HANG LOOSE BUT DON'T EVER LET YOUR GUARD DOWN

A friend who lives in northern California with two children is a traveler just like me.  I won’t tell you her name for her own privacy.  She taught me a lesson to think fast and never hesitate outside the boarders. She is in her late 30’s, stands 5’11, blond hair, with an athletic build. She was a surfer her in her younger days and still has the desire to paddle out on her long board and catch a few waves in between traveling and raising her children.  Years ago she took a trip to somewhere in Central America for unknown reasons other than just to explore and fill that desire to see a new place. She traveled with a friend of hers who joined along on the adventure. They were two girls in Central America enjoying the beautiful world in itself.  Every beautiful destination has its dark side that you must never let your guard down to. They decided one evening to take a cab to the destination they were seeking out. The cab pulled up and diver was a heavy set male who spoke little English.  My friend sat in the front seat and her friend sat in the back.  As the cab was driving toward the destination the driver made small talk the best way that he could. As they were driving along they noticed that the cab driver was taking a very different route to get to the destination they were seeking. As he was driving past the small, two floor apartments that lined the main streets he started to take back alleyways.  The cab driver pulls off onto a dead end alley. At this point my friend had a worse feeling than they had when they were questioning the cab driver about directions. The cab driver, in broken English, began to order the two girls to give up all the money they had in my friends backpack. The cab driver began to raise his voice and ordered them to start giving him everything up to their personal belongings.  My friend in the front, in her form of Spanish, stated to the driver to not hurt them and she has the money in the bag. The driver ordered her to take the money out of the bag. As she went to reach into the bag, to make it seem she was getting out the money, she was able to instantly feel the switch blade she carried for any situation you would need a knife.  Without hesitation she pulls the knife out. Her friend in the backseat pulled on the cab drivers head at the exact same time.  As she placed the knife to the cab drivers throat she caused a small slice and it began to bleed a little. She then orders the cab driver to drive out of the back ally and into the main streets or she will cut his throat. The cab driver, in fear for his life, does what she orders. With knife remaining on the drivers’ throat, he pulls cab to the main streets. Both girls exit the cab and the driver speeds off down the road and out of view.

 I was able to meet both her and her friend on my last visit to northern California and we shared stories of traveling and surfing as the kids played around the patio.  She still travels everywhere to this day. The world is a beautiful place but it is still a world filled with all different kinds of people, some good, and some bad.  Where ever you want to go just always be ready for any kind of situation. It’s a big world and there is so much to see and do. Everything is an adventure.