As for anyone actually on the road doing something of a similar nature to me, my message is BACKUP BACKUP BACKUP – you cannot predict when a thief will strike, but you can plan when to backup your invaluable and irreplaceable photos. I wish I had done so in Kampala when I had the chance.
Something may miraculously appear in the coming days and weeks, but I’ve pretty much exhausted my efforts here. I need to get back on the road. One day I might look back philosophically about what has happened here in a small town in western Kenya, but that time has not yet come.
Comments
Michal, Sorry to hear of your loss too. It happens to all of us at some stage, usually when we least expect it. Some people go for years with no loss. I had no problems of this scale in countries that people would have regarded for more risky – Central African Republic, DRC, Nigeria… I always feel far more secure in remote places than I do in places where rich toursts mingle with poor locals – ie Kenya. This is a bit generalised, but I think you get the picture. Best of luck on your journey. Hope to see you on the road.
Peter,
I’m terribly sorry to read this. I know what you feel, at least to some degree, because just a week ago I was robbed in Ukraine, being just in 1/5 of my Nordkapp-South Africa journey.
The loss was a camera, two lenses, memory cards, GPS and some money. Fortunately, my laptop with photos backup was intact, except for images from the last 3 days. I lost the diary too, but it wasn’t worth that much actually.
I have just replaced the equipment, spending all the budget reserves for it. There is no space for further accident like this. Learning about your experiences, this one and the other in Senegal, I’m realizing that it would be hard to finish my route successfully.
Anyway, I wish you all the best. No matter what you decide, you have done a great journey already. I strongly believe it would be possible for you to continue, and I’m going to contribute to it. Even without photos, your blog would be still great. Your adventures have been one of the biggest inspirations for me to go to Nordkapp and South. Never give up!
Peter, you OK? Hopefully you sorted the most necessary stuff out and are able to continue the tour!
@Birgiene,
i wouldnt entirely say that in nairobi its the most dangerous place in kenya. all one needs to do is to be careful, just like in other cities, a tourist will always get more attention than they need whether positive or negative. there are very many safe places in nairobi,all you need is be a bit more careful than the natives.
i can only imagine how it feels to loose such an invaluable part of your trip. but for you i imagine the experiences are all emblazoned in your mind, and even though you may have lost a substantial amount of memories, you still have a long way to go and more to learn, more experiences.
i feel bad that this had to happen in my country but all the same, i wish you all the best for the rest of your worthy cause and thereafter.
now am waiting for the next post :)
Hi, It was not a total loss. I did back up in west Africa last year and I have some low-res pictures on the Internet, but not everything of course. I still haven’t totally given up hope, but can’t keep thinking about it.
Hey Pete, truly sorry to hear about the hard drive and theft – sounds like hell. Can’t imagine losing all our photos from our trip… We were just listening to you on the Travelling Two’s podcast as we cycled through Mongolia and wondering how you were getting on.
Chris and I have donated a few quid, hope it helps a little bit.
Take care and enjoy the cycling!
Liz & Chris
Peter,
any idea when you will continue? Pictures are great – but memories are priceless!
Agree with you that the danger of the jungle is now mostly in the city rather than the bush. I feel a lot safer staying in small villages totally cut off from the modern World than big cities like Dakar and now Nairobi. Thanks for your continued reading and support.
Hi Peter,
I can imagine how you must have felt when the extent of the robbery sunk in – gut wrenching and so helpless. I have just got back on to your site after a break while relocating from that other dark place of yours,Dakar, to Geneva. As I wrote to you when you finally crossed the DRC and came back to civilisation – watch out! Nowadays the danger of the jungle in Africa has moved out of the jungle into the urban areas. And a lot more sinister. You may have lost an enoremous amount of data on the ex drive, but you are still alive with your bike and we have your blogs which in themselves are creating a fantastic record of your epic journey. Remember one thing always – Africa is so unpredictable and thus never take anything for granted no matter how trivial, especially in your situation. I will see if my PayPal account is still working and send you some material help. Hang in there Peter you have a great crowd out there rooting for you. Kwaheri!
