So we’re holed up in a little one roomer but with a little tiny water closet tucked in the corner. One paid more for that amenity but it was well worth it. It was just a little commode with the requisite water tank above and one pulled a chain initiating the flushing action. An excellent commode, all told.
So there we were, as I was at pains to say. Before my husband went to work and took the vehicle of course (where would I go, and who did I know anyway? I had not been in that particular Country but weeks then) we drove over to a place to have something to eat. After that, my husband dropped me off at our place of rooming and he went on off to work. Bear in mind, there were no cell phones and one had to really ingratiate oneself with the owners of the place you lived if you wanted to use their family phone. So, to us, that was a no option unless it was an emergency.
Well, I thought I had one. I walked up the many steps and lumbered into the room. I took off my snow boots, heavy coat, etc etc etc and stood by the lukewarm radiator trying to get warm. Then, I thought to check our Per Diem packet. I went to where I generally put my purse and it was not there. Alarmed, I looked everywhere..and that wasn’t far. It was a small room. Not there. Now thoroughly alarmed, I thought about our two passports in that purse, our money and ID of course, our Per Diem pack, just everything. But most of all, the passports. NOT good. Not when you up and move every 6 to 8 weeks to somewhere else.
I flew around the room looking again. No purse. Then, grabbing my coat I ran down the steps, out into the snow and ran…yes, RAN all the way to the place we had eaten our breakfast. Not easy considering it was heavy snow and in my fear and haste, I did not put on my boots and I was still carrying my coat! As I piled into the place where we had eaten, the owner came straight to me with my purse in his hand. He made gestures that I had carelessly just gotten up and left it on the floor. Then pointed to my coat and bare feet.
I thanked him profusely over and over and over. I accepted the offer of a ride to our living quarters as I was barefoot and it was very cold out there.
You know, that affects me to this day…in the here and now. When I am sitting somewhere in public, I keep my purse on my person or between my feet with my ankle thru the strap. I check to see if my wallet is still there while going down a road and coming back from wherever I have been. I can feel that it is my wallet but if I can steal a glimpse as I am hurtling down the road, I feel even better.
One thing to never do..lose your passport while abroad. As I said, that marked me till this minute. I remember it as though it was yesterday. Speaking of that, we were asleep one night..must have been 0100 or thereabouts and a woman’s screams woke us (and the whole floor!) up. We found out later that she had a nightmare that she had lost her passport. I will say it was. Poor woman. She hadn’t but the dream that she did affected her very strongly. Had I thought of it, I probably would have screamed when I left all our things behind. Thank goodness for an honest innkeeper. I found that sort of behavior all over that Country; very kind.
Now the next Country over, ( starts with an F) ugh. They don’t like Americans at all..not even when we are quiet, trying to exhibit model behavior. Truth to say, we weren’t wild about them either as a Nation..not after having fists shaken at us as we drove along. But, that was that Country. All else were wonderful. And they appreciated our trying hard to be good citizens.
Till next time..
Hey, I really enjoyed this! I\’ve been tied up doing one thing or another all day but I\’m so glad I stopped by to see what you were up to! My life has been greatly effected by both love and hate abroad and at home too. Fact is more than what other people have done it\’s how we deal with it that shapes who we really are. I like looking back and being able to smile about things that about floored me in the past. Thanks so much for this!
My gosh it is eerie, I can sure tell we are Libra twins. I am paranoid about my wallet too and I reach over in the seat to check my purse and make sure it is there. Thank heaven you didn\’t lose your passport.Hugs,Beth
I have only been out of the country a few times, but losing my passport was never formost on my mind. Maybe because my mommie was with me LOL or I was just to nieve to realize the seriousness. I missed my daughter\’s wedding in Bermuda as it is outside the US and I had a newly discovered brain anneurysm. My doctors here had no problem, but my children did as becoming ill out of the country can be a real mess.
