Left Behind

We were about an hour away from Key Largo and on our way home when I reached a hand up out of habit to touch my ear and adjust my earring. Immediately my other hand flew to the other ear and I yelled, "Oh no!"

Now I should know better than to yell something like that while Bob is driving. He touched the brakes and said, "What's wrong?" Traffic began whizzing past us.

"I left my earrings in the little dish beside the bed." I looked down at my wrist to see what time it was. "And my watch, too," I whined.

Sucking in a deep breath, Bob found a turn around point and we headed back down US 1 to Key Largo. The only problem we could see was that we wouldn't be able to get through the gate to the condo without the passkey. We knew where the key was for the condo but the gate would be a challenge.

I texted the condo owner but she responded that she wouldn't be there for a couple more hours. We traveled on and when we arrived at the gate, we pulled over a bit and waited. Surely someone would come in and we could slip in behind them. When no one did, we went to the call box and tried the main office. No answer. I suddenly remembered the name of someone we played tennis with and through a process of deduction, we figured out what his number was on the call box.

He was confused as Bob tried to explain what was wrong but eventually he opened the gate remotely and we were able to retrieve my left-behind items.

I'd like to say that's the only time we've done that but I lost a pretty robe and had to retrieve contact lenses on another trip. Bob has left behind a pair of pants and once left a camera in a rental car's glove compartment. The camera disappeared quickly.

According to an article on Smarter Travel, some of
the most common items left behind in hotels are jewelry, toiletries, charger cords, eyeglasses, clothes, keys, and surprisingly dentures and laptops. Now who would leave their teeth behind? And a laptop? That's the first thing that goes back in my backpack when we travel.

Want to avoid leaving things behind? I find that packing everything up the night before and laying out your clothes to wear the next day along with those last minute items to stuff in helps. Charge your electronics the night before and then pack them and their cords. It's not a perfect system but it's all I have. What about you?