While I went to the restroom and my husband was reading the newspaper and texting at a cafe at the train station,
someone took two pieces of luggage which had been placed with a group of other suitcases and bags stacked across the aisle from us, to give the patrons and waiters easy access. All our clothes for a long weekend in the Black Forest. were gone, along with i-Pad, C-PAP, etc. We just had time enough to give the cafe manager a description of our bags and our contact information before boarding our train. First, we took Rick's advice to deal with it and then keep on
having a good time! We purchased some inexpensive clothes, and then met our granddaughter for her birthday
weekend. The miracle happened when we returned to our hotel room after dinner! A man emailed us who was
traveling with a group and had mistakenly picked up our luggage along with theirs. He will take it back to the
cafe the same day we arrive back in Paris. Lessons learned: (1) Keep your luggage right next to you at all times and be attentive to everything happening around you. (2) Set up a control on your mobile phone, computer, i-Pad, etc., so that if stolen, you can send a signal which locks it and prevents your data from being seen by anyone else. (3) Be sure to file a report with appropriate persons immediately. A business card with your contact information makes it faster. (4) Be thankful for the good, honest people you meet wherever you go.
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
Things like Ipads should be in hand baggage and always kept right beside you.. in fact I keep my purse on my lap.. never on the floor or hanging off the back of the chair..
You were lucky to have just have this be a mix up.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16893 posts
I'm glad that you kept a positive attitude and that everything worked out better than expected! Thanks for sharing. Convenient seats may be hard to find in busy train stations, but if I'm the one in charge of watching the luggage, you can be sure I've got my eye and/or hand/arm/foot on it.
Posted by
San Francisco/Marin County
9420 posts
Laura, you can be my travel partner... : )
Mheri2, glad you got your stuff back. We never, ever take our hands/eyes off our stuff... Ever. We take only what we absolutely need on trips and losing anything would be devastating.
Posted by
Chicago
8027 posts
What a happy outcome. I am in agreement that anything valuable -- the computers, cameras, IDs etc should be in a bag attached to you, in your lap etc. That said my husband has managed to leave our camera bag in a restaurant, his computer in a bar, his glasses on a wall etc etc and with the exception of the glasses, everything has always been safe and sound. However when things are actually taken as opposed to carelessly left behind, it is rare for a good outcome. You have had great good luck.