baggage limits!

Years ago, when our sweet, college bound son was just learning how to stand "literally" on his own two feet, we ventured off on our first, real family vacation. My husband and I had never flown before, much less with a little guy.

Over-packed luggage! NO!

Packing for vacation, I included everything I though we might possibly need, enough stuff to fill six suitcases and two carry-ons, plus my son's car seat and stroller!

Can you picture it? Mama, Daddy and sweet little boy park their car in the remote lot at the airport. We juggle way too much stuff to the shuttle pick-up at the end of the lot. The shuttle arrives and my over-worked, significantly over-stressed, hubby loads the bags onto the shuttle. We feel a sense of urgency, not wanting to hold up all the other travelers (no doubt laughing at our National Lampoon-like display). Of course, all this was back in the day before baggage limits!

A couple days into our trip, we needed to purchase something. I don't remember what -- what could we have left behind?! I searched bags frantically and could not find the checkbook. Panic set in! Then my husband and I fought, a real screaming match, rare for us! Finally, we realized we had lost a bag along the way! We called the airline. They didn't have it. We called the bank to put a hold on our account -- hard to do when you don't have the account number with you!

That whole vacation was covered by a cloud of fear. Would we have any money in the bank account when we returned home? Who had our checkbook? What else was in that bag? We really couldn't remember!

Luggage tag, smart travel essential

Vacation over, we had some great memories, and a few not-so-great, to take home. At our local airport, we reported our lost luggage. The clerk asked us to describe the bag. We did. She smiled, turned around and pulled our bag from a locker behind her. Handing it over to us, she said, "It's important to include contact information where you will be. We did try to call you to let you know we have your bag." Stunned, we asked what had happened. She explained that we left it at the airport shuttle pick-up and someone on a later shuttle turned it in. Relief!

Needless to say, we've come a long way since then, traveling the world without incident... well, not too much anyway! We have learned how to pack, how to experience dream vacations on a budget and what to do when the weather doesn't cooperate. And a whole lot more. I've started a new blog, traveling family to help others plan dream vacations -- without losing their luggage! Stop by for a visit and tell us where it is you want to go!

Blessings,