Unless i had the money up front or at least enough to cover my time and costs i wouldn't have traveled beyond my front door mate! This guy has very little to lose by letting you down as you don't know him from Adam and you don't even have his phone number to call and give him grief
It is shit when things like that happen but just call it a lesson and remember to only trust people whom you know or know of unless they put their money where their mouth is.