I was walking around the London Eye, thinking about with pictures to take. I had my DSLR around my neck and my cell phone in my coat pocket, yes that is the English summer for me! I need a light coat to survive it. It was a bright sunny day. I could see the blue sky and the gorgeous Central London Skyline to go with it. I was thinking exclusively about taking pictures. I had no idea it would become a ‘when things go wrong while traveling’ moment!
Suddenly I felt a commotion around me. I thought people were trying to attract my attention but this was London! Nobody gives an extra contact to anyone else unless they are tourist, thank god for the tourists! So, I also tried to behave like a Londoner. I walked as if nothing was happening but the commotion persisted. I could hear someone clearly calling ‘miss miss’ and far too many eyes on me.
I turned back to the person calling me, he was a street performer dressed like Charlie Chaplin. He pointed out to a youth saying, “he took your phone.” I was completely dazed. I could see the familiar phone in completely unfamiliar hands. By the time I got the phone and my senses back, the crowd had dispersed! I could not even say thank you to the person who got my phone. Everything was back to normal and yet I was completely shaken. What if it was my passport?
If I would have not got the phone back, I would have thought that I dropped it somewhere or left it behind in a shop or attraction! I remain perturbed after the incident, I could not shake it off easily. It would have been tough if the phone was really gone. I would have survived because it was towards the end of my trip. I also had my laptop so I could still be in touch with my family but it is damn annoying not to have a phone while travelling particularly when I had topped it up with the data too!
This was the first instance of theft that ever came my way in a foreign land. I escaped lightly thanks to the kindness of the anonymous gentleman. However there was something between me and this phone, I dropped it the very next day into water and that was the end of it! It was just not meant for me. Though I wonder why!
Next month in June, I traveled to Sri Lanka. I arrived at the Colombo Airport after an enjoyable flight. At the airport we were waiting for Sankara, a fellow blogger from India. Eventually we got into a nice car and we were headed to Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo.
On the way he wanted to withdraw money, so I thought why not, let me also withdraw, after all it is the cheapest way to get foreign currency in most of the countries. The first ATM didn’t work, so we decided to stop at the next one. At the next one, Shankara being chivalrous said, “ladies first”. I went ahead, inserted my card and watched in horror the machine hanging. It started rebooting like a computer and then try whatever we may, it simply swallowed my card and refused to throw it out. Thankfully I had leftover pounds from the May trip to United Kingdom. Also it was a HDFC card which let me hot list it at the click of a mouse via net banking. I asked for a reissue of a card from the available options. Then in my nervousness I hot listed the to be issued card! Still I was at peace as my card could not be misused. Once I got home I walked to the HDFC office and got another card issued.
I know these are minor incidents but still I was rattled. I think I was more affected with the phone pick pocketing because I was completely unaware about it. Someone can put their hands in my pocket and I would not feel it at all is a creepy sensation! It was a huge wake up call to me. I wonder how I could be so completely oblivious to my surroundings! I mean what if it was my passport, I would have been in such deep trouble or even with my wallet! I believe I was lucky after all, escaping unscathed.
Wow, these were real scary, I once had a string of two bad lucks in two consecutive days in Kenya. On the first occasion, the shared taxi was actually a scam and the second day stopped at gunpoint. Somehow survived both…
Oh wow mine are tame affairs compared to yours! Sounds really really scary!
Haahhhaa wrote a blog once describing my desperate situation 🙂
I think I have read both!
Such experiences can make a trip unpleasant. I remember a friend telling me recently how she was robbed of her bag containing her passport near Eiffel Tower. Have to say u were really lucky with the phone as had it been India, u would have never got it back.
Shaivi my nephew got his wallet after one month in Gurgaon as he dropped it in an auto and the auto wala kept it for one whole month. Apart from other valuables it had a 100 dollar note too!
ATM eating card is a really scary one, especially, in a foreign land. Every big city has touristy attractions where tourists are easy targets.
http://tinyurl.com/attush
But this my third trip to London! And every time I go and road around in that area … I wonder what I did differently this time!
It’s really horrible. First, I thought taking out your phone and telling about it to you was a part of the performance but…Thank God you got it back. 🙂
And then I dropped it in water the very next day!
Such incidents are scary, specially when you are in a foreign land, it also spoils the mood. One needs to be really careful while traveling.
Swati I recovered sufficiently well on the trip itself! Thank you so much for your concern.
My incident of ATM dispensing Rs 400 less appears so small a trouble
Shrinidhi on home ground things feel more comfortable! But then I would have not even noticed it as I often don’t count the money out of the ATM. I learnt that lesson from your post, I do count money now!
INTERESTING INCIDENTS.
But not when they were happening!
Thank god your passport was safe …
I know that would have been a nightmare!
Pickpockets…they are highly dexterous and skilful. Not your fault…don’t worry. But, take these two incidents as wake-up calls …
I have done that Maniparna!
Very interesting and incidents……
Not when they were happening!
Losing phone or card can cripple you in foreign country. The first comment on the scam and gun, those are so scary. With so much travel I get nervous about missed connections, luggage misplacement too.
True and yet most of the times we do just fine!
These incidents has made you more conscious about mishaps, negative incidents happen, wish you never face such problems.
Thank God , it was Mobile phone not your passport but everything we lost gives tension. It was Shankar Raja Raman ( as you mentioned in your post as Sankara , a blogger from India ) ?