Son of a...

I got pick pocketed. I feel like such a sucker. Right after I updated the blog, and THANKFULLY downloaded all of my photos from the last few days in Kathmandu and the whole Tibet trip to CD, Tim, Tess (great Swedish girl we met, who's been traveling around the subcontinent for 2.5 years), and I decided to head to the nearby Jokhang Monastery because there's free entry at 6pm. We were planning to walk up to the roof and take some sunset photos of Lhasa and the Potala palace. Well, there was a huge crowd waiting to get in (ala free entry), about 100-150 Tibetans, and us. Just before they opened the doors there was a huge push in the crowd and everyone was getting crushed up against the doors. Lots of pushing and bumping. I put my camera in my right front pocket and kept my hand on it. The crowd then really started pushing and the three of us got split up, we were struggling to keep upright and I took my hand off the camera to use my arms to push and brace against everyone. It was sort of dangerous, but as soon as the doors opened we all just rushed through, nobody got hurt. Once I got through, I realized my camera was gone! I was pretty shocked, I hand my hand on it like 45 seconds before... I was frantically looking around, but couldn't go back because of all the people rushing through. Once they all got through I looked and looked, but it was long gone. I looked for shady folks walking away, but didn't notice anyone.

Man, I was pisssssed. Felt like such an idiot, I had my camera out and was taking pictures just before I got into the crowd, must have looked like such a target. Tim and Tess came back and helped look, but no luck, it was gone. My camera was in the sticky fingers of some damn pickpocket. I talked to my hotel front desk people, they told me where to go tomorrow, since it was past 6pm, the police office I was supposed to go to was closed for the day. So today I've been sitting around, and trying to find 3 different PSB (Public Security Bureau) offices. The first one I went to had lots of cops, but none that spoke any English, I tried to get someone from the hotel that spoke Chinese and English to come with me, no luck. Tess came with me as a witness to the correct office and I got the report filed out and gave a statement. They asked if I had any 'suspects,' I wanted to say "yeah, dark hair, 5'4'', either Tibetan or Chinese." But figured that would just cause more confusion than it was worth... Oh well. At least I didn't lose any photos, just the Camera and a memory card... both replaceable. Oh and I had the room key and about 150 yuan in cash in the other pocket. Not the way I wanted to end my Tibet trip... Looking forward to getting back to Nepal tomorrow. The flight goes right over Everest and is supposed to be awesome!