If you think you know the Ken I am talking about then I can only guess you are in Kapsabet? If so I will reiterate the importance of having that hard-drive returned to me. I am willing to pay 30,000KS for the hard-drive (functioning and not formatted) to be dropped off anonymously at the Mother of St Francisca mission – no questions asked. Otherwise I can be contacted by e-mail. I will remain in Kenya for several more weeks. In case you needed to know what it looks like: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-S2-USB-Powered-Portable–Midnight/dp/B003UT2QTQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1311713365&sr=1-2. It may be contained in a case logic case like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/CASE-LOGIC-Hard-drive-case/dp/B002UD8XNG/ref=sr_1_10?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1311713497&sr=1-10
I give you my word that it is merely the hard-drive I want back. The photos and videos on there cannot be replaced. I will not be pursuing any further investigation for the recovery of the other stolen goods if the hard-drive re-surfaces.
I am very sorry for your. I have read your story and I think I know the Ken you are talking about…
I am a Kenyan native and I understand the kenya’s police frustration. But anyway, cheer up soon enough you will be back on track.
@Carolyn Dickenson, Many thanks for this. Glad you have been reading all these years.
Barstards.
Keep your chin up!
Good questions. I’ve always found that the smaller and more remote the village the easier it is to seek permission to camp. It can be intimidating in the sense that you will be the centre of attention for the evening, which is not always what you want after a hard day on the road. Finding an elder/chief is never very difficult. I merely ask one of the kids who will usually find you first. When the chief comes I explain in simple terms who I am/where I’m coming from etc and that I’m looking for a safe place to sleep at night. There are very few occasions when this is ever a problem and many times people don’t want you to sleep in your tent as they would prefer to offer you a room. Giving gifts/money is never an easy call. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t and I always prefer a gift of some kind than actual money. Camping in Africa when you are close to people and have not greeted them nor sought permission is not wise. A lone white guy on a bike sleeping alone will create suspicion. I haven’t in actual fact camped in a village since the Congo. Finding cheap accommodation in Uganda and Kenya is not that difficult and it avoids all the curiosity.
Peter,
I have been following you around the world since CGOAB days and recognize other posters on here I have also followed on that site. A donation is just a small thanks for inspiring my daydreams. I can’t imagine how hard it is to get over this when you are alone. But you can see how many “virtual” friends you have supporting you. Good luck down the road.
Carolyn
@Peter, Just to follow up on your comment about getting permission from a village chief or elder: I’d be interested to hear how you went about getting this permission. It’s the end of a day of cycling, you’ve arrived somewhere interesting. Who do you talk to first? How do you go about getting this permission? And is there anything you can give back to the village when you leave the next day? Some token of appreciation? I’m wondering if someone preparing to cycle through parts of west Africa could bring something personal (and portable!) with them to leave as a thank you gesture in these situations. Or is this not a good idea? Is it best to simply be friendly and polite and say thank you, in other words just be a good guest?
@Peter, Thanks for the reply. I can see what you’re talking about. My problem, I guess, is that in the past I’ve always ended up camping somewhere in between wild and with permission. I’d put up my tent in the bush but near people and villages. (There would be no other possibility.) Then I’d be stuck. I couldn’t go walking around the area exploring because my tent and bike and gear would just be sitting there unprotected. I couldn’t even make a quick bathroom trip into the bush because I’d have an audience of dozens of people around my tent. It made camping a difficult proposition. What you did – getting permission in each village – would be ideal. It’s probably tiring, since being the honored guest you wouldn’t get much privacy or down time, but you would be able to leave your tent and go exploring without worrying too much about theft.
To be honest I feel much safer camping ‘truly’ wild ( a long way from human habitation) or in a village than locking my Guest House door with valuables inside. As long as you have permission from a village elder/chief your security is pretty much guaranteed when camping in most African villages. I haven’t camped wild in many months, but I would never leve my tent when doing so. Where would I go? The pacsafe is a good idea if you’re in a place where you don’t feel secure. This robbery happened when I was within metres of my locked door. I was only away for 30-40 minutes and even if I did have a pac-safe I would probably not have used it.
