Robbed in EZE - help please!
Aug 4, 2003 | 6:38 am
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Southern Alberta
Posts: 20,547
Indeed, Davidstev's misadventure brings out either unpleasant personal travelling memories or touches a deep rooted fear that this could happen to us on a trip.
In Milan, I was swarmed by a group of children led by an adult Gypsy. It only cost me loose change and about twenty thousand lira. All the rest of my valuables were deposited in the room safe; a practice I still do today.
Your misfortune Davistev does have a silver lining. It brings about in our minds a review of basic safety precautions for those of us who travel extensively.
Hope all the rest of your trip goes well and this incident does not ruin what appears to be a good itinerary.
Bonne chance.
In Milan, I was swarmed by a group of children led by an adult Gypsy. It only cost me loose change and about twenty thousand lira. All the rest of my valuables were deposited in the room safe; a practice I still do today.
Your misfortune Davistev does have a silver lining. It brings about in our minds a review of basic safety precautions for those of us who travel extensively.
Hope all the rest of your trip goes well and this incident does not ruin what appears to be a good itinerary.
Bonne chance.
Aug 4, 2003 | 4:35 pm
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Seattle, Cagayan de Oro
Programs: CebGo 5J, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum, Alaska Titanium
Posts: 4,778
Now where is that horse shoe?
Everybody - a miracle happened today. We went to the Canadian and Australian Embassies today and both were extremely helpful and told us to not worry. In fact the Canadian Embassy told us what happened to us before we could tell her. Apparently the sting happens all the time in EZE. Both promised us passports in 36 hours. Both charged us about $100 in fees to process the forms and the normal passport fee.
While we were at the Canadian Embassy, the Australian Embassy called and apparently our passports and tickets were turned in by a young girl to a local tourist hotel. We could not believe our luck. The Canadian Consular Officer called it a miracle! The Australians have never seen such luck and we of course are estatic. The only thing we did not get back were our credit cards but they have been cancelled anyway. I paid a reward of $100 to the Hotel clerk who called the details in to the Australian Embassy. She was happy, we were happy.
WE GOT OUR STUFF BACK
Apparently the Australian and Canadian Embassy people are on a first name basis which just made everything so much easier to track us down. They even refunded us all the fees. They gave us tourist info about EZE and wished us good shopping for the rest of stay.
What an I say - Great consular services by both countries. No lines, no hassles, just genuine concern.
Again, thanks people for the offers of help and assistance. If in Nagoya, Japan - email me and I can arrange a few Kirins.
Cheers
Dave - Nagoya, Japan.
P.S. Hilton is happy because now we have some money to pay for the incidentals. Kudos to Hilton for checking us in with no ID or Credit Cards - just my word (and HH number).
Everybody - a miracle happened today. We went to the Canadian and Australian Embassies today and both were extremely helpful and told us to not worry. In fact the Canadian Embassy told us what happened to us before we could tell her. Apparently the sting happens all the time in EZE. Both promised us passports in 36 hours. Both charged us about $100 in fees to process the forms and the normal passport fee.
While we were at the Canadian Embassy, the Australian Embassy called and apparently our passports and tickets were turned in by a young girl to a local tourist hotel. We could not believe our luck. The Canadian Consular Officer called it a miracle! The Australians have never seen such luck and we of course are estatic. The only thing we did not get back were our credit cards but they have been cancelled anyway. I paid a reward of $100 to the Hotel clerk who called the details in to the Australian Embassy. She was happy, we were happy.
WE GOT OUR STUFF BACK
Apparently the Australian and Canadian Embassy people are on a first name basis which just made everything so much easier to track us down. They even refunded us all the fees. They gave us tourist info about EZE and wished us good shopping for the rest of stay.
What an I say - Great consular services by both countries. No lines, no hassles, just genuine concern.
Again, thanks people for the offers of help and assistance. If in Nagoya, Japan - email me and I can arrange a few Kirins.
Cheers
Dave - Nagoya, Japan.
