A L S O +T O D A Y Is it safe for women to travel solo? Swap tips and tales from the road in Table Talk Road Warrior Expat's guide: Cost-cutting and culture-exploring in Tokyo (12/15/97) Tip of the Week An expert's tips on dealing with jet lag (12/15/97) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Browse the Wanderlust archives - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Your virtual travel agency - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -		I N F O R M E D_S O U R C E S - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The airline lost my luggage! Now what? One of the least pleasant experiences road warriors encounter is the old lost luggage syndrome. To our mind, it's like the old flat tire syndrome: If you drive enough miles in your life, sooner or later you're going to have to deal with a flat tire; and if you fly enough miles in your life, someday your luggage and you will part ways. You get off the plane, make your way to the baggage carousel -- and wait, and wait, and wait. All around you fellow passengers pick up their bags and hustle off to taxis and rental cars. As the minutes go by, the crowd thins and thins -- and your suspicions thicken. Before long you are alone, the carousel has stopped moving and your bags are nowhere in sight. What do you do then? A road warrior in distress poses this question this week. Well, what do you do? And do you anticipate the inevitable by always packing an extra outfit in your carry-on? And while you're thinking about these matters, you might also want to answer her accompanying question (which has become a thread in Wanderlust's Table Talk area): What are your absolutely essential packables -- that is, what won't you leave home without? Send your answers to wanderlust@salonmagazine.com. Two weeks ago, I was traveling to Mexico and my bag was lost for two days. It was tropical and I was wearing heavy jeans. Needless to say, it was not a fun experience. I wanted to find out how frequent fliers deal with having their luggage lost. And, when preparing for a trip, what do they pack that is absolutely essential to them? -- Brigitte Philipp SALON | Dec. 15, 1997 < - - - - Return to R O A D_W A R R I O R