Almost lost it!

[toasty]

My trusty, slightly battered, in no way bling, 13 year old Breitling Aerospace that is.

Wandering around the backstreets of Marrakech on Monday looking for one of the City Gates, I felt a guy bump into me and a slight tug of my watch.

He apologised with a 'Pardon Monsieur' and I thought nothing of it until a couple of minutes later my wife said that he was following us.

We stopped, he stopped, we carried on, he carried on, we turned back and so did he.

We'd just passed a taxi rank so abandoned any thoughts of tourism and hailed a cab but even that didn't appear to put him off as he made a last minute dash to the cab before we pulled away.

Thankfully we managed to make our escape unscathed back to our riad in possession of our artifacts and health, happy in the knowledge that we'd be back in the safety(?) of London the next day.

I've often thought before travelling that maybe I should leave the watch at home and after Monday's excitement I'll certainly look at buying a cheap Casio to travel with.

Glad to be back, please be careful out there.

[LukeBird]

Christ, the audacity to follow you after trying to take it!!
Glad to hear you're ok though!

[aberdeeneuan]

Oh blimey! I'm always a bit wary taking my "good" watches away with me and usually just stick on my old swatch. Doesn't feel quite right though when you're used to a bit of metal on your wrist.

[fivesixseven8]

The best thing to have done would have been to start shouting STOP THIEF! Petty crime against tourists goes down like a sack of st there. The more decent locals would have been on to him like a shot.

[andy_s]

I have a different theory; I think he batted for the other side, he took a shine to you, 'bumped' into you to cop a quick feel and saw that you were making eyes at him after that and is now pining outside your window like the letcherous Romeo he is.









(This may be untrue)

[OPC100]

I don't ever wear an expensive watch when I travel and that even includes things like when I have to go into London for work on the tube. I just put on a G-shock. Would anyone ever mug you for a resin G-shock?

[HereBeMonsters]

Depends where I go, but I always dress for the occasion. I think a Moroccan market would warrant the little ex-Army Hamilton on a NATO strap. Had to rip off, not too bling that anyone would go for it, and hard enough to take a knock if Faroud bumped into me with his monkey made of drugs.

[koolkul]

Always try to avoid drawing attention to oneself when abroad and the start of that is to wear a unassuming watch. Sad but its the best course.

[okgo]

Punch him in the face.

[fivesixseven8]

okgo said:

Punch him in the face.

And risk ending up in a Moroccan jail?! Have you been to Morocco?! I'd rather avoid the situation in the first place.
The overwhelming majority of people there are good, decent people who appreciate the tourists and the money they bring with them. Just shouting for help if you were getting mugged would either see the perp running off or people coming out of their shops to help you. Then they would kick the crap out of the mugger!