On my first trip outside of North America back in 1990, my traveling companion had her pocket picked in London. She was careless, even ignored a warning from a local that she needed to be more careful and made an easy victim. She let it ruin her adventure.
I take a few simple steps to travel safer. I keep my wallet in an inside zippered or buttoned closed pocket that is not obvious from the outside. When in a crowd, I am hyper vigilant. I tend to avoid buskers, and crowds. If approached by a begger, I ignore them and walk on. I use a seperate under my clothes case for my passport, a backup credit card and cash. I keep cash in more than one location, and keep what is easily reachable to an amount I could afford to lose. I have started using hotel safes. I scan my passport and important travel documents before I leave home, and have a copy accessible from a remote location. I don't carry or wear expensive jewelry, or flash a lot of cash.
What other suggestions do you have for traveling safe?
Trust your instincts, rather as you would at home. If someone or something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't.
ReplyDeleteGreat one
DeleteGreat points.
ReplyDeleteI think we all should not forget that appearing to be a 'tourist' is always a red flag flapping in front of any undesirable. We should always act as if we were 'home' in what respects to safety.
XOXO
I can spot the out of towners in a second here in DC. Some try to blend in, but there are subtle differences in behaviour
DeleteYou’ve provided great advice. It’s odd how people don’t even take the same precautions when they travel that they do when they’re at home.
ReplyDeleteA little bit of care is all it takes, thieves want easy victims.
Deleteget off your damn cell phone and be aware of your surroundings!
ReplyDeletedon't act like an ugly american; try to blend in with the natives.
I have been known to shout at tourists, LOOK UP!
DeleteI do all those things too. If you're carrying a purse or a backpack, always have it within reach, touching you so you know it's there and can monitor its presence.
ReplyDeleteHang it around back, and it is easy to unzip and pick, hang it on the back of chair, and it can get snatched.
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