South America and South Africa

First many thanks to all the friends who read my posts in this blog and also those who enjoyed watching the photos. It was always fun for me to put this together and a great joy for me when I received your comments. Many thanks for this!

Unfortunately it will be much more difficult to continue this blog as I was robbed in my last seven hours in Buenos Aires before I wanted to go to the airport. I lost my camera, my laptop, my credit cards, all my money (however, it was not that much, but when you literally have not even a penny money gets a new dimension), my passport and my drivers license as well as several personal items. Fortunately I haven’t lost my health as when it happened (the classic – squeezing some liquid on me which looks like bird poo, handing tissues, creating hectic, bla, bla, bla, then another person grabbing the backpack, then the “helpful” women running away) I was more into trying to relocate my backpack instead of grabbing one of the “helpful” women. And if I would have grabbed one, who knows, they might have had a knife or somebody else would be around to protect them. Whatever…

After seven hours with the police and numerous phone calls with the German Embassy (German tourists on the street gave me some money so that I could call the Embassy, the police did not let me) I found a hostel which let me stay without paying in advance and without showing any proof of identity. The next day (Monday) I went to the German Consulate and within 70 minutes I got hold of a new passport which enables me to continue my trip. The next plane to Johannesburg, South Africa, went two days later so beside my possessions I “only” lost three days and actually a lot of trust and self esteem.

Since my friend Claire and I wanted to travel the South of Africa together in a rental car we changed the arrangements with the rental car company so that Claire is now the only driver. We picked up the car in Johannesburg, South Africa, at the airport and are meanwhile in Botswana and want to enter Chobe Nationalpark later today. I could also meet my friends Petra and Thomas at the airport (we wanted to meet in Kruger Nationalpak three days earlier if the theft wouldn’t have happened) and they kindly lent me their Canon dslr (I might not look as the most trustworthy person at this point in time but I always carry it around with me, promised!).

Though more difficult now and less colorful I try to keep you updated.