Often things that would not go wrong in your everyday life will, given the opportunity, when you are traveling so it is handy to know a few things to lessen the chance of this happening. The trouble is when this happens it leaves you with bad memories of what should have been a happy vacation. In some instances it is not uncommon for fear to set in and venturing from the relative safety of the hotel room or resort is out of the question. It doesn’t matter if you are visiting a local market or out for an evening meal, traveling safely is about the application of common sense when you are in an unfamiliar location.
Whatever it is you are doing or wherever you are, when you get that feeling that something doesn’t feel right, that is your instinct; learn to listen to it. A big mistake made by many tourists is they take everything of value with them which makes it very easy for thieves and pickpockets to steal their whole identity in one go. You should only ever take just what you need for the day and safely store the remainder (essential travel documents and cash) in the room or hotel safe. One tip that has saved many travelers hassle is placing money in various locations so it makes it harder for thieves and pickpockets to get it all at once.
As an added measure when using travel safely methods, carry credit cards from different accounts; should one be lost or stolen there is a second to fall back on. One simple trick to stop a bag thief is to place the strap over the head and across the chest as opposed to on the shoulder where it is easy to grab. When you walk out make sure you are on the sidewalk as motorbikes and cars can’t drive here and if you have your bag or camera dangling off the shoulder furthest from the road it won’t be so easy to take. We have all read about the different scams that people have fallen for and the truth is people continue to fall for them because the scammers are professionals and they’re good at it.
The truth is we always believe it won’t happen to us because we are too streetwise but it is that arrogance that gets us caught out and these individuals do this every day. For instance, when carrying small bags (rucksacks for example), it is not a difficult job to place a small combination lock on it to put thieves off; remember they are always looking for the easy victim!
