Never check baggage: Part 3 of "The trip that goes wrong."

Once released from the bomb shelter, we moved through Customs and headed to baggage claim. Of course our luggage wouldn't be there. Why would it? This is, after all, "The trip that goes wrong." We waited anyway, hoping for a miracle. But the miracle already happened. We were in an airport that, only minutes before, was targeted by a missile strike, and we were unharmed. Who cares about luggage? We filled out the proper forms, stating our itinerary through the week so they could deliver us our luggage, but in the end, they couldn't. After the missile strike, United suspended all flights into Tel Aviv. No flights meant no way to send luggage. Ultimately, they flew our luggage to Athens, where their Star Alliance partner could fly it to Israel. This was a great idea, but it took time. I finally received my luggage six days later, and Gerald's came two days after that.

We exited the airport, along with two other couples who were also on our tour and who happened to be on the same flight from Newark. If viewing the destruction and crater that the missile caused wasn't disconcerting enough, we also had no idea how we would find transportation from the airport to meet up with the tour. After the missile strike, no cars were allowed in, so people were gathered in masses outside the airport waiting for taxis that couldn't enter. This is when we learned of a man who would become the hero of the tour in several ways to come. We contacted our tour guide, to update him on our situation. Machmoud to the rescue! Machmoud was our Israeli tour bus driver and possibly the most well-connected person in all of Israel! He sent a friend of his to the airport to retrieve the six of us, and while the friend wasn't able to drive up to passenger pickup, he came as far as he could, then texted us his location, and we walked to find him. (I'll add that, in this scenario, it was easier not to have luggage.)

Six days without luggage was inconvenient, but it also taught me that I can be a minimalist if I have to be. I'm pretty sure I'll never become one permanently (I really like my stuff!), but it did have some advantages. I spend way, way too much time deciding what to wear. I have lots of clothes, but oftentimes they don't look quite as good at home as they did when I tried them on in the store. I have clothes crises on the regular. Not a problem when you have exactly two sets of clothes to your name, the one you wore for the past 30+ hours and the one you obediently packed in your carry-on because the tour suggested you do so. 

How did I last six days with only the sweats and t-shirt I wore to travel and the leggings and t-shirt I had in my backpack? I rotated the sweats and leggings each day. For some reason, it felt less grimy to rotate them, even though they definitely weren't getting washed between wearings. As for tops, after the first two days, I bought a new t-shirt every day, wherever we happened to be; now I have a bunch of t-shirt souvenirs!

May I offer some advice for your future travels: 

1. Never check baggage.

2. If you do check baggage, here are some things to pack in your carry-on:

• One extra set of clothes. It might not be enough, but it's a start. 
• Underwear. I brought one extra set, but then had to wash them out each night and hang them to dry.
• Hair products, especially if you're like me and need specific brands.
• Makeup/skin care. I almost packed this in my suitcase; so grateful I stuck it in my carry-on instead!
• Bathing suit. I had to borrow a pair of board shorts and wear a t-shirt to float in the Dead Sea. It worked, but I looked like a frump.
• Toothbrush and toothpaste. You might be in a location where you could easily buy these, but I wasn't. I had to borrow some of these Wisps from a kind woman on the tour.
• Travel blanket, in case you're stuck in an airport overnight, crying.
• Socks. Feet get cold on planes.
• Snacks. Candy makes everything better.

3. Never check baggage.