An Unwelcome Surprise

5/8/2014 4 pm
I'm at the gate boarding my plane in an hour or so and decide to get a cup of coffee.  Check to see I have my credit and debit cards. I don't have them with me!   I check and look in all the places.   This is not possible!  They have to be in the belt pack in which I carry everything important money, passport etc. I check and recheck. Fly to Ukraine with no money?  Cancel my trip?  Where did they go?   I remember putting them in the zipper pocket of my pack.  Did someone take them out of it when I put it in the tray you put stuff in to go through security?  No, cuz they left the money I had in the pack.  So I call the Broker that has my debit card bank account.  I get this really great guy on the line who spends at least 45 minutes trying to walk me thru writing a hand letter (they need my signature) to authorize sending me a new card to my hotel in Ukraine --- taking a picture of the letter -- attaching it to an email -- then going online to my account to send a secure message -- I can't just email it -- this all under great pressure as I am dealing with a new smart phone -- and under the gun because they are boarding the plane as I do this.  The final step fails as the free WIFI for United Airlines requires you to agree to their disclaimer and I can't find the check box on the screen nor can the guy in the check in counter argh!  So I have to board the plane, or cancel my trip. Times up.  OK I'm going. And now they have no room for my carry on bag so I have to check it!  I travel light but by being almost the last one to board ... oh well. I get to my seat and open the rack above it.  It's empty.  I run back up the aisle ,.. they let me retrieve my bag and I stowe it above my seat.  My luck is turning!  I sit down, we take off and it dawns on me.  Being extra cautious I copied my credit card and debit card in case they got lost on this trip.  They must still be on the copy machine at home!  I haven't been able to reach my neighbor by phone or email but maybe in Munich, our stopover I'll get her and she can Fedex them to me.  And I have enough cash if the hotel believes my story to hold me for a couple of days.
So you thought I was nuts to go to Ukraine?  How about I told you I was going to do it without money?  Well, fortunately, knowing that the weak local currency could make dollars useful I brought a few, not enough if I don't get my credit cards but I will somehow.  Right?  So the adventure begins before I planned and certainly not what I was looking for.  But, one side benefit.   This should make you feel better about yourself.  Certainly you wouldn't do anything this stupid.

Thanks for reading.  I'll let you know how this turns out and, hopefully, get on with the the planned adventure I planned on blogging!