on only, Steve had decided to check his suitcase. We flew a non-stop from Seattle to London-Heathrow landing at 9:40am London time – the middle of the night for us. While I sat with the stuff Steve waited and waited for his suitcase at baggage claim until he was the last one standing there anxiously waiting.

It was lost!

Until it was found by someone behind the scenes and it suddenly appeared on the baggage carousel.

We followed the Hyatt Place website directions to take public transportation to the hotel. Walking to the bus terminal, finding bus stand 18, and riding the U3 a mere 10 minutes until we were dropped off directly opposite the hotel. We didn’t have any local currency; we paid the bus fare with a credit card. Easy peasy!

We got to our room and crawled under the covers into bed. Awaking very groggy from a long nap and getting dressed for dinner, I couldn’t find my sandals. “I’ve lost my sandals.” I remembered I had removed them from the outer pocket of my suitcase in order for it to fit in the plane’s overhead compartment. “I must’ve left them under my seat.”

After dinner, I started to unpack what was needed to get ready for bed and what we’d need to travel in the morning. “Where is the CPAP bag? My prescription bottles were in it and it was nowhere to be found in our hotel room.

It was lost!

Until my jet-lagged brain recalled that I had stuffed the missing sandals inside the small medical device bag. Find the bag and we find the sandals.

It has to be in the lobby!

We had arrived at the hotel before 11:00am and had to wait in the lobby until a room was ready. I was pretty sure it had been among our stuff where we had waited.

Rushing down to the lobby, we looked and relooked under sofas and chairs, but it was not in the lobby. Reception said nothing had been found.

It was lost! The bag with a CPAP, prescriptions and sandals was lost!

“We can survive without the sandals and without the CPAP, but how in the world will we replace the prescription drugs?”

Not willing to give up, I looked online for the bus company’s Lost and Found, tried calling, but there was no answer.

Our brains were mush. we couldn’t remember. We couldn’t think clearly. When had the bag last been seen?

The airplane? Yes.

Baggage claim? I think so.

“Let’s retrace our steps and return to the airport to check Lost and Found.”

9:00 pm, but not yet dark, we waited in front of the hotel to ride the U3 back to LHR. We explained to the driver that we had lost a bag and he used his own phone to dial the bus yard. Handing it to me, I described the lost item.

It was found!

It had been left on the bus! Miraculously, the bag had been turned in and it could be picked up in the morning. I explained that we were just there for the night, that we had an early flight. He told us to get on the next bus, ride it to the end of the line and call him again once we arrived

Knowing the bag was safe was such a relief! I actually enjoyed the bus ride through small communities, passing brightly-lit cafes, doner kebab shops and fish and chip eateries as the sun set and the sky darkened.

An hour later we finally made it to the end of the line where we called the man at the bus yard and he walked out to find us and lead us to the office. After signing for the bag, we returned to the street to await the next bus that would return us to the hotel, arriving 40 minutes later – nearly midnight!

Early the next morning, we once again caught the U3 bus for the 10 minute ride back to LHR to catch our flight to Tel Aviv. Easy peasy! (Especially since it was our 5th London bus ride in less than 24 hours!)

What an ordeal we’ll never forget! We left a bag on the city bus! In London! We were so fortunate to have found it; it could’ve been so much worse.

Since then, we’ve lightened our load, mislaid other small things as well as used up some items.

In a few days we ferry, taxi, and fly on our way to a new country on a different continent. There will be challenges ahead, but you can be sure that I will try to slow down and remember to count our bags: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6…

As always, thanks for reading.

Meet You in the Morning with the expense report for Albania.