So I jump on the subway which is right next to my hotel and start heading for the airport. The subways here are so weird here. You have to change but the airport line comes about every 20 minutes in the exact same line. Never mind, don't try to understand it.
Anyways so I'm waiting for the airport line and I see these other 2 backpackers have been on the same line I have. So we start chatting and sit down. They are from Canada. Real nice people. They have been traveling through Greece for 2 weeks. I set my back packs down next to me as I sit down. I'm on the end so my bags are NEXT to me and not in front of me. Now the station has an average amount of people in it. So as I'm talking to these 2 Canadians I have my back slightly turned to my bags. But they are right next to me, 12-18 inches from my body. I get into an interesting conversation with the Canadians and a minute or two go by and the subway to the airport pulls up. So I get up to grab my bags with the Canadians and my small bag is gone. Oh no!!! Panic set in and I'm freaking out. The Canadians help me for a second but say sorry and good luck and get on the subway. Oh my freaking heck! I've been robbed! Wow I was ticked off and scatter brained. I start pacing around looking for it and go up to the information desk and they can't speak English. Freak! I just missed my subway to the airport too to top it off.
The crime scene location. I was there on the right end seat with my bags right below me. Some guy kept looking at me and I think he was the thief. Whoever took it obviously needs it more than me though. It's just so messed up though...
Luckily all that was in my small back pack was my iPod, Bose headphones and some medication. Plus random snacks and my phone charger.
I think the biggest feeling i can use to sum up how i feel is violated and hurt. Im sad that someone would steal that stuff from me. It is not a good feeling because you feel humiliated. I was extremely sad because i had years and years worth of acquired music on my ipod. My bose headphones are worth $300 and are not even a year old. They are something i use all the time on this trip. They are top of the line noise cancelling headphones. I had no idea if my travelers insurance covered this or not. Wow I was sad. Devastated more like.
I also now had this huge dilemma of go to the police station and risk missing my flight or go to my flight and bag it. Or something else, but what?
I'm grateful I acted fast because by now I only had 1.5 hours till my flight leaves. I decided to run out of the subway station and go to a police station on the way to the airport using a taxi.
Caught a taxi immediately but he spoke no English. Oh man! Luckily my translator app explained the situation. So he drives me for 20 minutes to a police station right by the airport. On the way I call my insurance but it is the middle of the night in America. Dang it. I finally get the international number to work! They say my insurance covers it but I need a police report showing I reported it.
I run into the police station and tell them what happened. The guy says exactly this, "look man, if you file this with us we will have to mail you the paper work in 2 weeks in America, you can't get it now. And you'll miss your flight too cause it takes time. If all you need is documentation go in the airport and report it to lost and found and they will give you a document. Turn that into your insurance."
Makes sense but I don't know. The insurance said a police report. Another huge dilemma. Now I also have a huge possibility I could miss my flight anyway. What to do what to do!?
I decide missing my flight is not worth it and I gotta go for it!
Thankfully my taxi driver stuck around. He dropped me off and I had just enough money to pay him. I now have 15 minutes to get my boarding pass or the check in will close at the 45 minute mark. I don't know where to go first, lost and found or boarding pass. I decide quickly to go to lost and found. I explain it and the guy starts filling out paperwork. I tell him my flight time and I need it done extremely fast. I could kill these Greek policemen. As he is filling it out there are 8 other cops doing nothing but joking around. The guy doing my paper work keeps stopping to get his jokes in too. In no rush at all... Just having a good time.
When trawling abroad you are at the mercy of people and circumstances all the time. I decide I've had enough and I am not going to miss my flight because of these bozos. I said, "Look, I better not miss my flight! Hurry up! Or do I need to go get my boarding pass and come back?" "oh no, almost done..." no use. The jokes continue to fly and he keeps getting distracted. He FINALLY finishes and I have 5 minutes to get to check in and get my boarding pass. 5 minutes and its on a different floor and i dont even know where Olympic Air is. I seriously book it like I'm running for my life!! I'm so sad my bag is gone. I love that bag and my headphones. I just got the bag for this trip.
I made it to the check in right on time. One of those situations I run up to the desk and go, "wait!!! help me help me!!!" lol.
Here is my stupid document. It's in Greek of course...
I made it through and onto my flight which is good. Trying to be positive i think of how grateful I am my passport, wallet, phone and money were spared. Thise are things that would really suck to lose! I also can't help but feel grateful I paid for that travel insurance too. It covers $1000 worth and that's about how much value I had taken. And I can be grateful I am packing a lot lighter now... Right?
Oh man. No matter how positive I try to be I am extremely disappointed and quite frankly depressed. I had such a great time in Athens, it sucks it ends like this. I'll get my stuff back but nothing seems to console me, not even the fact I'm heading to Israel. I'm devastated and cannot believe it. I have been so so so careful and cautious. There is a 5% chance I could have left my bag somewhere but I'm pretty sure it got stolen. The feeling of being violated is the worst feeling ever. Oh man I was torn up. Farewell Travipod, Bose Headphones and awesome Osprey backpack.
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