Your story makes me wonder about all the nights you’ve spent in your tent on this trip (and on your ride from Japan to England). How do you safeguard your valuables when you are camping in the wild or in a village? This seems like a big problem when you are cycling on your own. Or can you simply not leave your campsite each night once the tent is up? I wonder if a Pacsafe net as Rob suggested would be useful in those situations.
Any suggestions from other people? I’m curious how people traveling on their own manage security when sleeping in their tent.
Good advice, but my room on this occasion was left locked for 30-40 minutes and I was on the premises. To have put everything in one of those steel-netted packsafes would have been serious paranoia/security, but perhaps that is necessary out here.
Hi pete:
Initially heard about you from WSL host Francesco in Napoli. In my 20 years of touring in all continents, I’ve had my fair share of thefts too. Soon It will be a memory buried among the many wonderful ones. What I do recommend is to get a Packsafe (steel netting that can enclose panniers and locked to fixed object. I know it has saved my gear many times and use it anytime I leave my gear unattended, whether at camp, in rooms or in public transport..
Cheers
@Olivier, Hi, Thought had occured me. I’ll probably get in touch with one of the journalists and arrange for word of a reward to be put out before I head out.
@Peter,
I think if you leave lots of posters behind advertising the reward (in Small shops, at the market, around the Guest house), and leave your contact with the nun, it might turn up behind you because then the thief will feel less ashamed and may think it is less risky to turn in the hard drive to the nuns as an intermediary, rather than directly into your hands.
I really hope this is a likely scenario.
@Peter,
How about the reward for the hard drive? it’s weird it didn’t work since the thief couldn’t even get half the price you would probably pay to get it back. Have you used posters to advertise the reward for the hard drive?
I’m really sorry to hear such awful news. It must be heart-rending to have been so nearby and to then be confronted with such police corruption and complicity.
Something similar happened to me in Rishikesh in India, just after I had spent a week photographing the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar. I had lived a number of years in India and thought I knew the ropes.
My camera, some lenses, 40gb of photos, passport, credit card, return train ticket and 700 dollars were stolen. Luckily I still had another credit card and plenty of cash on me.
After some very firm and persistent negotiations with the police some of the stuff was mysteriously ‘found’ nearby by some ‘boy scouts’. My passport, credit card and 300 dollars – a sort of ‘rescue’ kit, were returned to me, which the police obviously thought would shut me up and make me go away. It didn’t; I told them that as a photographer my photos were worth more to me than anything, and that I needed them and my camera back.
Lo and behold, the card holder, with almost all my photos from the previous month was ‘found’ about half an hour later in the same place they ‘found’ the other things – by someone walking his dog! (even though I had been out to the place earlier and turned every stone over). The only photos now still missing were the collection of Sadhus I’d taken the previous day, on an almost full 8gb card in the camera.
Unfortunately, I had to leave Rishikesh that evening, to get back to Haridwar to catch a 6 am train to connect with my flight back from Delhi to Bombay and an international flight out. I still had to organize a replacement train ticket, that evening, in Haridwar, so things were very tight. So I never got my camera or lenses or the rest of my cash back. Had I not been so time stressed I would have simply stayed at the police station and continued to make things uncomfortable for them.
I am not suggesting you do the same thing in Kenya – I don’t know the place, or what the police are like there. In India the police can be very corrupt, but they also usually want to please well connected foreigners and not put them out too much.
Sorry to hear of this horrible incident. I don’t know how I would handle it if it happened to me.
On the topic of backing up your pictures, I’ve put together a presentation about security considerations for overland travellers, which covers data backup as well. Hope you & your readers find it useful: http://apapadop.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/110625-infosec-on-the-road.pdf
The gist of it for photos is:
1. Buy a Flickr pro account ($25/year) and upload your photos there.
2. Keep copies of your data on multiple cheap/small/durable media (like https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Secure_Digital#microSD ) – approx. $1/GB.
3. Have a remote backup (crashplan/mozy/dropbox, anything will do)
Good luck carrying on!
