Well, I finally made it home and I’m glad to be back. A cruise is a lovely thing but there’s nothing like your own bed :)
I apologize for the lack of pictures. I don’t have any because I didn’t have my camera - not that it would have mattered - I didn’t have any knitting either or, for that matter, clothes!
Let’s start at the beginning :)
On Saturday the 4th, dad picked me (and my luggage) up and we headed to Logan airport in Boston. Dad, typically, over planned in terms of time so we were earlier than we needed to be. No harm done - better too early than too late, eh? So we spent quire a bit of time waiting at Air France. About an hour before boarding, I was paged to the desk. The girl there told me one of my bags had “broken” (that was the word she used). I was finally able to gather that the bag had gotten caught in or on something and they baggage handlers had to destroy it in order to free it. So they transferred the contents (all yarn and knitting tools) to a new bag which was now on its way with the rest of our luggage.
I didn’t have a warm, comfortable feeling about this but there didn’t seem to be anything I could do about it so I took a deep breath and tried not to worry. Off we went to Paris where we changed to another Air France flight to Lisbon. There we changed to a TAP flight to Funchal where we would catch the ship.
Sadly, our luggage - none of it - had reached Funchal. We waited at the airport for subsequent flights to arrive to see if the bags might come in, but eventually we either had to go or miss the ship. Once aboard, Guest Relations took over the search and departure time was actually delayed for a half-hour to wait for the arrival of one more plane from Portugal. Unfortunately, our bags weren’t on it and the ship couldn’t wait any longer so off we went.
I cannot say enough about the effort Regent Seven Seas put into tracking and locating our luggage and making sure that we were comfortable. We were not the only ones on that flight who lost luggage - in fact there were several of us in the same boat (...as it were) including one of their entertainers. Guest Relations kept in touch and let us know every step of the way what was happening and what was being done.
Two of the bags (of a total of three between dad and myself) finally arrived in Funchal the following Tuesday. The third didn’t turn up until Thursday. Under other circumstances, the bags would have been sent on ahead to our next port of call where we could pick them up. However, this was a trans-Atlantic crossing with no ports of call. The ship wouldn’t stop until we were ready to disembark in Ft. Lauderdale. So arrangements were made for the luggage to be delivered to our homes, once we’d gotten back.
Of course it hasn’t arrived yet :)
I owe a debt of gratitude to two very kind women aboard the ship, one who lent me clothes and the other who lent me a knitting project (went a long ways towards keeping me sane!) which she had brought along to do for Dulaan!
I have, here at home, the scarf I was working on before I left and the autumn seeds sweater which I decided not to bring with me either. So I do have projects I can work on but I’ll tell you, not having needles puts a real bite on the startitis.
I owe some of you letters; please be patient. I haven’t forgotten, I’ve just been busy and when I haven’t been busy, I’ve been trying to catch up on my sleep.
Hopefully by Friday I’ll have more cheerful news. In the meantime, I am still very glad to be home and I hope you all have been well and happy!
Chatters is on tomorrow night :)
Addendum -2:32 PM
I went out to lunch with dad today and the luggage was all waiting at his house when we got back. Everything seems to be fine and I have my needles back! Just thought you’d like to know :)
No trackbacks yet.
Seriously?! Dulaan?! Did you know her or was it just coincidence?
That is a real bummer about the luggage, what a way to flavour the trip, and not in a good way I suspect. I missed you heaps! Glad you are safe and sound and enjoying your own bed again. Its the little things, huh!
Ryan - No, we’d never met; it was just fortuitous coincidence :)
Nat - Well, it certainly was an interesting experience, though not one I’d care to repeat. Yes, it’s very good to be home :)
I am so glad taht everything is home safe and sound now.
Omly - Thanks - it’s a bit nerve-wracking when things that are important to you disappear. Of course they are just things, but still…
Wow, you certainly had an adventure. I am glad that you have all your things back. What did they give you to replace the bag that was destroyed by the baggage handlers?
I still would like to join in your chat sometime, but not tonight, tonight I am going to the Weavers Guild meeting (I don’t weave but they let spinners join and there is no spinner’s guild here)
Oh, what a traveler’s tale! I’m glad you had such kind people aboard the ship & everything is now back safe & sound.
See - that’ll teach you to leave your own bed! hehe
Wendy - They gave me a nice bag - not a leather one, to be sure, but a pretty good one all the same :) I’ll write more about that on Friday.
As for Chatters - no worries, it’s a totally losse and utterly accomodating sort of thing. When you can make it, it will be great to see you!
Bron - People can be (and in my experience are) amazingly kind. I have no excuse for the cynicism with which I often shield myself when really, I know better :)
