Quick Trip Update: My Bicycle Was Stolen in London
Hoooooorray readers! This will be a quick series to update during the cycling - The sad days!
Current Position: London in the UK.
It's been a few days that I don't post any content, also it's been two days that I've been trying to find any signs of happiness - kudos to the brazilian community in London and many Steem friends for cheering me up.
On my last quick trip update I was in Slovenia, making it confusing for those who follow my content. How can I teleport so fast across the map? It's not that I'm teleporting, it's because for the past weeks I have been traveling non stop, sleeping on farmlands and train stations, or not sleeping at all, thus not having time to post anything; all this created a gap between my current position and the content.
However, this time I'll skip all the Slovenian, Italian and French adventures... we'll have time to talk about them in the future, so let's jump straight to my current position and somehow messed up situation.
On January 11th I finally crossed the ferry between Calais and Dover, for three days and two nights I cycled hard over hills, camping on farmlands and giving all my energy against the headwinds to get to the capital, where I planned to settle for a while to produce even more content and maybe upgrade my camera gear.
I got to the N°8 Hostel Seven Sisters on the evening of January 13th, tired and without a shower for 5 days, my belly was screamming for food like a Lion. The low prices for the night brought me there, the naive mindset of a guy who had been camping on isolated areas drove me to the big mistake of leaving the bicycle on the hostel's garden. I took a shower, cooked a delicious meal, checked the bicycle and went to sleep. At 0300 AM I woke up for the first time, I was worried, still with my eyes semi opened I went downstairs to check the bicycle - it was still there.
I must say that sleeping was not easy, but I eventually did when the last of the hosts decided to shut up and stop talking on his phone. At 0800 AM I woke up, grabbed my towel to wash my face and even before going to the bathroom I went downstairs to check if the bicycle was still safe. It wans't.
That very moment I felt an emptiness through my throat, passing by my chest and ending on my guts. I placed both hands on my face and my legs lost their strength making me sit on the nearest chair. It's gone... my bicycle is gone - I said while having my hands on my face. Sorry sir? - The lady nearby asked. My only important possession is gone, someone stole my bicycle... - I said.
The rest of that day was spent dealing with the useless English police and wandering around trying to figure out how to deal with life. Should I go back home? I should start looking for a job. What should I do? My mind was all over the place and at some times my eyes would get full of tears that refused to drop.
I have to be absolutely grateful for the brazilian community who supported me for these past two days, giving me a space to sleep. Tomorrow I'll start looking for work and a hostel to volunteer and slowly I'll recover what I've lost. Through hard work, giving english classes everyday for 1 year I bought my bicycle. Trhough hard work somewhere in London I shall recover it!
Don't worry, I'll give my best to keep the content going and the spirit of this channel alive.
If you liked this post, please, consider leaving your upvote for a hot coffee.
~Love ya all,
Disclaimer: The author of this post is a convict broke backpacker, who has travelled more than 10.000 km hitchhiking. Following him may cause severe problems of wanderlust and inquietud. You've been warned.
I'm Arthur. I blog about Adventure Stories, Brazil, Travel, Camping & Life Experiences.
Follow me to stay tuned for more craziness and tips.
You may also want to read:
Quick Trip Update: We made it to Slovenia!
[vlog #29] Bike Vlog on the Road | Austria | Going Crazy on the Forest
Quick Trip Update: Mr. Wild Camper and the Holy Tractor
[vlog #28] My2018: Just a normal day | Is travelling different from being at home?
[vlog #27] A quick, clumsy and HUMONGOUS thank you!
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I'm so sorry to hear that. As a person who also lost her bike because of thieves, I know your feelings. When your bike is like a friend and your best helper, like another pair of legs or hands ... and especially if it is part of a big dream, as in your case ... This is a damn sad situation.
Unfortunately, bicycle theft is a frequent phenomenon in the cities of Ukraine or Russia, so only a few risk leaving the bike unattended. But for me it was a surprise to find out that this could happen on the streets of cultural London.
I hope you can cope with your difficult situation, and karma will overtake those who did it.
Heyho @erikaflynn, it's a really sad feeling indeed, but we can't let that put us down.
Bike theft does happen a LOT in London, same for motorcycles.. I even saw a guy stealing inside the supermarket!
Damn! Sorry that this has happened, but yeah in a big bad capital city like London, you shouldn't leave anything to chance. Sorry that this has happened to you again! Hopefully, you will find a job to build up some savings and buy a bicycle for your second leg of your European bicycle journey.
