On my third day.

August 10 is Quito’s Independence Day, but the celebration started the night before. I was observing a staged reenactment in Plaza Grande until I got bored and decided to walk back to my hostel. One particular street crossing was very crowded and there was a lot of unnecessary pushing and shoving by teenagers. Two thoughts went through my head:

1. This feels like a mosh pit.
2. This is how people get their pockets picked.

I went back to the hostel and noticed my wallet was not in my front pocket. I went through three minutes of panic looking for it everywhere, even in places I knew it couldn’t be at—but it was gone. I always thought I’d feel a pick pocket, but I guess their business is making sure you don’t.

The damage was $80 and two expired credit cards I was using as mugger bait to distract the respectable stash hidden in a pouch next to my crotch. My innocence as a traveler has been lost for all eternity.

• Most Dangerous South American Countries
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• Listen To Me, Not The NY Times

sumbumbabitch!

What was the last thing I told you when you left? Damn, sometimes I feel like we don’t listen to each other whatsoeva

It’s almost like you knew it was going to happen.

Roosh
July 23rd, 2007 at 11:26 am

Damn that really sucks. This is definitely a story I didn’t want to see.

Better than getting mugged (Amsterdam), which isn’t even that bad as long as you are looking back on it as someone still, you know, alive.

Good idea with the mugger bait in the back pocket wallet. Likewise, good call on the crotch wallet. First, the neck/chest pouch wallet is usually given away by the string at the back of the collar. While it is a good deterrent from being the victim of a pickpocket, it doesn’t do much to deter muggers. Second, no self-respecting South American man (or any heterosexual man) will consider groping your crotch for other “valuables” (yes, this begs for a crown jewels joke, but it’s too obvious).

yo roosh, did you feel the lima earthquake?

Dude, like ArJew said- you should’ve been totes prepared for that. Still sucks, though.

I’m never going to South America. Either that or I’m keeping my money up my crotch.

We felt nothing in quito.

The first of many, I suspect.

[...] I keep fucking up. I got my pocket picked going into a crowd, I dropped my digital camera, I lost a disposable camera with two dozen photos [...]

[...] thought I had advanced street smarts when coming to South America, but then I got pick pocketed on my third day. Here’s a list of popular scams I’ve learned [...]

[...] I got robbed: [...]

Robbed does not equal pickpocketed. Getting robbed is more like a mugging or an actual assault. Looks like you’re still pretty innocent.