Mon., May 26, 1980 - "CATASTROPHE!!! We walked to the beach walk to see hang gliders & take pictures. As I got tired, I sat on bench and John went the last block. Suddenly my shoulder bag was snatched from my arm from behind! I jumped up and screamed as I saw a barefoot fellow dashing to a VW with my bag! A native woman came up and told me she saw it. Then John came about 5 minutes later. He was very upset as was I.
Saw a police car by hotel and took a policeman inside to learn from English-speaking Porter of our troubles. Porter wrote on paper and gave to police. All our money, passports, eye glasses, my driver's license and many other items were gone. So John phoned tour man to cancel rest of trip and change our plane reservations to Wed. night. Luckily, he had our tickets!!We gave them to him to confirm flight home on Sunday next!
The tour man came over in his wife's car and took us way downtown to American Embassy to get new passports - also to a photographer and later to Brazilian Consulate for visas. Just made it to last one a minute before closing! Then we taxied to a bus station where tour man told us to take the St. Conrad bus to our hotel as he had to go to airport next.
We got a scare on the bus. The girl ticket giver (thru interpreter in seat near us) said we were on the wrong bus! But before we could decide to get off or not, she found out we were O.K. She had given out wrong tickets! So - we got back after dark, but O.K. as the bus ride ends by our hotel area. What a day! Glad it's all over and we are all set to leave for home - partly packed. Played
cards again to relax."
The thief also took Ruth's diary for 1980, so she reconstructed what happened on the brief trip. They
never forgot that adventure!
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