Thankfully not my Capital One credit card, which I had left in my money belt back at the hostel (locked in the top part of my backpack, which I didn't bother to put in the hostel locker). And it wasn't really a wallet I'd been using. I had purchased a small hemp-made pouch with the Rastafarian Lion of Zion stitched into it at the weekend market in Bangkok 6 months earlier.
The most important loss of the event was my E*Trade ATM card. Otherwise, I lost my driver's license, about 25 Euro ($35) cash, a photocopy of my passport, travel blog card, hostel business car, and ironically, my hostel locker key (meaning a deposit loss of 10 Euro or $13). Since I last accessed my money before the game started, and thereafter didn't leave my seat, and was seated in an expensive section (63 Euro/$83 per seat), I believe the theft occurred in the metro, which was obviously packed with people.
My blood pressure was boiling when I realized, sitting on my bed back at the hostel, that my wallet had been stolen. I mentioned it to Toti, the hostel owner, as I'd lost the locker key. He certainly warned me enough times to be careful around the city. Hell, even the barber I use my first day warned me about pickpockets! I had kept my right hand on my camera from departing the hostel to getting back because I was worried about theft. I would've been better off to have taken just enough cash for a cab ride back if I missed the last metro, instead of taking my ATM card thinking I might need to access cash for some unexpected reason. Around 1am, I used the hostel's free internet access to e-mail E*Trade to cancel my debit card, but I knew for security reasons, they would only go so far as to reissue it to my home address on record. I didn't remember the PIN number to my Capital One card, which I had never used for a cash withdrawal on the trip. I would have to make do with my emergency cash.
It wasn't easy, but I eventually fell asleep. When I awoke, I ate a quick hostel breakfast, and left for the bus station in a hurry, forgetting to ask for my key deposit back in light of my difficult money situation, and leaving some food behind by accident, though purposefully ditching my Egypt Rough Guide and copy of ” Dark Star Safari.”? I felt a bit closer to Paul Theroux at the end of his journey, as I too was carrying an intestinal bug from Africa, and to add insult to injury, had just been robbed at the end of my trip.
Next stop, Madrid.
Dave is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Go Backpacking and Feastio. He's been to 66 countries and lived in Colombia and Peru. Read the full story of how he became a travel blogger.
Planning a trip? Go Backpacking recommends:
- G Adventures for small group tours.
- World Nomads for travel insurance.
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- Rail Europe for train passes.
Shawn
Thursday 29th of January 2009
So I don't get it, within hot spots like that, which most travelers know about, why don't people wear a money belt or the shoulder-neck kind under their clothes?
Every time I enter a new city and ride the metro I lock everything up in my back pack with a lock and wear my money belt.
I only carry small cash in my pocket that I need for transportation for that day.
My friend was walking in Barcelona with his wife, he had his wallet in his front pocket on the side of his wife and they were walking with their arms together and someone brushed aside them and got his wallet.
So the only remedy is a money belt under the clothes, I wear mine over my shoulder under my arm when I need to, In the Middle East it has not been an issue. But in some well known hot spots, I just don't understand it.
Dave
Saturday 31st of January 2009
I was being complacent. I believe in the money belt, but every day for 14 months is not likely to happen for anyone. So, after traveling to so many countries and not having a problem, I wasn´t being as careful as I should´ve in Europe.
Aur
Thursday 29th of January 2009
Actually I think it is because that in Madrid and Barcelona, the pickpocket situation is really bad.
I live in Paris where in the metro you should be careful as a tourist (I even got myself hit by pickpockets once), still the chance is minimal. It happens, but it is minimal.
After hearing so many travelers stories, I believe that in those 2 spanish cities, your chance of being targeted is pretty high.
Dave traveled in so many countries and it's in Europe he got problems, where you should expect it the least. He said he wanted to go to Colombia later, he'll probably even be safer there. Call it ironic!
Shawn
Thursday 29th of January 2009
So I don't get it, within hot spots like that, which most travelers know about, why don't people wear a money belt or the shoulder-neck kind under their clothes?
Every time I enter a new city and ride the metro I lock everything up in my back pack with a lock and wear my money belt.
I only carry small cash in my pocket that I need for transportation for that day.
My friend was walking in Barcelona with his wife, he had his wallet in his front pocket on the side of his wife and they were walking with their arms together and someone brushed aside them and got his wallet.
So the only remedy is a money belt under the clothes, I wear mine over my shoulder under my arm when I need to, In the Middle East it has not been an issue. But in some well known hot spots, I just don't understand it.
Dave
Saturday 31st of January 2009
I was being complacent. I believe in the money belt, but every day for 14 months is not likely to happen for anyone. So, after traveling to so many countries and not having a problem, I wasn´t being as careful as I should´ve in Europe.
Aur
Thursday 29th of January 2009
Actually I think it is because that in Madrid and Barcelona, the pickpocket situation is really bad.
I live in Paris where in the metro you should be careful as a tourist (I even got myself hit by pickpockets once), still the chance is minimal. It happens, but it is minimal.
After hearing so many travelers stories, I believe that in those 2 spanish cities, your chance of being targeted is pretty high.
Dave traveled in so many countries and it's in Europe he got problems, where you should expect it the least. He said he wanted to go to Colombia later, he'll probably even be safer there. Call it ironic!
Karl (from Dewey)
Thursday 29th of January 2009
Oh man! That bites!!!!!! So what did you do to gain access to cash again?
Dave
Saturday 31st of January 2009
I used emergency money I´d had in US dollars and Traveler´s checks, and my brother wired me a late Christmas gift. :)
Karl (from Dewey)
Thursday 29th of January 2009
Oh man! That bites!!!!!! So what did you do to gain access to cash again?
Dave
Saturday 31st of January 2009
I used emergency money I´d had in US dollars and Traveler´s checks, and my brother wired me a late Christmas gift. :)
Emily
Thursday 29th of January 2009
I am sorry to hear of your experience. This past June I took 14 hs students on a 12 day trip through Spain and Morocco and even after repeated warnings, one of my students was pickpocketed on the Madrid metro returning to the hotel. He had his mom's ATM card in the unfastened pock of his cargo shorts. Luckily he had for some reason put his passport in his shopping bag.
Nonetheless that was not a phone call his parents wanted to get. It all worked on in the end. I hope this experience hasn't put a bad taste in your mouth for Barcelona or Spain. It really is a wonderful country.
Dave
Saturday 31st of January 2009
Nope, Spain is certainly a place I´d like to return when it is warmer.