The short of it: i was robbed
The long of it: i survived, in fact i didn't see the man, woman or grandmother that robbed me. No, this Indian was cleaver, a regular Houdini apparently. I went to a very busy Delhi train station and did what i never do, i separated my small bag from my body. I let it sit unguarded on the upper berth of the sleeper train for on maybe 30 seconds, at most. Well they they grow up so fast and mine grew legs. I had the normal mental breakdown after realizing and made a mad dash in, well, i had to pic a direction, i chose, i found nothing. i ran for the entrance but my train was leaving and for all i know they went into another cabin or train or... the station was huge. I sat back on my berth, ready to kill someone, angry at myself for being so careless cursing the gods for creating people who felt the need to steal, hating the fact that i could do nothing about it. I was wishing i could turn the clocks back, like I have many times recently about a lot of things, by just five minutes. Was that too much to ask? just a rewind button, just this once. But no, there would be no wishing it back onto my berth, there is only learning from my mistakes and also jiu jitsu so when i do find that thief of a grandmother i can take out my anger properly. I have two bags and one has all the useless replaceable, cloths, toiletries spare book, jacket, all that sort of stuff and the other, the other has, had, everything that was either valuable in a monetary way or valuable like i can never replace, part of my heart, a portion of my soul was in that bag. Like every picture i ever too in India, also the camera, the new camera i just got. Like my journal, thank goodness i have this blog but still i lost a lot of contacts, stories and insights from the bumpy road i have been on the last four months and the few years proceeding. Its a journal not a diary, just to be clear. It was a long, long, long, horrible night.Sitting amongst those who had set me up and had dealt the blow. Who knows who they were. I kept having the same unrealistic day dream, sleep did not come easy. I kept playing the scenario over in my head, i caught the five finger bandit and beat the ever living *&^% out of them. (My mother asked me not to swear so much on this thing, so i am trying the old switcheroo on for size. doesn't have the same kick). Needless to say i arrived in Amristar in a horrible mood. Lost really, deep in thought about the night before. I came here to see the Golden Temple of the Sikhs. Gilded out of 750kgs of gold set in a reflecting pool. So that's what i did, nowhere else to go at 4:30 am. So i arrived took off my shoes placed them in the free lockup i walked through the streets to the temple. which was a dirty walk, placed my bag, my one remaining, in a separate free lock up and dipped my feet in the cleaning pool. Unlike there neighbors, the Hindus, the Skihs are incredibly clean and there is a full time staff of volunteers cleaning the huge complex non stop. I sat by the pool, lulled into meditations from the constant prayer being broadcast through out its walls. It never stops, they sing from their holy book and beat the drums 24 hours a day and its a magical sound. The sight is even more magical, this amazing temple, well you can tell for yourself, look it up. Golden Temple of Amritsar. I sat there for maybe two hours watching the sun come up and hit the gold like a gift from the heavens. It was truly something. It was the perfect place to reflect and try to come to grips with what had transpired. I then walked to another building where they give free food to the masses, all maned and paid for by the faithful. I just jumped in, washing dishes. There were so many, i washed for two hours and their was no stopping the tide. I hadn't eaten since lunch the day before, all my food, banana's and peanuts, were in the bag and i was working up quite the appetite. I decided to join the throngs lining up for free food, pass the huge caldron's and vegetable chopping area, pass the free chai tea station and into a warehouse looking building where i climbed the stairs, plate bowl and spoon in hand and sat on the floor in a line. I was given as much food as i could eat, between not feeling well emotionally and the heat i didn't eat that much but what i did have was really good. it was an amazing experience and just what i needed to keep going. It took me a long time to find a guesthouse, my guidebook was in my bag, gone, being read by some goon or used as much needed toilet paper somewhere. But i did, i feel better by the hour and i hope to come out of this more wise and diligent. more aware and alert. unfortunately that translates into less trusting and with less creature comforts as well. But, I'm not going to let it ruin my good time, right Chuck? But no matter how long, no matter how far, i will find you, bag. Or maybe just buy a replacement as soon as i can, whatevers easyier.
