Huge mess of a travel day

Oh, this journey was supposed to be so easy. Late morning flight from Champaign means time to exercise, eat breakfast, do last minute check. We were going to have a few leisurely hours in Chicago, a short flight to Philadelphia, with another couple hours before our flight to Lisbon. Arrive very early in Lisbon, hop in the rental car and mosey on up to Bragança. No stress, no rush.

We just had the trip from hell coming home from Florence, so I figured that we were due for a pleasant journey.

Everything was fine for the first leg of the trip. When we got off the plane from in Chicago, everything changed. Our flight to PHL was delayed by 4 hours so we would not make the connection to the Lisbon flight. They rebooked us, after much confusion, through London on British Airways and then on to Lisbon. That’s fine, BUT OUR BAGS. Grrr, why did I check our carry-ons?!?!?!?! Well, since I had to check the suitcase with my teaching clothes, why not take the easy way and check them all?! Stupid me! Now of course It is not at all clear the bags will make it over here to Terminal 5 and British Airways to get on the flight. Changing airlines, changing terminals, changing flights, and all I have are American Airline baggage claim tags that say CMI-PHL-LIS. No one can tell me whether I will have any way of tracking those bags ever. I could just kick myself, but there’s no point in that.

I told some Camino friends that the new me was going to be very zen about this, but that was before I knew about the bag mess, so I have gone back on my promise and am now certifiably frazzled. I am hoping for the best, but the British Airways customer service person tells me the bags have still not arrived over in Terminal 5, even though we have been in Chicago for 3 and a half hours. I envision all the cascading complications — we have a rental car, we have hotel reservations, we can’t leave Lisbon without our bags. Will they get there tomorrow, the next day or maybe never?! Ok, I will stop borrowing trouble and just keep my fingers crossed that there is a good resolution.

I have added a picture just to show you that one member of the pair is unfazed and very unworried and calm. I will not add a picture of me. We are leaving Chicago with no idea whether are bags will be on the plane or not.Read more