Wo betide the travelers with their misplaced bags. Verily they are cast upon foreign shores with neither underdrews or unmentionables….It shall be a saga for like all great tales there are beasts and peril 

More seriously as we’ve reached day 4 of our checked luggage not catching us and it’s now in the chase game I thought I’d move it to a separate section in order to just update it there.

On Sunday when we arrived in Oslo our luggage did not arrive with us. According to United it made it to Dublin but it didn’t make it to Oslo. Attending upon the SAS baggage desk – which had a ‘grab a number system’ and the LED number signs above the 4 members of staff should have been an obvious indicator of the shenanigans involved. The first question of “Do you have travel insurance” should have also been a flashing warning sign.

On submitting my PIR form depicting our lost luggage I was informed a group of luggage had not made it from Dublin – inspecting the line forming behind me and the growing wrath of travelers, Renee and I fled to the train system – we provided both our address in Oslo and our future address in Stavanger. The staff seemed to struggle with the fact that we were going to be in Europe for more than a few days and implied that we could see it back in America or based on the Nordic baggage system let’s call it the New World.

After the first day (Monday) we received a text saying that our baggage had been found and was on the way to the Departure Airport. I mean specifying the airport would be nice but no…. By Tuesday night we had not seen any sign of bags so Wednesday morning we planned to venture forth and find Renee additional socks and more undergarments. Alan of course had packed sink washable clothes because he sees any trip like he’s off to darkest Africa. His mother taught him this. Monday night, I called United Premier support who did confirm that it had hit Ireland and then moved onto Heathrow and was expected to be on a flight to Oslo – they couldn’t help us further because they weren’t the final carrier. 

Wednesday morning we called SAS and after a 30 minute wait (International Roaming) we chatted with a Swedish lady (if you wish to comment we were in Norway, why yes, yes we are) who let us know today it would be in Oslo landing at 6pm. We foolishly expected it would find it’s way to us on the late hotel delivery (11pm) – we were to be wrong again! However with Alan’s cynicism in force we went and purchased a collapsible day back and the planned unmentionables for Renee. 

Thursday Morning – still no bags. We looked out and found the world was bare of bags and wanting. Renee went out to buy some more socks. There are never enough socks – it’s not a towel you need, its socks obviously. Thanks Douglas Adams. I stayed at the hotel to battle the mightiest of Demons – the wait queue. After 2 hours and over $20 of international minutes someone answered – I had this morning updated the baggage delivery to Stavanger because I didn’t trust their system to have multiple addresses. I asked if I’d gone to the Airport to collect the bags is that possible and I had an hour and a half to do it in – they stated that wasn’t long enough to find a minion of evil to escort us back into their goblin lair to locate the bags – or as they referred to it “Airport staff”. So no…. Renee returned and drinking our own tears of sorrow we headed to the train station. 

I have now evolved to a base level Poke Form called Packmule with 2 backpacks, a cross bag and a collapsible backpack. Renee is carrying a bag with some soda’s and sandwiches so she’s guaranteed I won’t lose her.

At the train station I spent $60 buying a pair of jeans so that now Renee and I both have 2 sets of clothes. We’ll call them even and odd in order to do laundry. I mean we don’t have the space in our carry on bags which have weight limits so if the bags don’t reach us before we head to Sweden we’ll be buying a bigger carry-on and just point the bags ahead of us to Yorkshire. We were informed by the staff of Dressman XL (in the Oslo train station) that half their customers seem to be people whose bags have been lost. This didn’t make us feel better. When it comes to bags shared sorrow doesn’t cut it. 

UPDATE: We arrived in Stavanger and our Bags were here – so they couldn’t make it from Oslo to a hotel in Oslo but managed to cross the country to a hotel in Stavanger….. Now we have to just pack our extra stuff in and make weight limits…..

UPDATE: Monday Sept 5th – so we flew from Stavanger to Stockholm. Once again SAS has lost my bag but not Renee’s. I mean consolation they had a ’care’ kit for me with a plastic razor and a white t-shirt. Maybe the universe is telling me to survive on less. I mean the adventure continues.

UPDATE: Tuesday Sept 6th – my bag has turned up in one day in Stockholm – so far Sweden SAS wins for efficiency. Where else will my bag go this trip?? I mean its with me from here to Copenhagen so we’ll have to see