Benalmadina

SPAIN

Benalmadena, Arroyo, Mijas - Costa del Sol - April 2004

now this holiday started off as a nightmare...it was a last minute holiday booked only a couple of weeks beforehand. We had often spent some wonderful holidays here many years ago when it was then a very small resort and we could walk through countryside up the hill to the small village of Arroyo. We arrived this time in the evening. Our travel rep said there was no receptionist on duty at our selfcatering apartment so we couldnt get a key for a safety deposit box to leave our cash and possessions which normally is the first thing we do. We got showered and changed , dumped our suitcases in the apartment and went out for a meal in a restaurant quite close to our apartment.......on the way back to our apartment I was attacked and robbed of my handbag by a young Moroccan man of about 20 years (I am 65) who then immediately sped up the hill and away. .my bag contained all my holiday cash, bankcards, jewelry , personal things and vital medication I needed........ the robbery was reported immediately to the police and we phoned the UK immediately to report the theft to all concerned ie insurance co, banks and building societies to have cards stopped etc. the next morning was spent at the police station giving a statement with the help of an english interpretor........the afternoon was spent in a queue at the local hospital and a village chemist getting replacement medications. We then had to eke out the cash my hubbie had to see us through the week but somehow we managed......but it was so disappointing we didnt have enough cash to visit Granada and Ronda...two places we had wished to visit.....

.on return to the UK we then discovered that my creditcard (which I had never ever used) was used to buy goods worth £250 in a shop in the resort the day AFTER I had reported the card as stolen!!.........none of my possesssions were ever recovered .....will we ever go back here??........I know thefts can occur anywhere in the world BUT....the jury is out on that one!! I find I am still nervous if someone walks close behind me