TIFU by stealing someone else's luggage.

"Why the fuck is there woman's pajamas in my luggage?"

That's what I asked myself after I spent 25 minutes going through 655 combinations on the in-built luggage lock in this Sydney hotel.

"Oh shit... Maybe this isn't my luggage at all?"

At first I thought the customs people had just locked it after an inspection, because it had luggage tag with my name on it.

That's when I remembered, when I did a self transfer in Tokyo, I had taken off a previous set of luggage tags. I search through my jacket to see if I kept it... Yep. That's not my name.

I start panicking. That bag had a lot of momentos in it from trip.

I call the airlines, no help, this was my fault and not their mixup... They say they'll notify me if someone contacts them about missing luggage.

Then a LinkedIn message.

"Hi. Did you lose your luggage in Tokyo?"

Why... Yes I did.

"Yes. I have it."

We discuss options. Shipping both through normal carriers would cost thousands of dollars.

I look for tickets a few days out. Less than thousands of dollars.

Fine. I guess I'll take a trip back to Tokyo.

I endure a day of having to wear a set of costume clothes I had storage in my backpack... And eventually make it to Tokyo.

We exchange the bags, take a few commemorative pictures so people would believe us when we tell this story, and part ways. I get a nice flower vase and bottle of Japanese Umeshu for my error.

And people asking me, why didn't you guys date? Every time I tell the story.

It's because she came to pick up the bag with her boyfriend, duh.

TL;DR: I had to take a trip from Sydney to Tokyo in the middle of my vacation to retrieve my switched suitcase because I made a mistake.