Bamboozled by a Baboon in South Africa

Beware of Baboons. They are dangerous. But no one said exactly how dangerous.

Do not hold food in your hand the guide said. Well, it should also be mentioned never ever take your bags off your shoulders either. Actually never take your bag in the first place, even though people were leaving their bags all around without a care in the world.

As Brandy and I started our walk to Cape Point, we never expected what would happen next.

We passed a lot of people taking pictures at the first level and we saw people going to a lower lookout point. Brandy and I started towards the stairs and we stopped to take a picture.

As I was taking a picture of Brandy, all of a sudden a swarm of three baboons came in.

It was just unfortunate that at that specific time, there wasn’t anyone else on the stairway, which opened us up for an attack! I joke that they knew we were both little and they could overtake us.

The first baboon tried to take Brandy’s bag, which was on her leg, while the other baboon pulled her jean pocket. She kicked him and kept trying to pull her bag, I kept screaming to let go because I was so scared that she would get mauled. By the time I realized what was going on, the alpha male had my bag.

Brandy and I tried to take it back from him, but he was mean. We had no idea what to do, there is no handbook telling you how to battle a baboon who steals your backpack.

People were yelling in other languages to do something, but I was not sure what to do. We were like take it, run? All of a sudden a local guide came running down yelling and make noise. He was hoping it would scare the baboon, but instead, the naughty baboon took my bag and ran down the staircase to the edge of the cliff next to the ocean.

He asked people for fruit, candy, and food, anything to throw and distract him. He said they usually will run after the food and stay there to eat it, but this asshole was not taking the bait. He went to grab the food people were giving and came back to my backpack.

I had to stand by and watch the baboon go through my bag and throw my wallet, nice jacket, scarf, makeup, and even my earrings was thrown off the cliff.

He knew exactly what he was doing. There is no other word to describe the baboon except a big asshole. If you watch the video you can see before he threw my sunglasses, he made sure to turn around and look me in the eyes first like I am only doing this once, so watch.  Bye bye sunglasses.

After 15 minutes of trying to wait for the baboon to give up, Brandy got someone who worked there and she brought a broom.

Toby our guide eventually came down and worked with the other guide to get it the stuff. He had Brandy and I walk away while one person scared the baboon with the broom and Toby went to grab what was left of my stuff, which was nothing much.

In the end the baboon left nothing in my bag but a headband, one battery pack, and a water bottle.

We even warned people on the way out leaving bags all over the ground and they laughed at us, but I told them seriously, I got robbed by a baboon.

Trust me, it was not easy telling all my credit card companies why I needed to cancel my credit card. They said are you sure it is lost? I said yes, I watched a baboon throw it off a cliff. It even threw my hotel key, so when I came back I asked for a new one. I think they just thought we were reckless and lost, but then Brandy showed them the video, they felt so bad they even gave us chocolates.  Brandy named him Balthazar.

When I tried to submit my claim to the travel insurance, they wanted a police report.  I told them it is a baboon, what did you want the police to do? Put a wanted picture with the baboon’s face?

Now it is a running joke between me and Brandy.  Brandy took every opportunity to tell everyone, the waiter at the restaurant, the person at the airport, it was hilarious. Anytime anything happens we say the baboon stole it.