The search for lost luggage...

It was inevitable. All of these years of traveling and I had never lost a bag. I've heard horror stories of people going on vacation and to finally arrive at their destination with no underwear, toothpaste or bathing suit for the beach! Usually though when this happens, the passenger isn't in a position to literally go search for their lost luggage on foot. Here is how it went...

On Friday morning we left California bound for Venice, Italy. I was ecstatic because Italy is one of my favorite countries and I was going to visit one of the few larger Italian cities I hadn't explored yet. We were taking a famous female actress to the Film Festival and I was hoping that while we were there, I might get to see the likes of George Clooney or Brad Pitt. Of course, it didn't hurt that I was about to tour such an extraordinary city filled with old buildings and gondoliers rowing through the tiny canals.

When our passengers departed the plane, all I could think about was the proscuitto sandwich I was going to have for lunch and maybe even a nice glass of red wine to wind down my day. As our car pulled up to the plane to pick us up, I was noticing that everyone seemed to have a lot of luggage...everyone except me! I couldn't find my black rolling bag ANYWHERE and we realized that my luggage had gone with the passengers! At first, I didn't panic. It was quite funny thinking that this famous/rich actress would think that my shoddy Kenneth Cole REACTION suitcase would actually be part of their entourage. It really just didn't fit in with the Louis Vuitton baggage. One of the pilots called the broker to let him know what had happened so surely within a few hours I would have my luggage back in my hands (I was leaving for Spain early the next morning). I had no idea that my only day in Venice would be filled with stalking a movie star to get my luggage back! After a few hours, nobody knew where the passengers were staying. We didn't know the name of the hotel and the personal assistant was not answering her Italian phone. I knew that they were in press meetings and movie premiers all day, but I was getting extremely nervous. After about 5 hours of making phone calls, I finally found out what hotel they were staying at. We still couldn't reach any of the passengers on the phone to let them know we needed the luggage back, so we decided to head to their hotel! Of course, finding the hotel in Venice was not easy but we finally made it to the reception area. The captain and I tried explaining that one of their guests had my luggage, but when we told the concierge who had my luggage, he raised his eyebrow. Certainly he was thinking I was just part of the paparazzi or some crazy stalker that was trying to get close to the movie star. When he had told me he would "try" to see what he could do, I almost broke down in tears. AND THEN the amazing happened. Out of the elevator right in front of me was her makeup artist and hair stylist!!!! I was so excited to see them and said, "Oh my god I was hoping I would see you!!!!" and their reaction was, "Ohhhh Hi!!!!!! Are you staying at this hotel too????!?!"
When I explained what happened to my bag the makeup guy said that he had the bag in his room and was wondering whose it was. We went to his room and waiting patiently next to the door was my trusty black rolling bag with its little yellow ribbon tied to the handle.

Over a yummy Italian dinner, my crew laughed at the interesting day they had spent looking for my lost luggage. If we hadn't been at the right place at the right time, I'm certain that I wouldn't have gotten my bag back and what's a girl to do without a bathing suit in Ibiza?!

Aside from everything that happened that day, being in Venice made up for it all. Venice was by far one of the most magnificent cities I have ever seen. Every single corner we turned was so picturesque that it really seemed like I was walking through a movie set. I did take many photos, but there is no way to capture the the smell of the pizza shops at dinner time, or the clanking of wine glasses, or the conversations in Italian that echoed through the narrow alleyways and down the canals throughout the town.


I would do it all over again in a heartbeat!

For more photos of Venice, click below the last photo.