The ideal outfit for flying/when your luggage goes missing
Tuesday 18 June 2013
Every single time I've stood at a luggage carousel, I've been convinced my luggage wouldn't arrive. I've waited, as mine is inevitably lagging towards the end, and with each minute I've talked myself into thinking it is missing. I'm always amazed when it eventually appears.
A few weeks ago, when I was standing in the airport in the Seychelles, I was again waiting at the carousel. And waiting. And waiting. After the room cleared out, it became clear that my bag wouldn't be making an appearance. Selfishly, I was relieved that I wasn't the only one. All five of us were without luggage. Our bags had decided to stick around in Abu Dhabi.
As we filled out forms, I took a mental checklist of the contents of my handbag. No sunscreen. No knickers. No bikini. I did have a little toothbrush from the flight (let that be a lesson to you - never leave ANY freebie on the plane) and a few sachets from Kiehls that I'd picked up at Gatwick a few weeks before. I think I had lip balm too.
AND THAT WAS IT.
Luckily, the people organising the trip were good enough to get us a few bits at the super expensive hotel shop. So I soon had the essentials - a bikini and flip flops. But, until the following day at least, it was the clothes on my back that would see me through.
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| Do you see the fork in that picture? Honest to God, I almost combed my hair with it. Like Ariel. |
It turns out, my travelling outfit actually worked pretty well. Now, obviously, if you are afraid of your bags going missing, you'll probably be more sensible than I am, and pack a few spare bits in your hand luggage. But in case you want some of my possibly useless advice, I'll give it.
What I Wore
I'd planned my outfit mostly with the flight in mind. I wanted something stretchy, comfortable, that wouldn't crease as I slept. I didn't want to look too rough (as I was meeting new people, going to the lounge etc) but I wasn't dressing up either. I went with good thick leggings, a lycra skirt I threw on when I looked at my fat thighs in leggings, a vest top and a denim shirt. Oh, and runners, and my big scarf.
I was comfy, I was warm, but I could strip down if I needed to. I was set!
And my, the options I had when we touched down. It was 30 degrees, so during the day I wore my lycra skirt, which gave me the most attractive muffin top in the world, and my vest top. So I was easy breezy. Come evening time, I could switch to the leggings (mozzie bite protection) and throw on the shirt if I needed to.
But I must say, by the second day, we all looked a right state. As a girl on the trip pointed out, putting sweaty clothes back on after a shower was enough to bring tears to your eyes. I'd also decided to wear a sports bra for the flight, and that was not fun to keep squeezing into.
Our bags arrived the next evening, after a fraught experience getting them to our island. It was a tearful reunion, which was jollied along by an ice cold beer.
Has your luggage ever gone walkabout? Do you do what every mother ever has advised, and carry a spare pair of pants with you?! Tell me everything!
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