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told they've located my bag, which had been given a first class flight to Fort Lauderdale, FL. Since my flight was a direct one, my luggage obviously was misdirected onto the wrong flight from the point of check-in, but I was glad to hear it was found.

The airline was good enough to send it across the state by van and I was only without my bag for a day. I was so grateful to get my stuff back, especially since I've heard so many nightmare stories about luggage that had been kidnapped or taken hostage, never to be returned.

What about those other lonely bags? Due to my husband's numerous transfers, many hours over the years have been spent bouncing around various airports, and I've observed bags lying in hallways outside airline offices. Those poor bags, all alone and no one to claim them; I've often wondered if they make it back to their owners like my bag did? Or were they doomed to be forsaken forever?

Lost luggage seemingly ends up in a variety of places; sometimes lost circling around on some distant carousel or sent off on a jolly excursion; other times it disappears into thin air, never to be heard from again. There are those unfortunate times it's a true disappearance and your missing bags end up as an unsolved mystery listed somewhere in a file full of triplicate forms. It seems that the majority of bags which get lost have ended up on the wrong flights, but on the up side, at least they became seasoned travelers in the process and a good percentage of them eventually do find themselves home (too bad we can't receive frequent flyer miles for their travels).

The one lesson I've learned is to pack light and take advantage of being able to have (usually two) carry-on bags, or utilize the option to check your bag in at the gate. If this isn't a possibility for you, pack some essentials in a small carry-on bag so if your luggage ends up on a distant carousel in a far away land, you'll have the basic necessities.

. . . at the very least you'll be able to brush your teeth and hope that your luggage brings you back a really great souvenir.

Learn more about this author, Leigh Goessl.
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