Alex
Hi Peter
sorry to hear about this mate. I reckon Stephen and I narrowly avoided a few close calls a few times in Africa, but luckily didn’t have anything stolen (someone stole a glove once in Ethiopia in a village…I went back when I realised irate, a man helped who spoke english but couldn’t find it. About an hour later someone on a motorbike dropped it in my lap as he rode past…the nice man had tracked it down and paid the guy to bring it to me). It probably helped that we camped most of the time or stayed with Scouts. The few guest houses we used were only for one night.
We are almost finished our trek to Sweden. I’m a bit low on funds but once my trip is over I’ll come back to your paypal button and see what I can do.
On the brightside…this could be a good opportunity to upgrade/sidegrade/get new stuff! While we’ve been on the road, Fuji have released the camera of the century, which I’d get myself if I needed a new camera. Its a revolution of the rangefinder, Fuji100 I think. Ken Rockwell has awesome reviews on it.
I was doing the SD card thing. I carried backups on some big micro sd cards that I kept hidden on my person, as well as a back up on ext HD and sending copies home every couple of months. But that doesn’t help you now.
Best of luck mate, YOU inspire US!
Adam (and Stephen)
I have been following your journey throughout from your website and I must say this is just sad, I am so sorry but things like this are so common in Kenya. Police are actually the worst to deal with and might actually not help. Sorry it happened to you but my advise would try to forget it and move on, replace what you can, but try to stay positive… sorry again man
Many thanks for that contribution. I too haven’t lost all hope that the hard-drive won’t re-surface, but I can’t wait around here thinking about it all the time.
Hey Peter, I hope my small contribution helps out. You’re an inspiration to me and a whole lot of folks. I hope your hard drive resurfaces soon. If not, I hope you raise the funds to resume your trip to South Africa. Safe travels.
Hi, I could post something on the Lonely Planet TT and probably will do. I don’t think that many foreigners stay in Kapsabet. The surrounding countryside is very scenic, but the town is unremarkable and wouldn’t feature in any guidebook.
You are right that the two thefts of this trip have somehow been the focal points, at least if I measure it by the hits and comments on the website. Both were big events – not like a mobile phone disappearing from a table or something. Bad news always seems to get peoples’ attention more than good news. Hoping I have a clear(ish) run from here on to South Africa.
The juxtaposition of the theft of your items in the place where you were distributing nets immediately struck me as deeply ironic. Both events are a redistribution of wealth and fortune from the rich world to the poor. But one is hardly an approriate thanks for the other and for all the wonderful people and adventures of Africa, it is sad that the 2 thefts have seemed to be 2 of the main focal points of the trip. Then again, if your nets save but one life, even the loss of your photos would pale into insignificance by comparison so I am glad they got distributed.
When I travelled the world once for 9 months I used to go to an internet cafe every month or so and burn 2 CDs and post one home which is not a bad idea (maybe not literally with CDs, maybe nowadays a USB stick/dongle or whatever you call it or something else is a better idea). I also prefer to travel with only a £50 digital camera and only £200-£300 in total valuables as I feel more liberated in doing so.
Sounds like your thief or thieves will be able to make maybe ~£1000 from what they took from you. And that is to them like £10,000 or £100,000 feels like to us, it is incredible riches, maybe a couple of years salary.
I do feel a lot of sympathy for you and wish you the best for the rest of your trip. One more thing, are you going to pass on the story of the Steve Nice Guest House elsewhere, e.g. by posting a warning on Lonely Planet Thorn Tree and other boards and mentioning it to people who contact you about travels in Kenya?
Hi Peter,
I have been following your site for a few weeks now and and feel for you! I got robbed in Mexico this past winter and it was the memory card I was mad about, and my shoulder was injured to. Everyone told me I was lucky to be alive, and I agree. Hang in there! I am sending you a bit to help out and hope the rest of your travels will be filled with happiness.
Cheers,
Sharon
Dear Peter,
oh yes, I am very sorry for that big lost! I understand you very well, because of a theft in Pinang/MY last year, when I was chatting with German base of our NGO, the thief came from behind and stole my laptop from the fingers. For 1 months I had not backed up my docus. Now I am just searching a cheap flight back to Malawi, but prices have been rised so much. What I can do for you: Asking other friends of me to support you.
But your trip will remain in your head! Your story will be forwarded into a very interesting book!
