Is this paranoia?

So we're back in Buenos Aires after a drinking session in Mendoza and much camaraderie by the troops. We booked a night bus back to BA and booked into Garden  Hostel in San Telmo.... And the story begins.....

We were initially intrigued by the local 'live-in', heavily tattooed, pot smoking, tv junkie occupant, nick named 'the rat in the hat'.... but soon our suspicions turned into what could have been a nightmare.....

I quote:

"Paranoia is a thought process believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality and delusion. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs concerning a perceived threat towards oneself. Historically, this characterization was used to describe any delusional state"

So on our last day in BA, after only 1 attempted pickpocket /attack on a friend we had met, we thought we had had a better experience of BA the second time around. So we all decided that after check out we would head to the local San Telmo tourist trap markets. We put all our bags in one friends private room who was staying an extra night... We thought this was fairly safe considering there was no lockers to use and their room was locked.

So we file out (all 8 of us) only to find a friend of the 'rat in the hat' had decided to hide round a corner and pop out of nowhere to speak to us and come along with us... How very strange we thought....About 10minutes into the walk he makes a couple of phone calls and distracts us by making sure he is the perfect host!! hmmmmm....... James at this point starts to become very paranoid that this guy is up to something.... he's keeping us together an away from the hostel!!! arghhhhh 

Alarm bells then start to ring loudly and he quietly flags to our friend Danny what he thinks is going on.. So at this point we're all crapping it. The boys decide to leave and head back, using the pharmacy excuse, literally doing a 100m sprint back to the hostel....Sweating like mad and greeted by very confused( and surprised)  hostel owners...

In the mean time, the friend of 'rat in the hat' is still with the rest of us, and he's asking where Danny and James are. He gets very shifty. By this time we are all hyper nervous about what is happening, so we decide to loose 'the friend of rat in a hat' by ducking and diving into the swarming crowds in the market!!! Think James Bond style... We take a left street, then a right, hiding behind cars and heading back to the hostel as quick as possible.

When we arrive back we are pumped of adrenalin, all belongings are there, but 'rat in a hat' is not happy and knows we sussed him.... The bugger!!!! Everything would have gone.....

Anyways, the freind of rat in the hat comes back quickly looking for us, we all decide to check out and move hostels as quick as possible........ Lucky escape and good for paranoia....

I'm not sure what the hostel thought when 11 people checked out, all in one go!!!

Morale of the story-DON'T TRUST ANYONE IN BA!!!!

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So