Jake
The long of it: i survived, in fact i didn't see the man, woman or grandmother that robbed me. No, this Indian was cleaver, a regular Houdini apparently. I went to a very busy Delhi train station and did what i never do, i separated my small bag from my body. I let it sit unguarded on the upper berth of the sleeper train for on maybe 30 seconds, at most. Well they they grow up so fast and mine grew legs. I had the normal mental breakdown after realizing and made a mad dash in, well, i had to pic a direction, i chose, i found nothing. i ran for the entrance but my train was leaving and for all i know they went into another cabin or train or... the station was huge. I sat back on my berth, ready to kill someone, angry at myself for being so careless cursing the gods for creating people who felt the need to steal, hating the fact that i could do nothing about it. I was wishing i could turn the clocks back, like I have many times recently about a lot of things, by just five minutes. Was that too much to ask? just a rewind button, just this once. But no, there would be no wishing it back onto my berth, there is only learning from my mistakes and also jiu jitsu so when i do find that thief of a grandmother i can take out my anger properly. I have two bags and one has all the useless replaceable, cloths, toiletries spare book, jacket, all that sort of stuff and the other, the other has, had, everything that was either valuable in a monetary way or valuable like i can never replace, part of my heart, a portion of my soul was in that bag. Like every picture i ever too in India, also the camera, the new camera i just got. Like my journal, thank goodness i have this blog but still i lost a lot of contacts, stories and insights from the bumpy road i have been on the last four months and the few years proceeding. Its a journal not a diary, just to be clear. It was a long, long, long, horrible night.Sitting amongst those who had set me up and had dealt the blow. Who knows who they were. I kept having the same unrealistic day dream, sleep did not come easy. I kept playing the scenario over in my head, i caught the five finger bandit and beat the ever living *&^% out of them. (My mother asked me not to swear so much on this thing, so i am trying the old switcheroo on for size. doesn't have the same kick). Needless to say i arrived in Amristar in a horrible mood. Lost really, deep in thought about the night before. I came here to see the Golden Temple of the Sikhs. Gilded out of 750kgs of gold set in a reflecting pool. So that's what i did, nowhere else to go at 4:30 am. So i arrived took off my shoes placed them in the free lockup i walked through the streets to the temple. which was a dirty walk, placed my bag, my one remaining, in a separate free lock up and dipped my feet in the cleaning pool. Unlike there neighbors, the Hindus, the Skihs are incredibly clean and there is a full time staff of volunteers cleaning the huge complex non stop. I sat by the pool, lulled into meditations from the constant prayer being broadcast through out its walls. It never stops, they sing from their holy book and beat the drums 24 hours a day and its a magical sound. The sight is even more magical, this amazing temple, well you can tell for yourself, look it up. Golden Temple of Amritsar. I sat there for maybe two hours watching the sun come up and hit the gold like a gift from the heavens. It was truly something. It was the perfect place to reflect and try to come to grips with what had transpired. I then walked to another building where they give free food to the masses, all maned and paid for by the faithful. I just jumped in, washing dishes. There were so many, i washed for two hours and their was no stopping the tide. I hadn't eaten since lunch the day before, all my food, banana's and peanuts, were in the bag and i was working up quite the appetite. I decided to join the throngs lining up for free food, pass the huge caldron's and vegetable chopping area, pass the free chai tea station and into a warehouse looking building where i climbed the stairs, plate bowl and spoon in hand and sat on the floor in a line. I was given as much food as i could eat, between not feeling well emotionally and the heat i didn't eat that much but what i did have was really good. it was an amazing experience and just what i needed to keep going. It took me a long time to find a guesthouse, my guidebook was in my bag, gone, being read by some goon or used as much needed toilet paper somewhere. But i did, i feel better by the hour and i hope to come out of this more wise and diligent. more aware and alert. unfortunately that translates into less trusting and with less creature comforts as well. But, I'm not going to let it ruin my good time, right Chuck? But no matter how long, no matter how far, i will find you, bag. Or maybe just buy a replacement as soon as i can, whatevers easyier.
Jake
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