When you come to Nairobi, please, take big care! It is one of the most dangerous places in Kenya. Go into the Embassador. Other establishments you can forget, they are working somhow like the STEVE Nice.
Big hug and despite of that, a nice further journey!
Birgiene!
I remember you telling me about that. I have also vocally said I will pay a lot to have the hard-drive back, but in these kind of communities people stay quiet. It may re-surface at some point, but I’ve spent almost two weeks living in a convent in a small town in western Kenya. Time to hit the road. Thanks for your support.
Peter,
I’m so sorry. I feel for you and I am sending you positives vibes.I just donate small amount
Good luck and safe ride!!!
Thinking of you, mate.
When my camera was nicked at Kyrgyzstan’s border post on the Irkeshtam crossing to China, the loss of the card also hurt the most. I wandered round offering $200 for the card (which is a lot for my crap photos!) but never got it. Kenton (from Australia) later told me he had stayed at that border post and the staff showed him their collection of cameras and gadgets they had stolen. They hadn’t even bothered to sell them. I hope you recover soon,
Steve.
@Erin, Wow – touring the World at 19! I never had the guts at that age. Where are you headed from Turkey? Thanks for your positive vibes
@Shane, Love the letter – something to live by. Out of here in a few days – must focus on the road ahead now.
@stefan kieser, Thanks. Thought of you a few days ago as I was reading a book about Pakistan called ‘Three cups of tea’. Have you read it? Made me miss the mountains and the country. Lets skype soon.
Will they chop the burgler’s hands off if they ever find out who it is? I hope so. This is such a cruel thing to happen to you after all you’ve been through. You’ll learn much from the experience and be a stronger person, so try to think of this positive thought. The experience will fade slowly. Be strong. Mark
hang in there mate!!!
hope to talk to you soon, we’ve got plenty of stories to swap…
sending you loads of energy,
stefan
Peter, no words can describe the gut wrenching emotions you’ve experienced the last 2 weeks, I hope you find the courage and support to get back on the horse! Here’s a letter I’ve written to myself in the hope that it drags me through my gloomy days http://shanecycles.com/about/me/dear-shane maybe something in there helps.
Good luck
Shane
Hi Peter. Since you broke the news about the robbery I’ve been hoping for a positive outcome. Its an awful scenario and clearly your agony and frustration is high. I’m glad you’ve allowed the readers to contribute to the costs of re-equipping as your blogging has been brilliant and worthy of a personal donation as well as one for the nets. All the best for working through the disappointment and continuing your journey in good spirit. Cheers Neal
Anicca.
Hey my name is Erin, 19 I am biking around thw world currently in turkey from usa though, I read your story and wanted to cry man, I feel for you, I am so sorry that happened man, I really hope for the best financially for you, you need that more than a pat on the back.
Everyone who read this please donate to Peter please
Totally breaks my heart to read about your situation. I know the feeling, last year my touring bicycle was stolen in Amsterdam. Made me feel like I wanted to vomit, couldn’t believe someone would be so mean….. hah!
I am taking your lesson to heart about backing up and am formulating a backup plan now for while i’m on the road next year.
This is turning out to be quite an epic. Best of luck with the recovery.
Hi Peter,
We are so sorry to hear about what happened. Hope things turn out well and somehow you get your hard drive back.
Sandra & Jim
Thanks for that link. I will be installing it when I replace my laptop. As you mention, software like that is only effective if people know how to track it. Here in Africa…..?
Peter, I’ve followed you from Japan back to the UK, and recently started reading this blog. Your well-written accounts of your travels have been an inspiration to me and thousands of others, and your charity work is admirable. I’m so sorry for your current troubles, but I know you’ll keep moving and will come out of this on top. I’m giving you a small contribution to help you along. Thanks for the great stories so far!
I bought it especially to bike round the world and had only done 2000 miles by the time I reached Bulgaria, so it wasn’t exactly an old friend. It was a lovely bike but aside from the whole shock and inconvenience, the theft was more a pain in the pocket. I bought the best replacement available in Sofia – a new mountain bike (Sofi) which cost a fraction of the price and has done a further 10000 miles since. I have to admit I am very fond of this one.
