My Ecuador Robbery

I do not think I realised how scary it was to be robbed, until this afternoon when I was, at gun point. Taking the last stroll down the beach before heading to lunch and then home after what was a truly fantastic weekend, a man/boy (face covered) jumped out with a gun. I was so shocked, well terrified as you could see the bullets loaded in the gun, and that he was tense, nervous and well bloody scary. What made it worse is one of the ladies (there was four of us), could not get her wedding rings off (having not removed them in over a decade) and he kept insisting or he would kill her. It seemed like hours before we somehow managed to get all three off. The hotel manager was amazing, the police a waste of time (I think one was in on it), as our phones all have the iPhone tracker app we knew exactly where he was. The police, hotel owner, me and Belen (our only Ecuadorian) went on a hunt to track him down. But it was all sketchy and the police were totally unhelpful as me, as the non uniformed people tried to find him (it was kinda like being in a Charles Angels episode). So now I have no phone, no rings (including ones given to me by mother in a Christmas stocking one year, only worth something in sentiment), money, Bato Beach bar t-shirt or my Brazil flip flops (I somehow left these in the nervous rush to get out of there). And really annoying, all the pictures from the best night ever the night before. Of course I am very thankful none of us were hurt, but sadly all of us are scared and a little jaded. PS- do not worry Dad, I am totally fine. Was not going to post but it is a life experience but learnt big lessons and no need to worry :)