That one time I almost didn’t make it to Turkey.
So the thing I always feared most in a foreign airport happened.
I put my passport down somewhere after security but before reaching my boarding gate. Naturally, I only realised this whilst lazily queuing to board my flight to Istanbul. You know when they announce “Ladies and Gentlemen, please have your passport open to the photo page and boarding pass ready” Well, I only noticed THEN. Immediately I panicked, assumed I would miss said flight, broke out of the line and sprinted back to all the places I had been wasting time in.
WHS, Boots, a coffee shop, and the currency exchange girls who got a mouthful from a crazed Australian. Very calmly she asked if I had been back through security to look for it. Jesus! I mean how could she be so CALM! “NO!?” I exclaimed thinking why on earth would I backtrack that far, I obviously came through security with it safely.
“Because. They have been calling a Lauren Baldwin to lost property for the last 5 minutes” she smirked. Oh. Oops. I could have kissed her as I raced back through to security and by the look on my face the officer who saw me coming called out “I presume you’re Lauren?”
While handing me back my prized passport with boarding pass still slotted inside. I thanked him and whoever the good samaritan was that had the good grace to hand it in, sprinted back for my flight which was closing, and literally just made it. I had so much adrenalin pumping I must of looked like I’d just had 7 lines of cocaine.
Let’s just say for the next 3.5 hour flight to Turkey I thanked my lucky travel guardian angel, (while also cursing my level of fitness – my legs cramped the whole way to Istanbul, thanks to the Olympic sprints I’d just busted out!)
Moral of the story. When travelling, even if you do it often like myself: Don’t become complacent. Never let your passport, wallet or phone out of your sight for even 10 seconds!
The good news is I’m safely in Istanbul. And It’s amazing.