Rubbing my hand across my chest
in search of my handbag strap, I found nothing.
I had been sitting in the back absorbed with editing the pictures I had
taken at Central park. I searched
underneath the seat…nothing…I ran my hands all over my body …nothing. Then all hell broke loose as I cried out “Emma
I left my handbag in central park” it dawned on me, that as I stood there I was
passportless, ID-less and Pennyless in New York City.
My hands reached for my head, clutching my hair. I looked at Emma with the eyes of a crazed goat seeing its imminent death. As she said calm down, I felt panic arising within me as I realised if my bag was no longer there, I would not be able to return home the next day. I would have to call family, my place of employment and let them know I had lost my bag taking a selfie in Central park. Jizaz!! I sat down on the pavement as it all became too much for me to fathom…"what if it’s gone?" I whispered…it’s been 2 hours since we were there…How could I have been so stupid? As the blame game played itself up in my head the one voice delivered the punch line …”I Told you, you should have taken that travel insurance but hey its going to be a short trip...NOT” I howled “Emma I’m screwed! I’m going to lose my ticket and I can’t even say my bag was stolen because I left it at the park… O’Lawd!!!” Whilst I totally lost my mind, Emma called a friend who had been in the area and asked if he would go in search of my handbag.
My hands reached for my head, clutching my hair. I looked at Emma with the eyes of a crazed goat seeing its imminent death. As she said calm down, I felt panic arising within me as I realised if my bag was no longer there, I would not be able to return home the next day. I would have to call family, my place of employment and let them know I had lost my bag taking a selfie in Central park. Jizaz!! I sat down on the pavement as it all became too much for me to fathom…"what if it’s gone?" I whispered…it’s been 2 hours since we were there…How could I have been so stupid? As the blame game played itself up in my head the one voice delivered the punch line …”I Told you, you should have taken that travel insurance but hey its going to be a short trip...NOT” I howled “Emma I’m screwed! I’m going to lose my ticket and I can’t even say my bag was stolen because I left it at the park… O’Lawd!!!” Whilst I totally lost my mind, Emma called a friend who had been in the area and asked if he would go in search of my handbag.
Every part of me screamed believe
in the impossible, anything is possible your bag could still be there. Whilst Emma calmly handled the situation I
stood up, trying to figure out my next move. I didn’t know where I was so I could
not even attempt to run to the park to help our friend search for the bag as I stood
there helpless as can be I thought “Lawd knows, I need a drink for this level of stupidity" and then cried out loud "but I don't have money to even buy a drink because I don't have a handbag."
When Emma had picked me up I
insisted that we had to go to Central Park, I wanted to see it for myself. Braving the icy chill that was whipping the streets Emma obliged driving us to the park. I sat
in the back of the car snapping away at things that caught my eye.
When we arrived at the park I wanted to have just one pic of myself in the park as a momento. I took off my handbag that had been slung across my chest because it did not look good in the picture. I hung it on a pole instead of handing it over to Emma whilst she took the picture.
When we arrived at the park I wanted to have just one pic of myself in the park as a momento. I took off my handbag that had been slung across my chest because it did not look good in the picture. I hung it on a pole instead of handing it over to Emma whilst she took the picture.
3 hours later I received the most amazing SMS a picture of my bag hanging on the pole with everything still inside. I felt like ululating and doing cartwheels at the same time! I was saved a whole lot of grief, money and inconvenience.
Had I not found my bag this is how this story would have played out:
Firstly I would have cried like a
baby, then I would have had to go through the motions of sorting out a complex problem
in a foreign country. My flight was in
the morning so the first thing would have been to call and find out what is the
latest time I can call to change my flight date. Secondly I would have to find out from the
Embassy what time they open and how long it would take for them to issue me
with emergency travel certificate:
1. Calling the airline to negotiate and plead my
case knowing very well that the only thing I could do is change the date of the
ticket and that would have set me back close to $200
2. Calling Family & Place of Employment to
explain my situation.
3. Calling the South African Embassy to apply
for a new passport: http://www.southafrica-newyork.net/consulate/
cost to self just over $120
4. Having to live with the embarrassment of
being one of those people who have lost their appendages, lives and travel documents taking
selfies. http://www.cnet.com/news/couple-dies-after-trying-to-take-selfie-on-cliff/
5. Joining the list of people who risk travelling without insurance and end up spending thousands on sorting out their
situation. If you are going abroad it’s a totally different ball game to being
at home. Always opt for the insurance
here are some reasons why you should Insure when you travel. http://www.ehow.com/facts_4899235_why-travel-insurance-important.html
