Today was … well … interesting.

I went to the airport this morning to meet Rick and Mike (a small group this time! That’s OK. I enjoy small groups!). We met up as planned (they made all their connections) and I shepherded them into town and the Athens Cypria Hotel (www.athenscypriahotel.com).

I let them shower and then we met for an orientation: Athens, security, audio guides, mp3 players, etc. After that, we were ready to hit the road. We walked down to Monastiraki Metro Station and got on the metro to the New Archaeological Museum. There was a brief commotion, lots of movement and noise, and then about three young men slipped out of the train doors just as they were closing and we started moving away from the station. In less than 30 seconds, they’d managed to steal a passport, several credit cards, and a small amount of cash from my companions. They felt nothing. Pockets unzipped/unsnapped. Wallets removed. And no sense of what had happened until I asked whether everyone still had their stuff. The quick exit from the train doors had made me suspicious.

Sure enough. One then the other of my friends experienced that sickening feeling of being the victim of a theft … they realized their wallets had disappeared. I mean it was fast! A work of art you would admire if theft were not so dispicable.

We went immediately back to the hotel, got directions to the police station, went there and filed a report, and returned to the hotel to find out where the American Embassy was located. The receptionist at the Cypria (“Tossi”) beamed at us as we returned and said the manager of the Monastiraki station had called to say the passport had been found. Aparently, well organized and very skillful bands of thieves had been working in this station (he assured us these people were part of a Romanian gang), stripping wallets from unsuspecting tourists, taking the cash, and throwing passports and credit cards on the ground or into the trash.

In the end, my friends lost only a few dollars in cash and their credits cards (which were immediately cancelled, of course). It was a good ending to what could have been a trip-altering event.

So a few hints about protecting yourself from these pickpockets.

1. Use a money pouch that hangs around your neck and lays under your shirt. My friends had travel pants with zippered pockets. In less than a moment, these thieves had seen bulges in these pockets, felt for them with their hands, unsnapped and unzipped the pockets, and lifted the wallets without any tell-tale signs. We were all too focused on the diversion and the noise. [I have a lot of experience in Greece and I must say I had no idea how quick and effective these thieves could be. I know now!]
2. Beware of crowded, cramped spaces where lots of people are pushing and jostling. Thieves target these areas and watch for likely victims. They know you are a tourist in micro-seconds. They can tell by your haircut, your shoes, the fit and labels of your clothes, and a hundred other clues. In an instant, they can identify you, size you up, and put a well-organized plan into action. You don’t have a chance.
3. Keep a hand over any valuables (camera, money pouch) when you are in such public and crowded spaces.
4. Be very aware of what is happening around you. If something unusual happens, count on it … you are being distracted. Clamp your hand on your valuables and if anyone so much as touches you, yell “Ochi!!!” (“No!)” in a don’t-mess-with-me tone of voice.
5. Carry a large-caliber hand gun and blow away anyone who happens … no, I guess that’s not such a good idea. It would certainly feel good, but would have more negative consequences in the long run.
6. If you are the victim of such a heinous, dispicable, cowardly act (and may the thieves today be cursed with hives, measles, dropsey, scurvvy, and testicular cancer!), keep telling yourself “It’s not the end of the world.” It’s not. Really! This happens every day. The police station and your embassy knows how to handle such matters. They are there to help you and will.
7. Get on the phone and immediately cancel all your credit cards. As I said before, they’re probably just throwing the cards away (don’t want to be incriminated by holding onto them) but better safe than sorry. The credit card companies will bend over backwards to help. After all, they are responsible for unauthorized charges to your credit cards after you’ve reported them stolen. (Even before, actually.)
8. Get a police report and, form in hand, go to your embassy. They will issue you a temporary passport that can get you home. It may take a few days so best get this taken care of before moving on with your trip.

OK. We ended the day on a happier note, walking around Athens looking at Hadrian’s Arch, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Pnyx, the Areopagus, and the Acropolis/Parthenon in all their radiant, night-glory–lit up in magnificent display. We ate at Psara’s (yes, again!) and then walked home full, tired, and relieved.

Your day may not have been marred by theft. But I bet it wasn’t lifted by glorious ruins, heroic stories, and the thrill of being in an exotic location far from the press of the normal. Don’t pity us for a bad experience. Come join us and take a risk that, with the bad, comes a chance to experience things that ordinary life can never offer.