Yesterday my team and I packed up our day backpacks and prepared for a 2 day trip to Victoria Falls. The plan was to take a train over night. We were going to go bungee jumping and experience the Devils pool. We had been planning this trip for over a week and we were all super excited. We headed to the train station to buy our tickets. After we had the tickets we headed out to eat before we were stuck on a train for 12 hours.
However, while we were eating something dreadful happened. My back pack was stolen. We were all sitting at the back corner table in the Pizza Inn. My pack was on the ground next to me touching my left leg. After sitting for about 10 minutes a group of new people came and sat down at the table behind me. There was only an inch of space between the back of my chair and the one behind me so as the new group sat down i scooted over. This made me move just far enough away from my bag for them to slide it under their chair and grab it without myself nor my team noticing. After about 2 or 3 minutes they got up and left and i thought that was strange so i glance down for my back pack and its gone. By the time i got up and ran out to check the streets they were already gone. Maybe 20-30 seconds had gone by.
The rest of the night was filled with a 2 hour police station visit and our plans for Victoria falls being cancelled.
I have an open investigation with the police and they are hopeful that the thieves will trash everything except the laptop, cell phone, and maybe a few other items they think they can fence quickly. Meaning there is a chance my passport can be recovered in the next few days. (fingers crossed, constant prayers)
Now because we were traveling to Victoria Falls my backpack had virtually everything essential to the race in it. Meaning the only things left in my possession are some clothes, a soccer ball, my sleeping bag, and my toiletries kit.
My backpack contained:
My passport, SS card, Yellow Fever Vaccination Card.
Wallet ( 3 debit cards, drivers license, insurance card)
My lap top and emergency Team phone
Hammock (I didn’t bring a tent so this is literally my house)
Vibrams (fancy toe shoes, my only other footwear than flip-flops)
Sleeping liner, pillow
2 days of clothes
Phone charger, Water bottle, earrings
My pocket knife and multi-tool
And probably a very precious other miscellaneous things im just forgetting.
The total value of everything stolen amounts to 2,700$ and if you add in the mailing expenses and the expedite passport fee and traveling to Harare to get to the US embassy to get the passport it is probably going to be about 3,000$ in total expenses.
Because of this i have created a gofundme to help with the reset of my backpack. If you can help in anyway it would be a huge blessing.
the link is https://www.gofundme.com/backpackreset
