Lost and broke!!!!
My stay in Namibia was very enjoyable until the 17th of March. Usually, i keep the laptop bag in my bedroom coz i keep my passport in it. But, u never know when the burglars are going to strike. I was just making some food for the lunchpack i have to carry next day. It would have been 23.15 , when i fell asleep.
Next day, my room mate wakes me up at 05.15 saying that the window is broken. We examined the window and immedaitely our eyes went to the TV and Decoder. We felt relieved that nothing was taken, but then i just remembered that something was amiss.
Shit... It was my laptop bag, my backpack and my wallet which went missing. It was a hollow feeling. It took a lot of time for it to sink in me. We had just been burgled and i have lost everything including my passport.
I have the habit of having all my cards and cash in my wallet. Suddenly i remembered Dad's usual dialogues , he used to say keep the cards at home and carry only one card.
The morning was eventful. My manager and colleagues were very supportive and it was actually quite tiresome to reply to every one the same dialogue. Immediately, i swung into action by blocking all my cards.Next on the agenda was the police complaint. The Police station was quite similar to Indian Police stations. I was asked to make a statement and though it took lot of time to make the statement and register the complaint, the policemen were nice towards me. But one thing which struck me ,when i was writing the statement ,was the machete,crowbar and Iron rods with tags on the table beside me. That image just shook me a bit. There was lot of noise in the police station and when i enquired , they said it was just a prisoner pleading to get out of the cell.
Well, by now, i was clear that i am not going to get back any of the lost things. The police inspector came with a finger print expert to find something and he did take one print from the scene of the crime. They said the criminals have used a bolt cutter to cut through the grill and enter the room. I was feeling very relieved that they did not harm me. What if they had hit me with that bolt cutter. They also said that the criminals are from Zambia which is across the swollen river. They normally strike when the water in the river is high as it makes patrolling impossible. It seems they use canoes to cross the hippo and croc infested river. Man, i appreciate the guts of those guys!!!
The next thing on the agenda was to explore ways to get a new passport. My project manager had contacted the Indian embassy in Windhoek and i was asked to call the Attache to the High Commission. I made the call and surprisingly, the attache was very friendly and re assuring. He was only speaking in Hindi though maybe to confirm whether i am Indian or not. He gave me some instructions on filling the form and asked me to do it very fast.
Well, the applying part is done and i am hoping that i get my New Passport very soon.
It has really been an adventurous journey for me here in Africa. I guess many people in my company will remember me as the guy who lost his passport!!!! It has been a couple of weeks and i was just imagining what could it have been if i was on a personal visit abroad when this happenned.
Well, i also informed my parents about the theft. Actually , i did not want to. But i realised that if police enquiry happens for my new passport , then they will come to know of it. Lots of questions from my parents as to why you were so careless and all. Yet, they told me not to worry and assured me.
But then i told them that i have lost all money, all id proof and nothing to prove that i am Varun.
As an after thought, i said to myself that i should have said that.
But yes, i did get a call from the embassy who said that my application is being processed and i will be getting my passport in 10 days. The countdown has started and there will be a party on the day i get my new passport even if its on borrowed money!
Adios!!!!
Next day, my room mate wakes me up at 05.15 saying that the window is broken. We examined the window and immedaitely our eyes went to the TV and Decoder. We felt relieved that nothing was taken, but then i just remembered that something was amiss.
Shit... It was my laptop bag, my backpack and my wallet which went missing. It was a hollow feeling. It took a lot of time for it to sink in me. We had just been burgled and i have lost everything including my passport.
I have the habit of having all my cards and cash in my wallet. Suddenly i remembered Dad's usual dialogues , he used to say keep the cards at home and carry only one card.
The morning was eventful. My manager and colleagues were very supportive and it was actually quite tiresome to reply to every one the same dialogue. Immediately, i swung into action by blocking all my cards.Next on the agenda was the police complaint. The Police station was quite similar to Indian Police stations. I was asked to make a statement and though it took lot of time to make the statement and register the complaint, the policemen were nice towards me. But one thing which struck me ,when i was writing the statement ,was the machete,crowbar and Iron rods with tags on the table beside me. That image just shook me a bit. There was lot of noise in the police station and when i enquired , they said it was just a prisoner pleading to get out of the cell.
Well, by now, i was clear that i am not going to get back any of the lost things. The police inspector came with a finger print expert to find something and he did take one print from the scene of the crime. They said the criminals have used a bolt cutter to cut through the grill and enter the room. I was feeling very relieved that they did not harm me. What if they had hit me with that bolt cutter. They also said that the criminals are from Zambia which is across the swollen river. They normally strike when the water in the river is high as it makes patrolling impossible. It seems they use canoes to cross the hippo and croc infested river. Man, i appreciate the guts of those guys!!!
The next thing on the agenda was to explore ways to get a new passport. My project manager had contacted the Indian embassy in Windhoek and i was asked to call the Attache to the High Commission. I made the call and surprisingly, the attache was very friendly and re assuring. He was only speaking in Hindi though maybe to confirm whether i am Indian or not. He gave me some instructions on filling the form and asked me to do it very fast.
Well, the applying part is done and i am hoping that i get my New Passport very soon.
It has really been an adventurous journey for me here in Africa. I guess many people in my company will remember me as the guy who lost his passport!!!! It has been a couple of weeks and i was just imagining what could it have been if i was on a personal visit abroad when this happenned.
Well, i also informed my parents about the theft. Actually , i did not want to. But i realised that if police enquiry happens for my new passport , then they will come to know of it. Lots of questions from my parents as to why you were so careless and all. Yet, they told me not to worry and assured me.
But then i told them that i have lost all money, all id proof and nothing to prove that i am Varun.
As an after thought, i said to myself that i should have said that.
But yes, i did get a call from the embassy who said that my application is being processed and i will be getting my passport in 10 days. The countdown has started and there will be a party on the day i get my new passport even if its on borrowed money!
Adios!!!!
posted by varun paniyath at 7:41 PM
2 Comments:
Although you made the post on FB sound funny, this does sound bad.. Can't imagine how tough it'd be on you.. Guess one must experience to know how it felt..
Take it easy policy is always my policy!!! so just to divert my thoughts i posted it a bit funny in FB
Post a Comment
<< Home