Planepack? Not yet! Lost luggage #1

My Planepack story begins years ago when I flew to the United States to visit Google. I was on my way to Vancouver when my boss suggested I enter the US through San Francisco - and by the way why didn’t I pop into Google while I was there? - so I happily agreed.

I was delayed flying out of Canberra; naturally my hold luggage didn’t keep pace with my leaving Sydney. When I arrived in San Francisco, I watched the other passengers haul their luggage off the conveyer belt, but mine never materialised.

‘We apologize for the inconvenience, ‘ said the man at the lost luggage counter. ‘Please accept this voucher for $20. You should use it to buy any essential items you may need until we are able to reunite you with your bag.’ Thanks, but no thanks.

The next morning I phoned Darcy, my Google Client Manager.

‘I don’t have anything to wear,’ I said after telling her the sad story of the lost luggage, ‘so I have to come to our meeting wearing the same clothes I’ve travelled in, which is a T-shirt and jeans.’

Darcy consoled me: ‘Everyone wears T-shirts at Google; you won’t be out of place.’

She was right and I enjoyed the Google experience, but the pleasure of my San Francisco stay was marred by a lack of clothes. It took three days for my suitcase to catch up with me, by which time I’d shopped in excess of the $20 courtesy of the airlines. But fortunately I had clothes in time for my Vancouver conference.

I wasn’t as lucky the next time my suitcase went missing. That's a story is about missing luggage, my late father and his ashes.