I was on my way to Toronto.....and the first action that started the ripple effect happened.
I was checking my luggage at SLC international. I had done this many times, and everything seemed normal. The woman had not properly verified my passport and this action started a whole bunch of events for the worst travel day ever!
At the gate, I had to stop, and be reverified. Because they (Delta crew) were in a hurry to get my on board, I was not allowed to put my passport back in my bag. On the plane, I was hurrying to get my bag in the overhead compartment. I had my passport in my hand, and unknowingly, let it drop behind my bag. This was my fault, and had it been a Seinfeld episode, there would have been a close-up shot of my passport dropping. I did not realize me error until I got to JFK airport in NYC.
At the gate to Toronto, I realized my passport was missing. I went to the Delta gate reps for help. They dropped my Toronto flight, as I would not make it. After combing the plane, the cleaning crew said they could not find my passport. I was forced to cancel my plans, and head back to SLC. I could have gone into Manhattan to passport control to get a temporary passport, but I didn't feel good about that, and the idea of going into Manhattan did not appeal to me at all.
While waiting at the gate to return to SLC, Delta reps came running up to me with passport in hand. A flight attendant had found it in the overhead compartment. I went back, booked another flight to Toronto, got my bag rerouted - or so I thought.
Upon finally arriving in Toronto, I learned that my bag had been sent to SLC. My entire day was shot. I called my niece to let her know I was in Canada. We discussed my problem and we decided that I should cancel my hotel, and she would come and get me. I had enough clothing to get me through a day, and my meds, but not my c-pap breathing machine for when I sleep.
For the next two hours I wandered Pearson International, as the Toronto airport is called. I bought a Toronto t-shirt on sale, as I needed an extra shirt. I exchanged money, and I watched, with fascination, a family waiting for visiting grandparents.
The Saga of Little Stinker
A mother and her two girls, about 3 and 5 yrs, were waiting for grandma and grandpa to arrive. The eldest girl was named Poppy. As five year olds do, she was running around the arrivals hall with her little sister following her everywhere. Poppy would call to her little sister, "Come on, Little Stinker!" "Mom, Little Stinker won't come!" etc. My first thought was Little Stinker, as younger sisters will do, would eventually get back at her sister. My second thought is that parents need to be careful what pet names they give their children! Mom realized this as the words "Little Stinker" echoed throughout the hall, and everyone turned to watch the three-year-old. She told Poppy to stop calling her little sister by that name, and Poppy innocently, and a bit confused, looked to her mom and said "But, you do!" I had to learn the real name of this child. I had to wait until the grandparents arrived to learn that her name was/is Beatrice.
Back to the Bag
Delta had started a search for my bag. By the time my niece arrived, SLC had already received it, and sent it back to Toronto. It would arrive 28 hours later to the house.
I have learned many lessons!
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