HITCH HIKING STORIES - THE LOST BACKPACK

[La Esperanza Camping, Tulum, Mexico]

Me and Bruno were in Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico and damn happy because we were in a dream camping in the caribean sea with beautiful people all around, felt like family <3

Sadly it was time to leave so we decided to sleep on the beach last night. We organized all stuff and hitch hiked to the centre to go groceries shopping for the dinner. We were in heaven, I mean we got a ride from a pick up and we were outside looking at the blue sky, white clouds and the green trees surrounding us. It was those magical minutes I won't forget.

We "woke up" when the driver said that we arrived. So he pulled over, we jumped and said Gracias with an huge smile. It took 2 seconds until I look at Bruno and reconized that something was missing "Bruno where is your backpack???" Bruno looked at me, opened his eyes and started running after the car. Too late. "Crap! We are screwed!"

For some reason that exact day we decided to have every single important thing in his backpack: money, visa, credit cards, both passports, both cell phones. Imagine you are traveling for one week and want to travel few more months and suddently all your important things disapeared!!

I was hopeless, in the rain, waiting for the car to come back but nothing.

We got back to the camping with heads down and told some people the story. They were so supportive: "I'm sure tomorrow you'll have that backpack in your hands" "It will return don't worry".

A bunch of thoughts in my head were coming and disapearing like little lightning bolts. In one hand I knew this could end up with our trip, in the other hand I had the hope, like we say in Portugal "A esperança é a ultima a morrer".

Also this could be a good training to stop being materialist and a wonderful message from the Universe to take better care of my stuff. Both me and Bruno are "heads on moon", we lose objects very often but when you are traveling it can be a torture because without money makes it harder to carry on but not impossible! Along my trips I met so many inspiring people who works in the way, selling their handmade products or juggling or doing massages or whatever you have the knowlege of. Those beautiful souls are my heroes.

Crying wouldn't help so next day we decided to walk around looking for the driver, we knew he was the boss of some house construction because he was driving his staff. Well this is what we thought, we never knew the real truth. We walked for hours and nothing. It was time to go to downtown and know about the passorts. The news were: "We can sign a paper and you can leave Mexico without a passport." Cool man, means we cannot go to Central America, we can only travel Mexico.

We were hopeless walking in the centre when suddenly Bruno says "I heard my name". "Hmmm??" So I open my ears and also listen "Bruno Hernandez, Bruno Hernandez" We look at our back and saw a car with a megaphone, those that scream that the circus is in town. First thought was "Might be a famous singer here, they are advertising about his concert in Tulum" But, well, what a name concidence.

Bruno looked at the man in the car and he looked back pointing at him. And Bruno confirmed "I'm Bruno". We went closer and the driver said: "Bruno? Marta? I have your backpack!!!" "WWWHHHHHAAAATTTT???" we start laughing, no wayyyyy!!

So, the guy who gave us the ride instead of going to the police (he knows how corrupt mexican police can be) paid a guy to yell our names in the centre of Tulum. We hugged him, we wanted to give him money, we wanted to kiss him but he just said: "It's fine. Have fun! Bye."

Yes, we are the lucky basterds and yes, we learned a lesson. From then, my Hip Bag was my bestfriend <3 It's very important to have all your important items on you, especially if you daydream too often or if you hitch hike. I believe the positive vibrations from the camping helped us to keep up with the HOPE. Enquanto há vida, há esperança.