P.S. Hilton is happy because now we have some money to pay for the incidentals. Kudos to Hilton for checking us in with no ID or Credit Cards - just my word (and HH number).
Aug 4, 2003 | 4:43 pm
#19
At Large
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: oakville Ontario canada;AC*SE
Posts: 16,985
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by davistev:
Now where is that horse shoe?
Everybody - a miracle happened today. We went to the Canadian and Australian Embassies today and both were extremely helpful and told us to not worry. In fact the Canadian Embassy told us what happened to us before we could tell her. Apparently the sting happens all the time in EZE. Both promised us passports in 36 hours. Both charged us about $100 in fees to process the forms and the normal passport fee.
While we were at the Canadian Embassy, the Australian Embassy called and apparently our passports and tickets were turned in by a young girl to a local tourist hotel. We could not believe our luck. The Canadian Consular Officer called it a miracle! The Australians have never seen such luck and we of course are estatic. The only thing we did not get back were our credit cards but they have been cancelled anyway. I paid a reward of $100 to the Hotel clerk who called the details in to the Australian Embassy. She was happy, we were happy.
WE GOT OUR STUFF BACK
Apparently the Australian and Canadian Embassy people are on a first name basis which just made everything so much easier to track us down. They even refunded us all the fees. They gave us tourist info about EZE and wished us good shopping for the rest of stay.
What an I say - Great consular services by both countries. No lines, no hassles, just genuine concern.
Again, thanks people for the offers of help and assistance. If in Nagoya, Japan - email me and I can arrange a few Kirins.
Cheers
Dave - Nagoya, Japan.
P.S. Hilton is happy because now we have some money to pay for the incidentals. Kudos to Hilton for checking us in with no ID or Credit Cards - just my word (and HH number).</font>
Now where is that horse shoe?
Everybody - a miracle happened today. We went to the Canadian and Australian Embassies today and both were extremely helpful and told us to not worry. In fact the Canadian Embassy told us what happened to us before we could tell her. Apparently the sting happens all the time in EZE. Both promised us passports in 36 hours. Both charged us about $100 in fees to process the forms and the normal passport fee.
While we were at the Canadian Embassy, the Australian Embassy called and apparently our passports and tickets were turned in by a young girl to a local tourist hotel. We could not believe our luck. The Canadian Consular Officer called it a miracle! The Australians have never seen such luck and we of course are estatic. The only thing we did not get back were our credit cards but they have been cancelled anyway. I paid a reward of $100 to the Hotel clerk who called the details in to the Australian Embassy. She was happy, we were happy.
WE GOT OUR STUFF BACK
Apparently the Australian and Canadian Embassy people are on a first name basis which just made everything so much easier to track us down. They even refunded us all the fees. They gave us tourist info about EZE and wished us good shopping for the rest of stay.
What an I say - Great consular services by both countries. No lines, no hassles, just genuine concern.
Again, thanks people for the offers of help and assistance. If in Nagoya, Japan - email me and I can arrange a few Kirins.
Cheers
Dave - Nagoya, Japan.
P.S. Hilton is happy because now we have some money to pay for the incidentals. Kudos to Hilton for checking us in with no ID or Credit Cards - just my word (and HH number).</font>
You are lucky but things would have worked out anyway with the help of the consulates.
Congrats and keep smiling!!!
Aug 4, 2003 | 6:56 pm
#22
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Shanghai
Programs: CX Diamond, HH Diamond, A-Club Gold, Hyatt Platinum, Shangri-la Jade, Intercon Gold Ambassador
Posts: 1,370
Glad this worked out so well in the end.
I got squirted with mustard in BA about 6 years ago -- the same scam is still around I guess. I`d been warned about it by a friend resident in BA and walked (actually ran!) away before the con artists had a chance to talk. Bloody annoying -- it was my last clean shirt literally hours before flying home to YYZ and I stunk up the cabin like an American hotdog. Not nearly as annoying as it must have been for you however....
[This message has been edited by ACORD (edited 08-04-2003).]
