I am heading deep into the Chinese jungle on a double decker bus. It is great to be on the road. The bus is packed with locals and I am looking out at thick dark jungle vegetation, taking a picture.
Read moreAt the next stop the bus empties out.
Lizzie is with me. Only her and a few locals are left on the bus before we set off again, and there is a lot of space left on the top deck, especially as there are no chairs.
But then I see my backpack is gone. Where is it? Lying on the floor is only my cloth money belt. I feel it and it still has my two passports. Also lying on the floor is a blue cotton fanny pack.
“Is that it?” Lizzie asks, pointing at the fanny pack.
“No.”
Someone picks it up. Then I pick up the money belt and unzip it. Inside there are still the passports, plus my money, yuan bills, and other currencies.
Nobody took that at least.
We arrive at the next village for a rest and the bus comes to a stop on a narrow road, a brick wall on our right. And we all spill out.
“How long?”
The bus driver hold up his hands and spreads out his fingers.
10 minutes? 10 seconds?
Seconds.
We walk ahead of the bus through dense green overgrowth until we reach a huge round iron gate with white and red square latticework. Like a Mondrian for an old Chinese temple entryway.
At first we think to clamber through the squares, but I see the door is slightly ajar, and I push the gate open from the left side.
I cannot believe how I lost my camera. Next time I will get a cheap throwaway. Lizzie will have to take pictures as we walk through the village.
We are now back on the bus and climbing back to the top deck. My money belt is still there on the floor and this time I decide to put it on and I wrap it around my waist. I loop one end through the small metal buckle on the other end and tie a knot.
Then Siobhan stirs.
“Help! Help!” She cries.
I wake up and reach over. I find her elbow and she stops yelling; and her soft snore resumes again.
Feature photo by Jakub Hałun via WikiMedia Commons
Closed door from Wallpaper Flare
