I got lost in myself, Instead of exploring

by waqas ahmed (Pakistan)

I didn't expect to find Belgium

I have started my journey from Sweden to western Europe. I will share an incident from Belgium in the latter part of the story. Before that, I will mention how I started my journey. So I took a flight from Stockholm Arlanda airport for Berlin. After exploring Berlin for two days, I rode on the flix bus to reach Brussels and then Bruges to explore. So after exploring Bruges, I came to know I lost my wallet and every cash and credit card I had. It was very frustrating for me. I started walking back and followed the same path and places where I had been in Bruges city. I asked every shop and restaurant where I have been that day. It was getting more frustrating and worried for me because I had to check in that night in the hostel. When I get tired, I laid down on one bench at the Bruges Station. I tried to sleep but due to stress, I couldn’t. At 2 am, the train station was about to close and the security guard asked me to leave the station. I left the station and sat outside under the bridge but it was getting cold although it was mid of July. I was feeling too much headache due to being sleepless for 36 hours. I was trying to reach flixbus customer service continuously, incase if I lost the wallet on the bus about which I was not sure. It was unreachable and it was getting very depressing. The next day I had to catch the bus for Amsterdam but I was worried that what will I do without my wallet and cash. AT night I was not able to contact even my close friends and tell them about the situation because they will get worried more, especially my family as they warn me previously about traveling alone. Somehow, it starts getting brighter for the next day sunset and around 10 am I had to catch the bus. I was at the bus station, suddenly I found that the same bus arrived which I took from Berlin to Bruges. The hope was still there, the driver saw me and in that case, I asked the driver did you found any wallet on the bus. The driver recognized me and smiled. After looking at my Red eye and unconscious face He replied Yes I did found. The moment was a breather for my dead soul and then he handed over the wallet to me after confirmation. I came to know that everything was there in my wallet. I thanked the driver and offered him some money as a tip as well which he refused. It was a very hectic and frustrating moment and time that I spent and I thought I will be lost and was worried about the time and moment. After that, I was very careful about my wallet more than myself and completed my trip. On that day I realized that we should not travel alone, especially in my case and came to learn that, how hard it is for homeless people to spend nights’ outside. It was a great experience for me which taught me a lesson of patience, hope. Having mercy, surviving, helpful and be kind to other people.