I arrived in Anchorage Alaska last night …….. and my luggage had been stolen ……. depressing ……. it was scanned showing it on the conveyor and delivered to pick up 5 ……. someone had taken it from the belt but it was not me …… and it was not the Delta chap who was horrified on my behalf ……… totally depressing ……..
I of course had all my cameras with me in my cabin bags so I could still shoot …….. This is the first rule of photojournalism in my book : Number 1 : No cameras in the hold EVER. …….. but I have lighting gear and other photographic odds and ends in the hold bags …….
And I have other important stuff including spare socks and undies and a pile of warm things ………. I was rapidly thinking about all the gear lost ……. would it seriously effect this shoot bla bla ……… and I did think I’m gonna be seriously cold ….. unless i start really seriously shopping pretty fast ……
Luckily who ever had taken the bags …… either lost their nerve at the last moment ….. or came over all good and remorseful …… or at least realized their mistake maybe ? ……. or I suspect most probably realized the bags contained largely a pile of my old thermals and thought I am not touching this stuff whatever happens !!! hehehehe……. Either way they just left my bags out in the road …… And I think they took nothing ……. Mighty policing work by Anchorage International Airports finest officers located the bags out on the exit ramp …… Then rapidly reunited me with my missing bags ……. so the panic was over.
Just as well really because by the time I am stepping out of my vehicle as the light is beginning to fade this evening on the Portage Glacier Highway ……. I was seriously glad to be in my thermal undies I can tell you ……….. hehehehehe…… :-)))))
Cheers Jez XXXXXXXXXX
www.jezblog.com
[ 10 ] comments
- What about the other unwritten rule about having a change of socks, shreddies, a toothbrush and a razor in your hand luggage?!! Even I a mere plebian know that rule…by the way, I moved back to England in July….yessss.
Andrew Parker @ October 25, 2014, 9:10 am
- I go through fazes of having undies and socks in the camera bag …. depending on how critical and how likely I think the hold bags are to disappear …… yes if u r heading for Siberia ….. the bags are more likely to ‘disappear’ and yes u will not be able to buy any first world replacement undies … so its worth the embarrassment of undies in the camera bag …… cos the whole lot is gonna be hand searched in Heathrow and Moscow bla bla ….. its not a full rule in its self …… a bracket following rule one though…… i mean thats as good as a rule and strictly should be regarded as one u r right …… :-)))))Back to good ol’ Blighty fantastic …… which bit bro ? :-)))
Cheers Jez XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Jezblog Anchorage Alaska :-)) @ October 25, 2014, 12:56 pm
- BA lost my bag in T5 this year on the way to Lisbon. A quick trip to HandM when I got there sorted me out clothes wise. Luckily I ALWAYS buy contact lens solution in the departure lounge whenever I travel, just in case, good job as I’d have been really banjaxed on this occasion.
Lee @ October 25, 2014, 9:36 am
- Yes the Banjaxed thing applies to all the actual camera gear …… not so much the undies ……. the joke is AMEX will pay for more clothes if the bags r lost or delayed by airline failure but I never have time to buy any new clothes I end up just sticking to the expected schedule ….. with the socks kinda sticking to me …… until the bag reemerges…. Oh yeah it can be grim :-/Cheers bro Jez XXXXXX
Jezblog Anchorage Alaska :-)) @ October 25, 2014, 1:00 pm
- Well I suppose as Alaska is sold as the “last frontier” you are going to get some document, old west types who act like the frontier folk of the old legends…and Rob unsuspecting travellers, hope that they get rounded up by the posse and that justice is summarily served up to the thieving little idiots :))
Wyatt Earp xx @ October 25, 2014, 10:23 am
- That did occur to me ……. the last frontier appeared to more ‘Old West’ than I was kinda of expecting … yeah Alaska its a funny place with that kinda hanging over me as my first experience wheels down in Anchorage ……. by the time u get way up north I think everything totally falls away ……… it really is survivalist territory up there…… even the bears are armed to the teeth … and meet out justice as they think fit :-/ :-))))Cheers bro Jez XXXXXXXXXXX
Jezblog Anchorage Alaska :-)) @ October 25, 2014, 1:06 pm
- I tried very hard to find Michelle Shocked’s Anchorage on YouTube to link with this post but drew a blank. Better leave it to the clever media types.
Lee @ October 25, 2014, 6:49 pm
- Yeah u r so righty…. weirdly its everyone else doin it not her …. I am another one doing the singing myself Inc …. “Anchored down in Anchorage Alaska” …. ‘hey Chelle we were wild then’ …… ‘Leroy says send a picture ….. Leyroy says hello ………’U have to sing it yourself up here cos there is no radio …… in some parts nothing at all on the FM dial ……. which does make u feel u have come to the edge of the known world…….
Talkin of Anchored down …… Weirdly I am staying in the Anchor Inn …… the only hotel in town….. in the town of Whittier …. a place within striking distance of 26 glaciers ….. a place that can only be approached by sea or down a 2.5 mile rail tunnel…… weirdly u have to drive on the tracks……… in a single track rail tunnel ….. its way odd ……. and kinda freaky……… that is a completely new one on me……..
Yeah Alaska…… I recommend it ….. well its great to visit :-))))) prob best not to get Anchored down hehehe……..
Cheers bro Jez XXXXXXX
Jezblog Whittier Alaska :-)) @ October 26, 2014, 1:15 am
- If you have a few minutes, Alaska, like other chilly spots, would be a good place to fit in a little undie and sock shopping – at least you’ll get stuff that can handle the elements, Really glad to read you got yer stuff though, I think airlines conspire against me as I have “lost” my luggage just too many times!
Jo @ October 26, 2014, 10:05 am
- Yes I already bought a kind of survival jacket thingy….. it might be wise to get more still :-))) …… Yeah I felt pretty lucky….. it does not get closer to not see in your stuff again than that one….. a 9.5 on the richter scale of lost bags ….. where 10 is u never see any of it ever again……Cheers Jez XXXXXXXX
Jezblog Whittier Alaska :-)) @ October 26, 2014, 1:11 pm
