Yesterday I embarqued in an overnight ferry to Athens which I assumed would have reclining chairs (since the other day ferries I got had, I thought an overnight ferry for sure would have). They didn't and all cabins were booked so I slept on the floor like other people.
That would be fine if I was not robbed at the exit of the subway station on the way to the hostel. I only noticed because a lady said I had my bag opened and then I went to see and my wallet was gone with all my cash, cards and ID (I know, stupid). I asked in the subway they told me to go to the police. In the way out some municipal police gave me directions and after 20 minutes of pulling a 10kg bag, I arrived to the station only to get told I had to go to the tourist police. Luckily my Athens card was not stolen so I picked up a tram and went there filling a complaint.
However I still did not have any money. I called the embassy and they said they could not help with money. Called my bank, they said I could not withdrawal money abroad without cards and they could not help. My Revolut was also stolen. My phone apparently has no NFC so I can't pay with contactless. I can pay reading QR codes but they don't have that here. I went to three greek banks who treated me like I was some drug addict or leprous and sent me away with no help. I asked in the hostel that I would transfer them money or maybe book a few more nights through Booking, they'd get the money and then withdrawal and give me cash. They told me I'd have to figure out another way to get money. I went to MoneyGram but could not create an account because I had no ID. The lady was nice enough to give me a bottle of water. She said I could ask a friend back home to send me money and she'd get around the lack of ID but all my relatives were working and she had to close for 2h and would reopen later.
 Nothing Ever Happens Shirt $21.68 |
 UFOs Are A Psyop Shirt $21.68 |
Nothing Ever Happens Shirt $21.68 |
Then I went to Western Union and the guy seemed nice at first but after 1h of doing the transfer of 9€ (to test if it worked) he still didn't have my money. There was another guy there and they were speaking greek and he looked at me so I this point I got weird vibes and told him I'd either get my 9€ in 5 minutes or he'd get the police. He got angry, torn the paper of my transfer, gave me the money, sacarstically wished God would help me and I got the frick out of there.
I still have 2 days to go. I can't travel sooner because I need to go to the embassy get a paper to travel and it's only on Wednesday so obviously 9€ is not enough.
At the hostel, one guy after I described my journey was kind enough to give me 70€ cash after I transfered him the amount through Revolut (apparently you can do that just with the app). The owner of the hostel also has Revolut (one of his magical solution was that I'd pay with contactless with Revolut except I don't have NFC) but he could not be bothered to help. I could even do an urgent transfer through my bank, he'd have the money in a couple of hours.
Don't ever leave your wallet or ID anywhere other than on your person at any time anywhere. You can maybe get away with it in Singapore, Dubai, and other countries which have physical-pain based punishments for petty theft, but never in the west or Europe. I spent the majority of my life in Europe and the lesson I learnt was that Mediterranean's and Balkans reproduce via theft.
Take this as a lesson learnt, and never do it again.
But hey he gave me a free towel. I have almost 5k in my bank account (plus my saving) so I can pay his fricking towel when I get back home, no problem, don't want the poor thing to feel stolen.
I felt they treated my like a drug addict looking for money for the next fix or some troublemaker who runned the fun vibe. I had no money for food or water, spent the entire day walking under 34°C from bank to bank or MoneyGram to MoneyGram trying to get money, and they didn't even bother to offer anything (even though they have two stuffed fridges full of shit whose owners probably left already). Even if I was a drug addict I once spent 12€ on the supermarket for a lady who had just gotten off of prison because I thought she still deserved to eat.
The hostel is not good. It has a good score because they say the staff is so nice. I guess the nicessness ends when people need real help or maybe it's just for hot chicks? Lol
This experience made me hate people even more. Only the nice lady from the store and the guy (which I think is gay) helped me. Everyone else treated me like shit just because I needed help. Can't wait to get out of here. Athens seems lovely but this ruined my vacations.
Changed from the crapy hostel to another one. I had already booked the two nights but I don't want to stay there with those people anymore. I called several places asking if they had a bottom bunk bed and would let me have a shower tomorrow after checkout. Only one answers, owner says yes. I book online as I can't pay with cards, get here to check in, ofc there's problems, the guy is not here, it's someone else who has no clue, I have to pay to have a shower and there's no fridge, I need to ask the staff everytime I want a fricking bottle of water so they go there pick up and bring it, like a kid. I ask to cancel, ofc there's a problem, it's non refundable even though I just booked one hour ago. Just dying to get out of this place asap I wish my flight was today. Only problems everywhere.
don't sweat it anon you're not the first person to have their stuff stolen and thanks to our new third world friends joining us in europe you sure as shit won't be the last
first contact your bank and get all your cards stopped otherwise your savings might not be there when you get home. they'll also issue you a new card so at least when you do get home you'll have a card to use there
your embassy should at least be able to issue you an emergency passport. you can probably use that as id to open whatever transfer accounts you need
if you don't have someone who can transfer money to you then you're a bit fricked but at least someone in your family should be able to help
also contact your travel insurance company and see what they can do to help. you did get travel insurance right?
at least you'll get a cool story out of this
You sound like a prick
This is a plebbit thread right?
tldr
Well I would probably not be in a place where there are a lot of pickpockets going to be active while having valuables in a bag on my back (and out of my direct sight). If I have to I would keep it in a pockets (maybe zipped, with a hand over them, or something like that) or you can get one of those fanny packs that homos wear across their chest now. Frick it even put a lil padlock on your bag if you have to. Pickpockets only go for an easy target especially in a target rich (read: tourist zone) environment, once there is one thing they see that makes them think you will be more than 2 seconds to unzip, yoink something and run they will just look for someone else
And always keep cash and a spare card somewhere separate from your main ones. Keep it in a hotel safe or hide it in your underwear or shoes or come up with something inventive like that
Really tiny things that would save you
>wallet stolen embassy unhelpful
Why did you make it a 1 hour read?
>noooo reading hurts my BRAINN
This is why I have an Amex and never skimp on good travel insurance.
If OP has an Amex, contact their global assist team and they'll make sure you're looked after.
This is why, ALWAYS, it fricking pays to have backups in place.
Sounds moronic but I always carry a credit card+cash in my sock. Saved my ass in so many fricking situations it’s unreal.
Ultimately; you fricked yourself here.
Like sock sock or sock in a rucksack?
Look on the bright side, they didn't steal your organs.
why wasnt your wallet in your front pocket? anyone ever had a wallet stolen from their front pocket?
i sleep with my bag wrapped around my ankle. anyone wanna post stories how their bags have been stolen?
never had a bag stolen, because I am not a moron when it comes to personal posessions. /thread
also fly a sign that says "hungry"
go to a tourist area and eat trash if your starving... works in the usa
tl;dr but it takes balls to go to Athens and have your wallet in a bag
I live in Athens, yeah that it seems to me that you came here woefully unprepared. Sad what you went through though.
Is this your first time travelling?
Stupid hurts. It's absurd to think that anyone would go out of their way to help a stupid person who got their shit stolen without even noticing.