Hey Rambling………….i can only imagine your suffering at losing the passport……….i feel like that abou anything I lose and sometimes it could be a pencil……………my anger is more toward how could i have misplaced it than the fact that i have lost it. I lost my watch once and it was a new goldplated one…………..i was lucky P found it just outside the venue where we had gone to dinner. It had just slipped off my wrist………….but seriously passport i dunno what id do if i lost it.
I\’ve never been out of the country but losing yer purse? OMG!!!When I sit at a diner the strap of my purse is around one leg, then I cross it!Very scary memory and running barefoot in the snow. Wow.
Yikes how heart stopping, dry mouth stomach heaving scary would that be? I would have freaked too! Good thin he had it! WHEW!I\’ve heard that about the "F" country, from everyone who has been there. So what\’s up their butts anyway?
You had some an experence of lost thingslol! but you were very lucky to had back your purse…I can tell you about other things…Do you remember? you had lost your credit card or some other cards a couple years ago at the restaurant ….it must be a good looking waiter in the cause of that Sis!We must go back the restaurant …… XXXOOO
No I am going by my self. Have a great day… it thunder stormed all night and is doing it again. Marilyn
Scary! If not for the owner of the place where you ate breakfast, you just might still be in that room with the tiny water closet! That, and losing your passport, is a double nightmare! A barefoot southern belle running in the snow – now that\’s a picture! That next country over – a word comes to mind that starts with the same letter as the country! I didn\’t say that!
LOL LOL!!!! Jo Ann…I believe you\’re onto something there! 😉
I know that feeling of sheer panic. Fortunately today the worst thing that happened, so far today, is I went to but a coffee and my fly was open. "My it\’s breezy in here."
Well that was a scary experience for sure. There are good people all over the world and thank God the owner of that small place was one of them. A far as the other country goes…what goes around comes around. To heck with em.HugsSherry
Glad everything turned out okay. What an experience. It\’s the good people we prefer to remember and there are tons of them. All the trouble you could have encountered losing the passports just makes you cringe thinking about it. As for the other country, up their\’s. Oh I\’m bad. LOLHugs, Terry
oh for a photo of the barefoot southernbell standing in the snow….. glad all turned out really well.
Well, I can take a pretty good guess about the F country that dislikes Americans, but as there are several countries bordering it, (if my guess is right), I can\’t be sure which is the Land of the Honest Innkeeper. How about a clue (like the initial letter)? ;-)BTW – my rule of thumb when travelling abroad is to keep my passports (both of them) in a money belt under my clothes, just to be on the safe side.
G is the initial of the Country that had the honest restaurant owner. 🙂
Would have liked a pic of your running through the snow barefooted too—losing my passport would have made me do that too! I\’ve felt the panic of misplacing my own purse or finding it unzipped and stuff scattered behind me on the street. It\’s a TERRABLE feeling! Loved the story, though and your telling of it all.
Dear Carole, Having lived in G for nearly a year find your story quite charming. I was fortunate enough to live in a loft on the markplatz of the villiage and became friends with many G people and have fond memories of my time spent there. Whenever I travel here or there I am constantly taking inventory of my personal goods by patting my pockets and insuring that important papers are secure. I did not have any problems with the F people but then again I don\’t really care who likes me or not for I am just myself. No matter where I have gone or where I am going it is always great to be home. Have a wonderful weekend andAs ever be well
What an experience!!! That\’s the stuff of nightmares, no question. Have a great weekend!
I have traveled abroad a time or two and I can testify that is a very real fear….even more so now…thank God for sure!Thank you for stopping by, I will pray for you and you can pray for me….in number there is the strength!!!Grace to you Shell
Sure sounds a frightening experience! Woudn\’t want to go running barefoot in heavy snow!
Yikes! Very scary for sure. Hope you have a great weekend.
I felt your adventure, your panic, and your relief and reassurance that there are good and honest people out there whom touch our life! Lovely isn\’t it? Very well written btw, like I was you!Hugs from Alaska