Do you want to know what torture is? Sitting on a train for 13 hours to travel 300 miles. Honestly, you could make the round trip in a car for less than 13 hours. Our round trip on Amtrak (spoken bit-ter-ly) took 24 hours. As an added bonus, I had to pay my return ticket twice since my bag was ripped off during the trip, my bag which contained my train ticket and passport.
Okay, it's my own fault it was stolen. I had just picked up half price tickets for Mamma Mia in Times Square and stopped to grab a breakfast sandwich and diet coke at Mickey D's. I was so thirsty that I got up from my table to get a refill and when I got back to the table 30 seconds later, my bag was gone. As I was filing the police report at the local precinct, the agent looked at me as I explained and with incredulity asked, "You left your bag unattended?" I whined, "For 30 seconds! okay I'm an idiot." All she murmured at that was, "Mm-hmm."
So this morning I'm trying to get all the shit together to go down to the consulate to report the stolen passport and apply for a new one which I need before July to go to California. I'll handle that and then I'll get to downloading pics and whatnot. We really did have a blast, but that will have to wait til tomorrow.
24 comments:
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Sorry about the rip off. It is unfortunate that someone did not share with you certain NYC "survival" hints. Perhaps your post will help others, but sadly you pay the price.
Oh, man, sorry about the AMerican hospitality....
Now see, if you'd have come here to South Central Pennsylvania, that bag would have been safe there for hours!
Course...there's really no reason to come to South Central Pennsylvania....
HUGS...
You have the makings of a made for TV movie, "Gone in 30 Seconds." Since NAFTA North America is supposed to be like one big nation, yet they still require a passport to travel. Can't wait to hear about the good times as two hunky men live it up in NYC. Welcome back, I missed you.
Oh man, you've got to be kidding.....that sucks...big time (and not ina good way). Really sorry. McDonald's can have that nasty aura about it. I hope you'll come to Portland next time.....we'd have let you go for close to a minute before taking your bag.
that is upsetting. im sorry that happened to you.
That really sucks! I missed you while you were away and can't wait to hear all the good stuff though! I bet Sara gave you lots of sloppy wet love too.
I had no idea your bag was stolen. It was great seeing you and Serge! Let's not wait so many years before seeing each other again. Don't forget...Christmas 2008 in Seattle!
aw, i'm sorry to hear your bag was stolen.
i think it's sweet that, while having your stuff stolen is awful, everyone sees it as a sign that you should live closer to them. you are loved and were missed. welcome home.
There are many places in NYC where I have been lax about the security of my belongings, but Times Square is not one of them.
Moral: Never eat at McDonalds. Or any fast food place for that matter.
Oh no! Sorry about the bag rip off. I watch my bag like a hawk in airports, would have probably done the same thing you did in a McD's.
Welcome back!
oh sweetie...I'm so sorry.
getting something ripped off is such a violation. It's like "wha'..it was just... who..?" and you keep looking for it, thinking you misplaced it.
Was it your whole trip bag, or a backpack? Were the Mama Mia tickets safe?
I hope it was the only bad luck you have for the rest of the year.
That sucks about your bag! Really. And about the other stuff, like that wait. God lol.
"Moral: never eat at McDonald's." hahaha
And yeah, welcome back, we did miss you. I kept coming back to this blog and thinking, oh no!, what's wrong, he always posts regularly... before again realizing that you were gone away. :P
p.s. I've never heard this expression, ripped off, for having something stolen. I've only ever heard it as a term for paying too much for something; "I got ripped off when i bought that watch, 'cause it turned out to be a knock off,' or whatever. Interesting. Maybe it's an American or Central/Western Canadian expression or something.
Can't wait to hear about the trip :)
OH, that sucks. I hope it didn't set a precedent for the rest of your trip. I'm looking forward to hearing your NYC stories. The group photo Farmboy T posted of all of you is wonderful!
That's terrible about losing your passport. I love train travel, but 13 hours is too long. I just take the bus (which is 10 hours from toronto - more than long enough)
that really sucks!!! i apologize since i'm from ny but i live way upstae and to the west. thats one thing about nyc, you can't let your guard down. the amtrack thing is bad also, i m not into the train sway, and havent done it since colleg..then is twas only a 3 hr ride into nyc from albany. i hope you don't end up with passport problems. and i hopethe good part of the trip was very very good.
Sorry about the stolen bag and passport - what a hassle. Amtrak is rarely worth taking, in my opinion - if they're not hours late, they're running off the tracks and catching fire. But either way makes for a memorable trip!
I can just IMAGINE the look on the officer's face. I would have been the same way. "You left. Your bag. Unattended? In McDonalds. In Times Square?" Mmmmhmmm indeed!
Eek on the stealings. I suspect this is why I am afraid to travel. Knowing my luck I'd lose something uber important. Like a child. Or a Gameboy. Maybe even both at the same time.
You know, Amtrak is an idea that could really work, if it was properly funded.
Sigh, Commiseration from a fellow out-of-towner. Us country mice don't understand city mouse ways.
Glad you're back, I worried for you.
Welcome back and sorry you had the negative "Amtrak" and "NY City" experiences. I just hope the frustrations didn't outweigh your good memories.
I wish there was something we bloggers could do to help ya; just let us know if there is!
I would probably have done the same thing as you -- after all what could happen in 30 seconds, right?
It's unfortunate your bag was stolen. Because I'm neurotic (with a touch of control freak), I schlepped my carryall all over with me (as well as held my passaport in my front pocket) before I checked into my hotel.
Yeah, I know. I'm a freak.
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