On my first trip to London I was befriended by a fellow Aussie in the breakfast room of my budget hotel. He'd wait for me every morning at breakfast time, telling me all about himself - he was living in Paris, worked for a film company and was working for a couple of weeks in London. I gave him little information about myself, beyond my first name and how long I was staying.

I felt very uncomfortable around him. He suggested going out for a drink one night, I declined (I was concerned that he might try to drug me, something just seemed wrong about him). The same night there was a knock at my door but I didn't answer, I'm guessing it was him.

On my second last morning there, he greeted me at breakfast with the dreadful news that his van had been stolen and smashed the previous evening, all of his equipment had been taken. Could I lend him 50 quid? I told him to contact his company, he came up with a bull***t excuse as to why he couldn't, same when I suggested going to the Australian High Commission, everything I suggested he had an answer to.

Finally I offered him 20 quid just to get rid of him. He accepted it happily and departed. I knew I was being conned, but really it was worth the 20 just to get rid of him. The whole thing just made me feel a bit sad really.