I wrote this as a post recently to share with friends on social media, and then decided I’d share it here. 
I don't remember if I told anyone about my crazy journey to arrive in Crete last summer, but it is definitely worth telling! It starts with my arrival onto the airplane that was the 2nd leg of the trip from Washington DC- or was it JFK? to Geneva.  
The carry-on bag I brought wasn't in great condition, but it had made it through several other trips, so I thought it would be ok for another one. Not so, but at least it cooperated to some extent. As soon as I was comfortably seated on the 2nd flight- the international one- I unzipped the bag to get something out, and the zipper just completely fell apart. I was able to pin it back together with safety pins so that things wouldn't fall out before I got where I was going, but it was shot. 
When I arrived in Geneva, I didn't know how much time I had between flights, but it didn't turn out to be much at all. I had to get my passport out of my bag for going through customs, and that meant I had to fix the safety pins all over again.  I like to keep my passport all the way inside the bag where it would be hard to lose.  It didn't take too long to get through customs, and if I'd known exactly where to go, it might have worked out ok, but I didn't see many signs and didn't want to go the wrong way. 
When I tried to ask someone, they told me to go the direction that would have had me leaving security. I knew that wasn't right. Before I figured out which way to go, I already knew my flight was about to leave. It might have been 20 min since I got off the last flight, but I’m pretty sure it was less. Finally I decided to just go in the direction straight ahead, which now meant there was a line of people to go through security (though I hadn't left security) that wasn't there a few minutes before. By the time I got through I had definitely missed the flight, so I went to an information desk.  
They already knew about it, and had my next flight already figured out. It wasn't gonna leave for another 2-3 hrs, and would mean another flight change, so that instead of 3 total flights from NC to Crete, it would be 4. Ahhh!  Oh well. 
I decided the best thing to do with my 2-3 hr layover was look for a new carry-on bag.  I took my time looking in 2-3 different stores in their Duty-Free area over and over again and comparing which ones were better. The bags were all more than I wanted to pay, but I finally decided on a nice, well made Swiss backpack, and carried that and my pinned together bag carefully to a good seat with plenty of free space.  
I sat and very carefully transferred everything from one bag to the other.  After I'd double & triple-checked the falling apart bag, and knew I had everything in the new bag, I was happy to toss that old one in the trash, which I don't remember ever doing with such a thing in an airport before. And was on my way to the next gate.  So I found somewhere to sit and snooze, as it was way past midnight, NC time. 
It seemed like a beautiful day in Geneva by the way…  And while landing, everything you could see from the airplane looked so clean and fresh, and just beautiful. And in the airport, all the ceilings were kind of made of windows, as well as most of the airport so you could tell it was a beautiful day outside.  Somehow the next few hours went by, sitting there, wanting a good nap, but not really being able to actually sleep.  And I was on my way to Athens. 
Was it on that flight, or the next one to Crete? I started to wonder if my suitcase would be there when I arrived? As I arrived in Crete, I had the sinking feeling my suitcase would not be there. After leaving the airplane, I went straight to the desk for lost luggage, and they told me to go to the baggage claim and wait. 
I did as instructed but knew it wasn't going to be there. Sure enough, I was back there a few minutes later asking about my bag. Something about the flight crew on the way to Athens and Crete, as well as the people working in the airports, didn't give me any confidence that my bag would arrive, though they were really nice. They took all my info and told me they would deliver my bag to where I was staying. 
Since I was only planning to stay in that city for 1 night, I was also really not confident it would arrive before it was time for me to take a 2 hr bus the next day, and had no expectation of it arriving there. But I went out with my new Swiss backpack, and followed all the printed-out directions I had brought of how to get to the hotel by bus. Which was actually pretty easy, all things considered. And arrived a few blocks from the hotel a few minutes later. 
I followed the directions and arrived with my heavy backpack at the hotel I had booked, and found it very much under construction.  As if it had not opened for business yet at all! It looked really nice online, with a balcony, and there was no indication it was brand new.  Feeling skeptical, I walked in and to the front desk, where the super friendly hotel guy told me the hotel was overbooked and I would be staying somewhere down the street. ?? 
What?? Although I was carrying a lighter load than I would have been with my suitcase, my backpack was still heavy..! I told the guy I had to have someone walk me there, as I was in no mood for any other adventures trying to find it. (And by this time it was sometime the next afternoon after I’d been traveling since the day before my time with no sleep.) He walked me there a few minutes later, and it did turn out to be just around the corner.  
During that time I had also stressed to him (because I was kind of still a little stressed myself) that my suitcase was supposed to be arriving from the airport, so how would they know where I was staying now? They assured me it would arrive, but I really didn't believe them. Though they had a really relaxed attitude about the whole thing, and I got the impression this happened a lot. So I arrived and checked into my room, and it did turn out to be as nice as I was expecting the other one to to be. I rinsed off, talked to my partner out on the balcony, which was lovely. Texted my mom & sister that I had arrived. Got ready and went out to find some dinner. 
I found this really wonderful place with a view of the sea, and it was not too pricey.  I ordered a house glass of wine (the prices really were pretty good.!), an appetizer that was very much like a Greek version of Bruschetta and vegetarian stuffed tomatoes.  It was all sooo delicious, and I even brought some back to the room that I ended up having in the middle of the night, out on the balcony. I had gone right to sleep, but woke up, oddly- jet-lag! I also did explore some of the lovely shops on the way to the restaurant & back & decided on 1 skirt and some soap in case my suitcase didn't arrive. I knew it wasn't enough if the luggage never arrived, but I only wanted to buy clothes I actually liked. That wasn't hard to find, but I also didn't want to spend too much.  And I loved that skirt! So I got that and hoped for the best. 
The next morning, I went to the front desk to ask about my suitcase.  And, as if by magic, there it was..!  
I was honestly really amazed.  And I got the impression that this kind of thing happens there all the time!  I’m not sure it ends up being less work for them, but they seem to be really good at getting you your suitcase quickly if it doesn’t arrive with you.    
In any case, that adventure was definitely fitting for my one of my Grandpa’s Birthdays, whose birthday it was that day. He told us about many such traveling adventures.  And having my suitcase arrive on my birthday definitely felt like a great way to start the day!  
Hope you enjoyed my long story- I definitely felt like it was worth telling! :)
But the thing I still remember so vividly, is looking out the window from the airplane in the 30 min or so before we landed, and seeing that water- and hearing in my head- YES!! This is exactly why I came here- just the sight of it felt like something soothing to my soul.  And something I really felt at that moment.
I definitely found this trip to be important on my healing journey. So maybe I’ll share more about that soon.
In the meantime, thank you for reading!