I got squirted with mustard in BA about 6 years ago -- the same scam is still around I guess. I`d been warned about it by a friend resident in BA and walked (actually ran!) away before the con artists had a chance to talk. Bloody annoying -- it was my last clean shirt literally hours before flying home to YYZ and I stunk up the cabin like an American hotdog. Not nearly as annoying as it must have been for you however....
[This message has been edited by ACORD (edited 08-04-2003).]
Aug 4, 2003 | 7:28 pm
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Programs: OWEmerald; STARGold; BonvoyPlat; IHGPlat/Amb; HiltonGold; A|ClubPat; AirMilesPlat
Posts: 38,190
Glad to read the latest dispatch. Sorry that your Sunday was ruined, though. There are few tourist things to compare with spending a Sunday afternoon in San Telmo watching the street Tango dancers and wandering through the flea market. I guess the thiefs took pity on travellers from two countries whose currencies have had it just as rough as the Austral!
Those of us who have experienced a variant of this "bird **** attack" [pea soup is extremely effective] are now prepared for the next assault of this type. On one level, it is good to know this has happened to other "experienced" travellers, but not something we would like to happen to anyone else. For those reading this thread, you've been tipped to an increasing way of hitting on visitors: India, Italy, Argentina.... It can happen any where, any time.
Now go out and have some of the finest tender beef you will ever experience, and wash it down with some scrumptious local CabSauvignon. All for the price of a couple of pieces of sushi back "home". Oh yes, and don't forget those Alfajores Havannas for your sweet tooth. BA can be a very beautiful city in spite of what you've experienced, so enjoy the final two days.
Those of us who have experienced a variant of this "bird **** attack" [pea soup is extremely effective] are now prepared for the next assault of this type. On one level, it is good to know this has happened to other "experienced" travellers, but not something we would like to happen to anyone else. For those reading this thread, you've been tipped to an increasing way of hitting on visitors: India, Italy, Argentina.... It can happen any where, any time.
Now go out and have some of the finest tender beef you will ever experience, and wash it down with some scrumptious local CabSauvignon. All for the price of a couple of pieces of sushi back "home". Oh yes, and don't forget those Alfajores Havannas for your sweet tooth. BA can be a very beautiful city in spite of what you've experienced, so enjoy the final two days.
Aug 4, 2003 | 7:44 pm
#25
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: YUL & SIN
Posts: 340
Hey davistev!
Am really happy for you! Please have a good time and may nothing else spoil your well deserved holiday!
Kudos to the 2 embassies too. It's comforting to know that you can really count on them when you need to.
------------------
Travelling makes the world smaller and friendlier.
Am really happy for you! Please have a good time and may nothing else spoil your well deserved holiday!
Kudos to the 2 embassies too. It's comforting to know that you can really count on them when you need to.
------------------
Travelling makes the world smaller and friendlier.
Aug 5, 2003 | 9:45 am
#30
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Oakville, Ont, Canada
Posts: 407
Glad it is working out so well.
I was in Torino in 1999 when my passport was stolen from my car where I had stupidly left it in my luggage while I went into a restuarant for lunch. Thankfully I still had my wallet.
The procedure - file a police report right away. Report the stolen passport by phone to Canadian authorities. Then I had to make my way to the nearest consulate (Milan) and apply for a new passport. I needed to have the pictures (from the train station kiosk) and the standard fee. The replacement passport (valid for 1 year) was issued within 1 hour.
Note that if it had happened on the weekend, I would have had to wait until the consulate opened up again to leave the country.
I was in Torino in 1999 when my passport was stolen from my car where I had stupidly left it in my luggage while I went into a restuarant for lunch. Thankfully I still had my wallet.
The procedure - file a police report right away. Report the stolen passport by phone to Canadian authorities. Then I had to make my way to the nearest consulate (Milan) and apply for a new passport. I needed to have the pictures (from the train station kiosk) and the standard fee. The replacement passport (valid for 1 year) was issued within 1 hour.
Note that if it had happened on the weekend, I would have had to wait until the consulate opened up again to leave the country.