I left Zagreb Tuesday morning, flying to Nashville TN for a CECEF board meeting.  (CECEF = Central European Christian Education Foundation; this is the American board of directors and fundraising arm of Biblijski institut.)

Travel drama: my flight was supposed to leave Zagreb at 10.15, but when I arrived the person at the Air Canada desk told me that it was delayed until 2.15.

Four hour delay.  I tried to call Beth to come back to the airport, but the ringer on her phone was off.  By the time I got back to her, it was after 10.00, and I was already through security, so I told her not to worry about it.

Flight didn’t take off until around 4.30, well over a six hour delay.  With my original flight, I had a six hour layover in Toronto (YYZ, y’all!).  So I was quite worried that I wouldn’t make my flight from Toronto to Nashville.

We get to Toronto in record time, so I land with just enough time to make it through Canadian / US customs.  So I race through, or attempt to do so.  Customs in Toronto involves a whole lot of standing in line and a whole lot of staring at a huge display monitor, waiting for the system to process your virtual paperwork.

So I’m rushing and rushing, only to find that my flight from Toronto to Nashville has been delayed.  Perfect.  My 8.15 flight ends up taking off more than an hour late, almost 90 minutes.

Finally get to Nashville, and … my suitcase doesn’t arrive with me.

THIS IS WHAT KILLS ME.  My original plane had mechanical problems, and weather and other issues made the flight out of Toronto late; I get all that.  But when I’m sitting at the gate for well over an hour, and I’m on the ground for well over two hours, WHY CAN’T YOU GET MY SUITCASE ONTO THE PLANE WITH ME???

Argh.

And it’s not like this is the first time.

In my last 5 trips FROM Zagreb to the USA, my luggage has arrived in the USA with me ONE TIME.

2x bags were delayed 24 hours
1x bags were delayed 120 hours
(Once I used only carryons, so the airlines get no credit.)

Anyway.  My bag arrived in Nashville yesterday, and I was able to get to Lexington to see my kids.  More CECEF board meeting stuff tomorrow and Saturday, then back to LEX.