Follow the Bouncing Suitcase

Our route to Kazakhstan involved two stops after leaving Los Angeles.  Thus, we shipped some of our excess baggage - items we'd need on arrival - straight to Washington DC from where we would check it on the plane with us.  Unfortunately, due to the holiday, one of our suitcases didn't make it to DC in time to travel on with us (in retrospect, perhaps it was lucky that three of the cases did make it to DC in time).

Below, in reverse chronological order (pardon the formatting), is the path it took via first,UPS and later DHL, before being delivered to our doorstep on Christmas afternoon, our "Christmas miracle."

Thursday, December 19, 2013		Location	Time
19	Clearance event	ALMATY - KAZAKHSTAN	13:30
Friday, December 13, 2013		Location	Time
18	Clearance event	ALMATY - KAZAKHSTAN	15:53
17	Processed for clearance at ALMATY - KAZAKHSTAN	ALMATY - KAZAKHSTAN	08:14
16	Arrived at Sort Facility ALMATY - KAZAKHSTAN	ALMATY - KAZAKHSTAN	05:47
15	Customs status updated	ALMATY - KAZAKHSTAN	00:54
Thursday, December 12, 2013		Location	Time
14	Departed Facility in AMSTERDAM - NETHERLANDS, THE	AMSTERDAM - NETHERLANDS, THE	15:47
Wednesday, December 11, 2013		Location	Time
13	Shipment on hold	AMSTERDAM - NETHERLANDS, THE	12:03
12	Processed at AMSTERDAM - NETHERLANDS, THE	AMSTERDAM - NETHERLANDS, THE	11:44
11	Arrived at Sort Facility AMSTERDAM - NETHERLANDS, THE	AMSTERDAM - NETHERLANDS, THE	05:36
10	Departed Facility in LEIPZIG - GERMANY	LEIPZIG - GERMANY	04:10
9	Processed at LEIPZIG - GERMANY	LEIPZIG - GERMANY	02:20
8	Arrived at Sort Facility LEIPZIG - GERMANY	LEIPZIG - GERMANY	01:06
Tuesday, December 10, 2013		Location	Time
7	Departed Facility in CINCINNATI HUB - USA	CINCINNATI HUB, OH - USA	09:42
6	Processed at CINCINNATI HUB - USA	CINCINNATI HUB, OH - USA	02:24
Sunday, December 08, 2013		Location	Time
5	Processed at CINCINNATI HUB - USA	CINCINNATI HUB, OH - USA	17:41
4	Arrived at Sort Facility CINCINNATI HUB - USA	CINCINNATI HUB, OH - USA	14:01
Friday, December 06, 2013		Location	Time
3	Departed Facility in WASHINGTON - RONALD REAGAN NATIONAL - USA	WASHINGTON - RONALD REAGAN NATIONAL, DC - USA	21:03
2	Processed at WASHINGTON - RONALD REAGAN NATIONAL - USA	WASHINGTON - RONALD REAGAN NATIONAL, DC - USA	21:01
1	Shipment picked up	WASHINGTON - RONALD REAGAN NATIONAL, DC - USA	17:20

Location	Date	Local Time	Activity
Alexandria, VA, United States	12/04/2013	9:03 A.M.	The Delivery Intercept request for this package was successfully completed. / As requested, the receiver will pickup at a UPS facility at their convenience. This must be within 5 business days. View Pickup Location Information
	12/04/2013	6:09 A.M.	Destination Scan
	12/04/2013	5:08 A.M.	Arrival Scan
Laurel, MD, United States	12/04/2013	4:27 A.M.	Departure Scan
Laurel, MD, United States	12/03/2013	8:54 P.M.	Arrival Scan
	12/03/2013	2:10 A.M.	Your package encountered a delay. A revised delivery date will be available once it reaches the next UPS facility.
	12/02/2013	3:41 P.M.	The shipper has requested a Delivery Intercept for this package. / As requested, the receiver will pickup at a UPS facility at their convenience. This must be within 5 business days.
Baldwin Park, CA, United States	11/25/2013	9:44 P.M.	Departure Scan
Baldwin Park, CA, United States	11/23/2013	1:10 P.M.	The shipment has been dropped off and is now at The UPS Store®.
United States	11/22/2013	1:00 P.M.	Order Processed: Ready for UPS

Curiously, this suitcase happens to be the same blue-green color as the Kazakhstan national flag you seen in the right column. Maybe someone prized it as their own? Maybe customs decided it was suspicious?

Whatever the reason, we're glad it finally arrived, all contents intact. We'd wrapped the case with packing tape before sending it from LA and the original tape seemed to be in place and unbroken on arrival.  

One epic journey for a 56 pound suitcase. One month and three days.