Before last October, we had been on the road for over four years with only minor theft issues. Then, while traveling the Pamir Highway in Tajikistan, we had $1,500 stolen from us—a significant amount, especially considering we are English teachers and travel bloggers. The worst part is that it was likely stolen by someone we considered a good friend.
The incident began in Murghab, a small city on the Pamir Highway near the Tajik border. We were traveling with two other backpackers we had recently met. Unsatisfied with our current driver, we went to META Travel Agency to find a new one. There, we met a friendly, English-speaking Kyrgyz driver from Murghab. He knew the area well and spoke excellent English, making him the perfect guide for our trip. We instantly liked him and looked forward to our journey together.
Over the next two weeks, the five of us grew close. We spent about five hours a day in the car without any arguments. Our driver turned out to be an excellent guide, showing us mountain passes, hot springs, stone carvings, and hidden lakes. The trip was so enjoyable that we didn’t want it to end.
Dariece, myself, and the two other travelers were always together. Occasionally, our driver would stay with the car while we explored. We trusted him completely and believed the mountains were safe as long as we kept our belongings close.
Due to the lack of ATMs on the Pamir Highway, Dariece and I carried about $2,000 in US currency to pay our guide, cover room costs, and have enough left for our travels into Uzbekistan and Iran, where our ATM cards wouldn’t work. We always locked our bags and kept the money hidden—except for one time.
On the second to last day of our trip, we stopped at a hot spring. Our guide stayed with the car, which was unusual, but we didn’t think much of it. Men and women soaked in different areas, so the girls went one way, and us guys went another. After a few minutes of soaking, our driver joined us but quickly left to return to the car.
When we finished soaking, Dariece noticed him rummaging in the back seat but assumed he was looking for something in his own bag. A couple of minutes later, we all continued driving towards Khorog to book our flights. On the way, our driver stopped at a friend’s house, which seemed suspicious, but we didn’t think much of it at the time.
The next day, we flew to Dushanbe. It wasn’t until the following morning that we realized $1,500 was missing. We searched everywhere but couldn’t find the money. Although we were reluctant to blame our driver, the circumstances pointed to him as the culprit.
We later pieced together that during our hot spring visit, he stayed back when he saw the bag was unlocked. He checked on us to ensure we were soaking and couldn’t catch him in the act. He then unzipped our money belt, took only the $100 bills, and closed the bag. Dariece almost caught him when she returned early.
His suspicious visit to his friend’s house likely involved passing off the money to avoid being caught. Despite his unease during our farewell dinner, he maintained composure until the end.
While we initially suspected our fellow travelers, they were always with us, and we’ve since become good friends. The hardest part of this experience was accepting that someone we trusted had stolen from us.
Reflecting on the incident, we tried to find lessons in it, wondering if we had been too flashy or careless. Despite these contemplations, stealing is never justifiable. Our two weeks with our driver were some of the best times we’ve had traveling, but the theft tainted our memories and the friendship.
We felt it necessary to share this incident so others can be cautious with their belongings while traveling, even when they feel completely secure.