Btw, there is a Steem Meet-Up in London on Friday (18th from 12:00 onwards). Check out @redrica's profile for more info. She made a post within the last week. I (Sam) should pop over for an hour or two more likely in the afternoon. Hope to see you there, if you are not working on that day. 😊
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Sup @travelling-two, I'll try my best, I just don't know if I'll have the feelings for talking about Steem and specially about the trip; nor I know if I'll have the money to get there.
Well, hopefully you can as maybe we can help out, but totally understand that you might not be in the mood. Fingers crossed for a turn for the better! 🤞😊
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It's turning for better already! I was just feeling down this morning but after a meal I'm already getting better haha.
That's great! Food does help with that 😉
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Sam, can I just say thank you for being so awesome and helping spread the word of the meetup. You haven't even met us and already such a value to our community. Really looking forward to meeting you on Friday!
And through doing that, thanks for bringing my attention to this post. I really feel for this guy, and will see how I can help. Hope he can make it on Friday as well!
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You're very welcome! Been to a few Steem meetups in Thailand, so if those are anything to go by then I'm happy to help out where I can 😊
I can see that you are already helping out Arthur 😊 this is how communities work! Love it!
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Weheee, yeah we've met yesterday so now I have a place to stay at least till I find a job of some sort. Things will get better @travelling-two, just gotta keep the positive mindset.
That's the way Arthur! 😉 Sending positive vibes your way too
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sorry to hear that. my 3 cents won't really help but :(
hope you manage to get a new bike.
It'll take a while @bil.prag, but hopefully I'll do it!
Thanks for being supportive, much appreciated
Oh man, that is rough. Nobody should take adventurers bike, or anyone else's for that matter :(
But I must condone your spirit of not giving up, that takes some serious mental strength.
I wish you the best!
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There should exist a law between thieves that bikes are considered holy spirits and touching them would send them straight to hell.
But I'll tell you... London is impossible, I saw people stealing inside the supermarket.
Oh man I feel for you! I know what it's like to wake up in the middle of the night, wondering if the bike is still where I locked it, and fortunately (in my case) it always was. But I don't know what I would have done if it weren't. Throw in the towel, I guess. So even more respect to you for knuckling down and pulling yourself out of it. Best wishes for the job hunt in London (probably not the worst place for it). Looking forward to your updates, past and future. And DEATH to bicycle thieves!!!
Thanks for the support man! I'll tell you, it's a gigantic emptiness feeling and we go through all kinds of emotions. From helpless to vulnerable, we also become defensive and survival mode quicks in. Then the shock phase goes away and the sadness comes, realisation and a desire to maybe cry.
London is reaching impossible levels, I saw people stealing inside the supermarket!
Bah, já tive a bicicleta roubada e a sensação é terrível, mas acontece, não dá para descuidar um minuto onde quer que seja. É uma situação complicada, mas dá-se um jeito. Força aí e, precisando, estamos aí, só chamar.
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Tamo na correria! Não vai ser fácil comprar outra, da mesma forma que não foi fácil comprar aquela, mas seguimos batalhando, a guerra não foi perdida ainda.
:-( Really really really sucky, especially since you seem to sort of be worried about the bike getting stolen and it happened within 5 hours after you checking your bike for the last time. Arrrrgh.
Really hope something good comes out of this but I know it doesn't feel that way now. Good luck @mrprofessor...!
I believe in destiny @soyrosa, if something happens it's because, maybe, it should have happened after all. Maybe if I still had the bike I'd not be entering this survival mode, maybe I would be comfortable and not so focused on finding a job, maybe...
I just need to keep myself occupied so I don't think much about what happend
Bummer!!! So sorry to hear that. Glad to hear your spirit is still intact and you will be able to get another bike. Your new bike will bring you on bigger adventures. All the best!
I'm trying to keep it intact, the best thing I can do now is to keep my mind busy so I don't have time to think... now for a new one, that's a big maybe.
Thanks for the support!
Life lesson.
Keep your friends and most valuable possessions close.
Keep your enemies closer. (in your mind that is)
Situational awareness is one of the most important life skills anyone can have.
Your instincts were correct, next time follow them, keep what is important to you safe.
Yup, but the hostel had no places inside... I even thought about spending all the night awake and just using the hostel to take shower eat. But.. what is done is done.
No lock? A good lock might have bought you some time, especially a high quality lock securing your bicycle to a fixed object, even a low cost u-lock can't be broken or cut quickly without making a lot of noise.
That said, even the toughest locks and chains only take a few minutes to cut with a battery powered angle grinder, if it was my most valuable possession, it wouldn't leave my sight if I felt it was unsafe.
Bicycles are great, and usually replaceable, always factor that into your travel expenses.
Sorry for your loss, thieves are everywhere.
London is world famous for many reasons, especially theft.