Will I ever see it again?

lost forever?

I must be one of the world's most absent minded people. I know this well and realised that on this trip I developed a routine for packing everything in its place so that I don't misplace anything else. I realised this after losing, yet another pair of sunglasses, camping equipment,  money, papers and so on. But the classic has to be leaving a laptop case, complete with backup drives and backup thumb drives in a Kathmandu taxi. A taxi you cannot identify, no reference numbers, no phone number to call, no brand or taxi company. This is just a white Suzuki car about the same size as a toaster with no means to identify it other than the registration number. Apart from Rain man, police and trainspotter types, who reads  registration numbers? I don't.

My freind Rajesh assured me they'd find it. "Don't worry" he smiled. I'm trying to acknowledge his confidence but I feel he is either deluded or knows something I don't. How on earth will you track down a small black bag in a sea of taxi's. What low paid taxi driver would hand in equivalent of a two months wages? I think that impossible. Rajesh is still confident as I bid him farewell and run to catch my plane still seething at my stupidity.

I'm flying back to UK for a week or so before rejoining my planned route in Thailand. When I land in London, switch on the phone, check for text messages ..... "no news - sorry" - Rajesh"

So now I've accepted that the computer, ipad and all my video back up files have gone. I have lost weeks of video footage, I have no other copies and feel completely low. I'm trying to pick myself up and as I head for the Edinburgh train I give myself a slap, try to look at the positives, I may have lost the equipment and a lot of video, I can still put something decent together maybe. I am still on this amazing adventure travelling across the globe, so be happy!

My phone was switched to silent to avoid annoying other passengers on the high speed train north. As we roll into Berwick on the Scottish border I check the phone and to my utter amazement that I got the news from my friend Rajesh that he'd found the case,  complete with all items intact! I thought this was impossible and still couldn't believe it but somehow, he managed to succeed. I'm not sure who he had to convince but as we'd put up a reward of 10,000 Nepalise Rupees, ($80) which is not a lot by our standards but enough to get the job done. I do suspect however, Rajesh went above and beyond the call of duty for this one, does he have powerful freinds in high places? He never tells me but I suspect so.

I can't explain the relief but I'm so happy to hear the news and share this with the other train passengers opposite me. I had to, since I was punching the air and muttering "fuckin brilliant"! or words to that effect.

Next: Thailand - "Love you long time"!