The Simple(r) Life Shangrila!

If there is one universal rule in travel it would be don´t get robbed by cake batter.  You may think this is a joke, or perhaps I´m extremely bored on a 24 hour bus ride to Bariloche, but I must inform you it is not (although I am).  As a matter of fact...don´t get robbed by any edible substance; mayo, ketchup (stains), butter, milk, eggs (stinky!).  You get the point.  Well anyway, I broke this most cherished, well known and unspoken rule and was robbed at cake point at approximately 9:00am on a beautiful wednesday morning, in a gorgeous Argentinian town, on a street with other people, 10 minutes after arriving at the bus station.  Not my proudest moment nor one I ever saw coming.  As I look back on what truly was an extremely well orchestrated heist by 4 individuals, I can still not figure out how they planned it so well...it worked like a charm.  Their goal; 1: get us to take our own bags off of our person, 2: distract while now said bag was placed between a wall, my friend and I, 3: and finally (and surely the hardest), pretending to be courteous and sympathetic strangers to two trusting foreigners.  This brings me to the real rule of travel, that breaks my heart, but you hear time and time again...trust no one.  I hate this rule, this rule stinks.  I much prefer just dodging cake batter!  But it is true, with many exceptions of course.  All I can do is learn from this experience, that you do not have to close up and be afraid, but don´t let anyone else take control of a situation you are in, and trust your gut.  I would say I have a pretty good intuition about things and I did feel something going wrong, even when I stepped off the bus that day, but for some reason, this sweet argentinian woman was able to make me trust her enough to take everything from me.  Til the very end she played the perfect character, a real one that you wouldn´t be surprised to meet here in Argentina, very sweet, very kind face.  As my friend (and savior!) Jenna told me later, "this will never happen to you again, because now you know".  I know she is right, I will never let someone rob me with an edible substance again.  I have heard so many stories of other travellers about things like this happening to them in all knids of ways, most are surprised to know this has never happened to me before with all my travel.  But never robbed again in general, I don´t know, who does!?  There are some incredible tricks out there, some great creativity.  I am such a lucky person because although almost everything of value I had was taken, my parents, Jenna, other Argentinians and other travellers have been so incredible to me.  Which brings me to the truest rule, the golden rule of travel, pay it forward.  You get in a tough spot, people help you through it, no questions asked.  And someday, you will meet someone who is going through the same things, with not even a centavo to their name and I will be ready and willing to help in any way I can.  With the help of my incredibly patient, understanding and willing parents, the US embassy in Buenos Aires ($100 dollars later...don´t get your passport stolen), DHL and Western Union, I am heading to Patagonia to continue the route I had planned.  This is why I am here, to see this beautiful country and land.  Overnight Buenos Aires faded into flat grass and shrubland as far as the eye could see, and then spectacular mountains and lakes appeared like something from a fantasy movie.  The pictures would be phenomenal, but being here in this moment is the most important.  Disposible cameras may be my best option, and an oxymoron to my previous situation, but you go with the flow and enjoy the ride.  And maybe someday I´ll have better luck keeping Nikons around!  All I know for sure, is that for my next birthday I´m definitley not having cake!