In all our travels, we never lost anything. Never held up, fleeced, pockets picked, nada! Not until I came to Kyiv in 2006 when someone lifted a camera from my camera bag. And then today, 11 August 2008 when they lifted my Ukranian cell phone (which Ann and Igor lent to me), my Treo (with ALL my important information!), and about $175 in Ukranian currency, which was in a money clip Mary had given to me a few years ago. The money clip and the Treo are the most important and missed items.
How it happened:
I was meandering around Kyiv, took a bus to an area I am familiar with, had a snack, then decided to see where the trolley bus went. It took a leisure trip through some parts of Kyiv I was not familiar with, then to the road we take to Korostan. It finally ended at a rail terminal, with which I was not familiar. I wandered through a market area,not feeling the least threatened or worried. As I wandered around, I realized it was in fact the big train station I had been to several times in the past (including just last week to get a marshutka to the airport). The train station is kind of a seedy area, and I decided to head towards the St Sophia's Cathedral, and chose the subway to get there. BIG mistake! The trains are generally busy, and this station is really busy with travelers coming and going. Being the considerate person I try to be, I waited for people to get on the subway, then moved toward the car. Next I knew I was being pused forward onto the subway. There was a lot of jostling going on, and I am sure that is when my stuff was lifted. The money from my front pocket, the cell phone and Treo from my shirt pocket.
I'm upset about being robbed and losing the money clip and Treo, but I'll get over it. I hope this is the last negative post I have on this trip.