Heartbreaking to read.
I’m not sure how well it would work in Africa, but I have http://preyproject.com/ installed on my laptop. If it gets stolen then I’m hoping that helps me track it down.
Fortunately I know someone flying out to Nairobi at the beginning of August so I’m coordinating replacement stuff through them. Many thanks for the offer though.
Gratefully received – every bit helps. Enjoy the cycling in Europe.
Hi Pete, I’ve been following your journey on and off for a while now and I was so sorry to hear what happened to your pictures and valuables. I’m just about to head out on a Europe tour and don’t have a lot of spare cash, but I donated a tiny £10. Hopefully you’ll have plenty more contributions that will take you all the way to your finish line. All the best of luck!
Anna
Peter,
Can I suggest you do 2 things while you’ve still got a place to stay and internet. Post a ‘wish list’ of stuff, and identify a Post Restante address (maybe in Nairobi) that folk can send you things. Maybe the convent has a NGO / other convent in Nairobi that could help. I would be glad to act as a collection point in UK (Huntingdon) and send you stuff. PM me and I can give you more details; I might be able to help with freight, but I can’t publish details here.
Rgds – Jason E
Thanks Ian. Can’t rule out something turning up, but I half-imagine those things to have disappeared far from here, which is what I plan to do soon. Many thanks for your offer to contribute.
I half agree with you, but I’m here alone so it’s me against them. I have to cycle past the Guest House on the way out of town. I dreamed last last of throwing a bomb over the fence when no-one was there.
I’d also be devasted if the bike was stolen. A Roberts Roughstuff?! Were you not very attached to it? I do sporadically send stuff home, but having come through countries like CAR and DRC this year it has not been easy. Fortunately I upload low-res pics onto the Internet – not a total loss.
I really sympathise Peter. I had my Roberts Roughstuff stolen in Bulgaria. The police did nothing, but at least it was just the bike – it would have been ten times worse if they’d taken my stuff. Not sure how reliable the postal system is in Africa but I copy my photos onto my netbook and post full SD cards home, along with filled diaries.
I’m sure you will recover in spirit even if not in your possessions.
I think you need to get physical with the guardian to get information out of him. Thieves usually only understand brute force.
Hi Pete, I read the post with a gut wrenching feeling of frustration incredulity and sadness, the only thing I know to do is pray ( so I will, I think the nun was right). I will send you a donation on payday (this week). Stay brave and strong mate- Ian PS I once “lost” a bag in Harare airport and was told I would never see it again. I prayed that it would returned and a week later got a call that it had “turned up” minus camera but everything else was still in tact. Gonna pray that you get that hard drive back!
[…] bike tourist Peter Gostelow was recently robbed of almost all his possessions, while cycling through […]
@Greg Mu, I hope my post is a reminder to you to back-up those 5 weeks of photos and send them somewhere securely?! Thanks for your contribution to the stolen goods.
@Harry & Ivana, WorldOnaBike, Thanks for re-tweeting. Local muscle might work, but nothing happens quickly in Kenya. So deeply frustrating. I can’t stay in this small town forever, particularly in a convent, where I’ve been for the last 12 nights!
What a complete nightmare, I’m so sorry. Like you, I’d be exploring every possible option, including all the traditional ones. Don’t give up – it’s out there somewhere.
That really sucks. We are very sorry for you. As a photographer and cyclist I recognize the feeling, if only from the fear it would happen. I feel angry and disappointed just reading this from Patagonia, so I can slightly imagine how you feel.
It will need some more time before you will feel trust again.
From the whodunit above I would say to get some local muscle and have them get the truth out of the owner’s son, but of course you only wrote what you know, so my guess might be off.
Will tweet your request for donations now. Cheers, Harry & Ivana
Peter,
I’m so sorry. I feel for you and will send positive thoughts that the hard-drive re-surfaces. Hugs to you.
Peter,
I’m sitting in a cafe in Canada, five weeks into my own lengthy tour through the Americas, reading this post. Typed words can’t express my sympathy for your situation.
Nurture that glimmer of philosophical perspective and remain positive. My thoughts are with you.
Greg
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