I'm trying to think If I've ever had a longer day than the one I just experienced and I'm having a hard time coming up with anything that comes close. There were long bus trips in Sumatra and Flores, long train journeys in Australia and Java, but nothing really compares to the this day. Let me explain.

My flight left Bali around midnight. Don't ask me why, but all flights off the island seem to leave at some ungodly hour. It's 7 hours to Narita where I had an 8 hour lay over. Luckily, I had done that before, so I knew where to go. I spent the day wandering around the temples in Narita. I had great sushi. It was fantastic. Back to the airport, it was about 9 hours from Narita to SFO. I arrived in one piece, collected my bags and headed home.

I had about 2 hours to get everything sorted out. I showered, changed, unpacked, repacked, reacquainted myself with the cats and hightailed it to Oakland airport to catch the JetBlue to Boston. I had to change planes in JFK because of a late change in itinerary because of the Asia trip. That turned out to be a nightmare.

I made the connection fine, but my luggage didn't. I had that sinking feeling while I was sitting watching the bags circle the carousel and was completely demoralized when it stopped and my bag was nowhere to be found.

JetBlue was less than helpful. I was dealing with Rachael in lost luggage. What a peach. It was after midnight and if anyone wanted to get out of the airport worse than me, it was Rachel. No excuse for being a callow bitch though. She's in customer service. Anyway, she was less than sympathetic when she explained that my baggage was still in New York and wouldn't be arriving until the next morning.

Now I had a business meeting the next morning and the prospect of wearing the same clothes as I currently had on my back, sweaty and dirty from the cross country flight, plus not having a toothbrush, plus being on various planes and waiting at 6 different airports for this and that didn't put me in the best of humors. I couldn't believe JetBlue was so nonchalant about it. I couldn't believe that they didn't offer some compensation. We're so sorry. We know how difficult this can be. We'll try to get your bags as soon as possible. Meanwhile, here's 20 bucks to buy some toiletries. There was nothing. I yelled a little. It made me feel better, but didn't conjure up my luggage. So I left in huff, not feeling very good about anything.

I waited at the airport for another 20 minutes until finally a taxi that would accept credit cards arrived. Apparently, this is a real problem in Boston. My hotel, the Interncontinental, was only about a 20 dollar ride to the airport, so it was close, but when I got there, more bad news. The place was full. No rooms. I said, how could this be. I called earlier today to confirm my room and let you know about my late arrival. We're sorry, they said. Some people who were supposed to check out didn't and there's nothing we can do. Kick them out, I thought, but didn't say. At this point, I just wanted this nightmare over.

At least the Incontental was cordial. They gave me 40 bucks in cash for the taxi that would take me to another hotel. I thought, 40 bucks? where is this fucking place, but it turned out to be just around the corner. The ride cost 3 dollars and change. The people at the next hotel, The Langham, were expecting me and exceedingly gracious. I signed something, I think, and they gave me a key. The room was fine. I was so happy to have a bed I nearly cried. A few minutes later there was a knock on the door. Here was a vale bringing a toothbrush, toothpaste and a shaving kit. i slept like a baby.

The nxt morning, I walked the two blocks back to the Intercontinental. Not having any luggage made this very easy. When I checked in, they put me in a suite. The room was amazing.

So all's well that ends well, I suppose. I did have to go to the first day of the meeting in my dirty air-traveled clothes, but my luggage arrived that morning and I was ale to take a shower and change at lunch in my massive suite. Pretty sweet.

I haven't really calculated how long I was in the air and in transit, but, beleive me, it was a long ass time. At least 20 hours in the air and almost as many in between flights. 6 airports, Denpassar, Narita, SFO, Oakland, JFK and Logan. 4 flights. 3 layovers. Only 1 lost bag.