I stopped at the information counter to tell them I had lost my passport. Several hand gestures later, and they understood I had lost my passport. Ended up speaking to another girl who could speak English reasonably well. Explained the situation.

Went to the Air China counter to explain the situation. He couldn't do anything, so I went back to the information desk.

Texted Mama to say I had lost my passport and might not be there on time.

I told them where I was staying, that I had taken the 10.30 bus, and that I thought I had lost it on the bus.

They asked if it was the 10 or 11 o'clock bus. I said, no, the 10.30 bus. The one that arrived only 10 minutes ago (by then it must have been about 11.30).

I asked them to contact the bus company while I called the hotel.

Hotel hadn't found it. They asked a cleaner to go check, but they also couldn't find it.

I was sure I had taken it with me that morning, and that I still had it when I checked out of the hotel, so it seemed very likely that I had either left it at the reception desk or that something had happened on the bus.

The information desk said the bus company hadn't found it, but I said that they couldn't have yet, because the bus wouldn't have made it back to the city yet.

Explained again that I was sitting in the second row on the right on one of the big buses, and that I was on the 10.30, and could they please ask them to double check when the bus arrives at the Melody Hotel.

OK.

Waited five minutes then called the Melody again. They gave me the number of the bus company's airport office.

The information desk saw the number and said "no", we already called them.

Spoke to the security guards.

Went for a lap of the airport to make sure it hadn't fallen out of my pockets.

Went to speak to the bus drivers. Wow, were there a lot of airport buses.

Was directed to the airport bus desk at the airport. Explained my situation to them. They hadn't heard of me before. Maybe the information centre didn't call them?

Anyway, they would check.

Got out the Lonely Planet to call the embassy to tell them I had lost my passport and ask for advice.

The number was wrong.

Lonely Planet was from 2005. Guess I should have bought a current one. Probably should have also obtained all that information on my own and stored it in my phone before leaving.

Sent an SMS to Arriahne to ask her to check the number for me. Got the correct number and gave them a call.

I should go to the police station to report the passport stolen and then go to the public security bureau (gong1 an1 ju2). Yay, back to the city. :-(

I would also need my driver's licence, Medicare card, and birth certificate. I had my driver's licence and Medicare card on me, but I had left my birth certificate and change of name certificate at home, because I was worried I would lose them.

I asked Arriahne to pretty please help, and take my papers to the passport office in Melbourne tomorrow. Thankfully she said yes. :-)

Waited another five minutes. Called the hotel and bus company again. Still nothing.

I gave the bus company and the information desk my Australian mobile number and asked them to call me if it was found.

Went outside and took the bus back to the city.

When buying the bus ticket, a cabbie came up to me and said "Cheaper! 24 Yuan!". The bus ticket was 25, but I'm betting the toll roads would have cost extra with the taxi.

Arrived back in the city.

Went to the hotel front desk and asked again. Surely by now they had had enough of me, but I had to ask.

They made me wait over five minutes while a cleaner went to check the room again.

I looked all around the foyer and under the desks, just in case.

Still no good.

Walked to the address of the police station or public security bureau listed in the Lonely Planet.

No such address. Just a building site.

Asked someone on the street. They directed me to a police station.

Or that's what I thought it was, because it said "Police" out front, had police out front, and looked like a police station.

Someone took me in, passed me over to someone who could speak English, and then I was taken to her office.

She explained that this wasn't in fact a police station.

She made a phone call to another department and put me on the phone.

The person explained things in more detail, but in essence, I needed to go to the police station and the public security bureau.

She said I should go to the police station.

I got her to show me on my map.

It was in the Muslim sector on such-and-such a street "only a few hundred metres away".

Well, nearly. Eventually found it at the other end of the Muslim sector.

Walking with a big suitcase was also not fun, but hey, that's the least of my worries at this point.

The Police Station!

They didn't speak much English, so I said the phrase I'd been practising from my phrase book for the past couple of hours in my head: Hu4 zhao4 diu1 le, I lost my passport.

Well, actually, I said Wu4 zhao4 diu1 le, because the information centre staff had pronounced it that way. The police didn't understand wuzhao, but they did understand huzhao. Thankfully!

A few gestures later and I was on the phone to someone who spoke English.

After bridging the language barrier and filling in some forms, they had me wait.

I called Mama to explain what was going on.

It sounded like she got a bit angry with them and asked why they had made me wait. Why didn't they just give me my copy of the lost passport form and let me be on my way to the Australian embassy in Beijing (by train)?

One of the nice officers took me over to a photo store, I had some photos taken, waited a while while they were processed, then we walked back together to the police station and finished the forms. I asked where the train station was (in bad Chinese), and he sent me on my way.

Woo!

Making some progress.

At this stage, I'm not feeling angry with anyone (well, except with myself a little bit), but I'm mostly calm, ready to accept my fate, and willing to do exactly what I am told, trusting that it will eventually work out.

One of the officers at the Xian police station