To the thief who stole my backpack in Quito…

Today, in a moment of stupidity, I allowed a grocery store security guard to put my backpack in “safe keeping” while shopping for bottled water and other supplies in Quito, Ecuador.  I was in the store for three minutes.  My bag didn’t last that long.  Inside was one lens, my Panasonic 14-45mm (28-90mm equivalent), my windbreaker, my dad’s windbreaker, some ibuprofen, some generic Dramamine, a pair of earphones, and a couple of AA batteries.

My name, e-mail address, and Web site are featured prominently on many of the items in the bag, as well as the bag itself.  If the person who stole my bag (mochile) from the supermercado, please e-mail me as I will pay you to return my bag.  Yeah, this is a shot in the dark, but I bet you’re more reasonable than the security guard who told me “No me culpa.”

Um, yeah, it was his fault for not noticing…as well as the fault of the two motorcycle police directly outside the supermarket for not noticing you running away with my favorite camera backpack, the Kata 467.   But it was also my fault for ever taking it off of my back to start with.  So, hopefully we can make a deal.

I’m leaving for the Galapagos islands tomorrow, but will be back next Saturday.

In spite of your thievery, I did make a few pictures that I’m happy with.  I cannot edit them as I’m simply traveling with my MSI netbook for this trip, but here are some rough cuts, including the last good photo I made with the lens you absconded with:

Preventing H1N1 at the Quito airport.  Everyone deplaning from my flight had to wear them.  They were unbearably hot.
Preventing H1N1 at the Quito airport. Everyone deplaning from my flight had to wear them. They were unbearably hot.
Betty Page on a VW Bug.
Betty Page on a VW Bug.
Americano.
Looking for Americamino.
Selling fish on the street.
Selling fish on the street.