#blog
#istanbul
#lost bag
#memories
#onhisowntrip
#This guy's on his own trip
#tourism
#travel stories
#travellessons
#turkey
You know those travel days that start all calm and sorted, and then somehow turn into a full-blown comedy of errors?
Yeah, this was mine. On my very first Europe trip, of course.

It all began at home while packing. I had two bags, one full of all my outfits and the other full of my comfy PJs. My mom, being the wise woman she is, told me
“Put half PJs and half outfits in both bags. I know you’ll lose one.”
I laughed it off. Spoiler: she was right.

We landed in Istanbul, and from there we had an internal flight to Antalya. Everything seemed fine, until that flight turned into its own mini drama.
Our travel agent, in a plot twist straight out of a sitcom, had booked me and my cousin on a different flight from a different airport (but at the same time). We found this out one hour before departure. Cue chaos.
We rushed to the manager, pleaded for seats on the same flight as the rest of our family. The manager checked and said
“Economy is full. But we have two business class seats available.”
So there I was — stressed, sweaty, but suddenly flying business class for the first time ever… on a 45-minute flight. 😂

Let’s just say, the orange juice tasted extra fancy that day.
Then came the real punchline.
We landed in Antalya, reached the hotel, and that’s when I realized something felt off. My bag. My main bag. Gone.
The one with all my clothes.

Cue panic round two. We rushed back to the airport, checked every counter, showed pictures, begged at the lost baggage section but no luck. My suitcase had vanished into thin air.
Days went by, and we eventually continued our trip.
Finally, on our way back home through Istanbul Airport, we decided to give it one last try. We showed the manager a photo of my bag, she checked the warehouse… and came back holding it.

It felt like finding a long-lost friend.
And yes, my mom’s “I told you so” face was the first thing I saw after that.
So yeah, my first Europe trip was pure chaos: double-airport confusion, lost luggage, and a surprise business-class moment. But looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing.
Because sometimes, the days that go totally wrong end up becoming your funniest, most unforgettable travel memories.