Jacket Lost, Jacket Found: A Mini Adventure Drama…with a magical twist.
(…involving “homing pigeon” shoes, a beloved moto jacket, an orange shopping bag, and a dizzy female > me)
Day 1 :
Took a quick motorcycle trip around the Samoeng loop, only to stupidly lose a bag I had (obviously) tied badly onto my bike (for the record I was wearing alternative armour!). In that bag was an awesome pair of beat-up flip-flops and my prized motorcycle jacket that fits me like a dream (we women of various shapes and sizes don’t find this easy to come by!). So..tracing back my route 3 times and finding nothing, I eventually gave up. Handed in my number to a local police box and returned home despondent.
Day 2: With a renewed resolve of at least ATTEMPTING to find my jacket, I made up some posters and flyers in English and Thai (thanks to help from my friend Tik). I went back over the area and painstakingly got on and off my bike on a hot day to hand people the posters and flyers and explain the situation. I figured that if I didn’t at least try, I would end up kicking myself. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. If I didn’t get the bag back, it wasn’t meant to be. The nice part of the whole thing was that it forced me to interact with people (which I’m normally quite reserved about), who all turned out to be lovely and helpful. A bonus was some mahouts with baby elephants that I stopped to chat with.
Day 3: I received a phone call around 7 pm the previous night, and my bag had been found! I was to meet at the local police box at 9 am. I arrived at the box before 9 am, (and as is the way of Thailand, in general, haha), when I arrived, I was told that the lady who found it had gone to work and forgotten to bring the bag in. So, I had to ride back 80km or so home and wait to return later. Around 2 pm I received a call to say the bag was handed in and to make my way back to the police box..
I arrived to find all the contents intact! The policeman (although not smiling in the photo) was lovely. I left an envelope with a finders fee for the lady who found my bag and a bag of homemade treats for the policeman. Really amazed and happy about the outcome.
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The magical twist…
..ok. The flip-flops that were in the bag are really old beat up things that I have had for approx 8 years. In that time they have been washed down a fast flowing river and retrieved (which I actually have a comical video of) ..fallen off on a road… fallen down a mountainside… and well, a number of things. Yet, they somehow let themselves be found. Because of these magical homing pigeon flip-flops, my bag and jacket came back to me. HAHAHA.
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To end..
Most people do like to return things. I could have made it easier for them to do so if I had put a number in the pocket of the jacket or used a marker on it etc. It’s a good heads-up to me to do this to my motorcycle gear and anything important to me. So…might be a good tip for you to do so too. ^.^
Have you lost anything important?
Did you find it again?
Hope you enjoyed this Jacket Lost, Jacket Found story.
Leave a comment below! 😀
I’ve lost my mind numerous times but fortunately, so far, I’ve always recovered it! I hope my luck continues because I’m getting up there in age. 🙂 I like your new site. The only issue I’ve seen is that under trip reports there is a long way to scroll through blank white regions before you get to the links to the reports. -John
Hi John. Thanks so much for the feedback on the trip reports section. I will work on this. Sometimes can’t see the wood for the trees, so having feedback is so important. Appreciated!
I lost my new cellular phone, purchased the same day while riding to Kru Ba Sriwichai road. I called back to my phone several times, thought that someone might pick up the call and thought I already loose hope that I kissed it goodbye for good. The next day, someone returned my call and found the new phone by the flower pot. She found it early morning while jogged up to the Kru Ba status.
I love stories like that. Gives faith! Great that you got it back 😀
Great story.
Thanks! Great to get feedback too 😀
Hmmm, I need to agree with you on that!
Where did you get your jacket please. Would love one like it.
Thanks!
Hey Lana. I bought from a shop in Chiang Mai called Helmet2Home. The jacket is Komine brand and mesh. The price approximately 5500 baht. Show him my picture and he will know the jacket. Its a really great jacket, you wont be disappointed im sure. 🙂
Hey Lana. I bought from a shop in Chiang Mai called Helmet2Home. The jacket is Komine brand and mesh. The price approximately 5500 baht. Show him my picture and he will know the jacket. Its a really great jacket, you wont be disappointed im sure. 🙂
Brilliant Story! Very entertaining. Glad you got your jacket back. Unreal! Haha:D
That was a really great story. Keep them coming!
Subscribing. Great writing and very entertaining story. You dont seem to have an email subscription form. Would be good to put one in and then updates will get sent directly. I suggest think about getting yourself an email subscription form in the blog. Good luck! Look forward to more.
I once lost a Garmin GPS but unlike you I wasnt lucky. Surprised you got it back. Well done.
I love this aspect about Thailand. I know there are honest people in every country, but I find Thailand in particular has a very good nature in this way. Even when some have so very little themselves.
It is humbling and I treasure it.
Ouch! Sorry you didn't get them back.
I was lucky. I went through the same frustration (at myself) initially though. I normally NEVER take off my jacket, but it was a really gentle cruise around and super hot. I figured I would just leave on my armadillo back protector and tie the jacket on the back.
I was kicking myself the whole day and night.
Was truly surprised to get it back.
Again, sorry that you didn't 🙁
I had a fair share of mishaps similar to yours and always managed to get my stuff back thanks to kindness of Thai people.
I lost a pair of Rev'it pants recently after deciding to ride to my office in shorts 4 km away (first time I've never wore protection) strapped my pants to the rack, arrived at office for them to be no longer there. 15k down the pan!