Age-Old Advice Not Heeded, Costs
Bangkok, Thailand
It’s been a while since I’ve writen anything, but that doesn’t mean there is nothing to report. Oh man, is there something to report.
I learned a $500 (U.S.) lesson this week, maybe more. I never though that I would be one to have to write about this. It’s only supposed to happen to other people, like cancer or something. But on Wednesday, Nov 2, I lost my wallet. I don’t know if it was picked, or if it just fell out of my unzipped pocket. But it’s gone! Stupidly, I had everything in it, except for my passport, clothes and deoderant. I lost all my cash, credit cards, ATM card, drivers license, subway pass, phone card, and whatever the hell else was in there.
It’s still possible to get something back, but the odds are slim. I know the money is gone, and I canceled the credit cards and ATM card, and they were not used, but my major concern is my drivers license. Also having my identity stolen.
My license concerns me, because I currently have no home address in the U.S. (my home country). I was living in Florida, but quit my job and moved out of my apartment. I am using my sister’s address in NJ as a home base, but it is not my home. I still had a FL drivers license. Now, if I don’t get it back, I have no U.S. ID except for my passport. To get a license when I don’t already have one will be a pain in the ass, no matter where I decide to live when I get back, if I get back.
It happened when I met June (For those who don’t know June, she is my Thai friend whom I met in Florida, USA 2 years ago at work. We date off and on, on and off, off and on, on and….) at a train station, and we went across the street to catch a bus. We accidentally got on the wrong bus (39), and saw the right bus (254) ahead of us in traffic. We thought we could jump off of 39 and hop on 254 in the traffic. We ran, but we didn’t make. So we waited for another bus 254. One came, and we took it to where we were headed. Shortly after stepping off of the bus, that sick feeling a guy never wants to feel, happened. I felt for my wallet, something we all do every few minutes, and instead of my wallet, I felt my ass.
I think it was the running, coupled with me not zipping my pocket. Or it was picked. One or the other.
Anyway, I didn’t panic or roll around on the ground crying, although that would have been fun. I immediately accepted the fact that I had done a stupid thing, and we went to the police station. He suggested calling my credit card companies first. It wasn’t an easy thing to accomplish from a foreign country, but we eventualy got it done. We went back the police station, then to the police station where we started the trip (where we ran for the bus). One of the officers showed us a stack of credit cards and passports that other people had lost, so I didn’t feel so bad. There was also a guy picking up credit cards from a wallet that he had lost a week earlier. So there is still hope for me. His wallet was still gone, but the credit cards were returned to him.
In my wallet I had June’s adress and phone number labled “In Case Of Emergency, Contact.” We were hoping for a phone call, but none came. Now the only hope is that a nice Buddhist found it, and will return it to me through the mail or something for the Karma.
Meanwhile, yesterday June had to fly to her hometown of Lampang, because her mother is sick. I hope she will be okay. There’s more to that story, but I probably shouldn’t disguss it here.
Anyway, I’m still without access to my money, and June had been paying for everything, including buying me a new thing to carry my stuff when I get my cards back. It’s something that wraps around my waist. Not quit a fanny pack, but similar. It’s thinner, and I can hide it under my shirt. I will keep it on me even while I sleep!
June lent me 5000 baht ($123) to hold me until my ATM card comes. It is being shipped to June’s apartment. Ordinarilly I would have stayed at her apartment while she is in Lampang. But the reason I am not disgussing her mother’s illness is the reason I am not staying there. So I saw June off at the airport, then had to look for a place to stay last night. All of the hostels were booked, so I stayed at a 700 baht ($17.50) dive hotel as a last resort. It gave me a place to sleep.
Today I found a hostel called Discovery Lodge. I am staying in my first dorm style room ever since college, but so far I am the only one in the room. If it stays that way, it will be like having a private room at dorm rates: 300 baht ($7.50). It seems like a nice place so far. And it’s even air-conditioned! It’s hot here, has anyone ever told you that?
Tomorrow I will have to hang out outside of June’s apartment building and wait for FedEx to bring my cards. I think they were FedExed. That will be pretty awkward, it’s not exactly in a busy, bustling section. “What’s with that white guy hanging around, there’s no hookers here?” The security there kind of knows I’m waiting for something though. But it will still be weird. I hope it comes early. Actully, I hope it comes period.
I don’t know how long June will be away, but I figure I can last about a week on the money she lent me, if I walk everywhere. I walked a good 5 miles to get to this free internet. I won’t walk back.
So I’ve only been here for about 3 weeks, and I’ve already lost my sunglasses, and my wallet with about $500 in it. But I still don’t have to go to work tomorrow.
Mark
P.S. Don’t keep all of your eggs in one basket.
Tags: Markcs, Thailand
Mark
Gee Mark I remember us talking in the kitchen and saying make sure to keep your passport separate…at least you have your passport.
What a drag…gosh I guess you will be getting pants with zipper pocket next shopping trip
Glad that June was around to bail you out,,,she is a nice girl to say the least!
well, this is all part of your grand adventure and it sound like in spite of it all you are still enjoying it more than a full time job.
Hang in there…and hang on to your wallet!
🙂
MB
MB, I was wearing zippered pocket pants. They just weren’t zippered. When I left the Asha Guesthouse after paying, I may have forgotten to zipper them, because Asha told me they just started charging tax the day before. So as I left, I was thinking about that: That they should only charge tax on the days I stayed when they were charging tax. So I may have forgotten to zipper them. But I don’t know, anything could have happened. Might have fallen out, might have been picked.
Thanks for all your comments.
Thanks to all who commented so far on my blog.
Who walks around Thailand with 500 bucks in there wallet? Only an American. Dope. Just kidding.
At leat you have June to help you out. And you don’t have to work. I am ready to join you. Trading is starting to wear me out. You think Mary and the kids will mind if I take a few months off.
Now rememeber only carry 50 in cash in a wallet and the rest separate.
P.S. Live and Learn
Stephen