spbarca

Basically, I just wanted your suggestions on how to avoid bad situations, and situations in which you might find yourself without your passport or your wallet!

emd3

Use a PacSafe purse, or if you are a guy, use one of their guy bags (my 21 yr old son uses one of their camera bags and wears it across his body and puts his wallet in it). PacSafe items have a wire mesh built in that can't be slashed, so you won't be a vistim of slash and run. Also the straps have a wire in them that can't be cut without serious wire cutters, so again, so no slash and run on the straps either. safest way is to wear them cross-body. Google PacSafe to see. REI sells them and they are on ebay too, but not al current styles.

I use them every time I travel, will have one with me tomorrow as I head for Mexico.

hopefulist

Here are my personal safety guidelines for CA, reposted from a previous thread. Happy trails!
___________________________________

Sometimes I travel alone, sometimes with one or more of my kids and/or my husband, sometimes with a group in tow. I don't feel overly paranoid but have never had a problem and would like to keep it that way.

Here are my concessions to safety when I travel in Central America:
:: I avoid the big cities as much as possible
:: I don't "party"
:: Where recommended I take specific transportation (Hedman Alas in Honduras, for example, or avoiding chicken buses on the mountain runs in Guatemala, taxis after dark)
:: I know where I am and where I'm headed
:: I don't wear jewelry (not even my wedding band) and try not to flash camera equipment or money around
:: Some trips I carry a “throw down wallet” with an expired card or 2 and the day’s cash in it
:: I keep important documents and cash under my clothes (except what I need for shopping, buses, etc. for that time period)
:: I ask locals about safety in an area - evenings, hiking, etc.
:: I travel really light so I don't feel vulnerable getting my bag off and on buses, shuttles, etc.
:: I continue to build skills in Spanish

baldone

After I got pickpocketed on the Mexico City metro (front pocket) I bought a great pair of hidden cargo pants from Scottevest. http://www.scottevest.com/. I must add that I went where and when I shouldn't have and it cost me $15. A rather cheap lesson. All the guidebooks said to avoid the Hidalgo metro station between certain hours. I didn't, and I learned my lesson. So, the advice would be to do what posters like hopefulist and the guidebooks suggest and you'll minimize risk.

qwovadis

tavel.state.gov always wise to review

insuremytrip.com always cheap wise

For me waterproof money belt worn to the front under clothing
everything of value goes there and stays with me.Pocket camera cheap and dummy "throw down" wallet for travel
in dodgy areas.Being careful over the last 30 years I have
only lost it once at night in San Pedro Guatemala solo
not suggested.Room safes are not safe everyone has a general
combo I use only reputable hotel office safes.Stolen passports
worth about $3k more are stolen in Mexico/CA than anywhere
else in the world so be careful.

Still if careful I have tonnes of fun.Buddy system if possible do not share cabs with strangers beware of strangers
trying to befriend you on bus particualarly the innocent looking little old ladies they are the sneakiest.

Happy Travels,

Dude

Never been pickpocketed or had anything stolen in months in Mexico, Honduras and various other parts of the world. Advice above is the basic advice, good, and what I do: reasonable caution, be aware of your surroundings, a wallet you are willing to give up, and pac safe stuff. I really like how you can quickly attach the day pack to a chair or whatever when you are outside having a beer or whatever.

hsmithcr

One thing to consider is that you might be robbed by someone with a weapon and in this case, your pacsafe won't do you any good. Just give him whatever he asks for. Because this is a (remote) possibility, I will sometimes use a "dummy" wallet with some colones or many $1 in it and an old, expired credit card or two. Then keep your real stuff in a moneybelt.

You don't need to do this all the time but just in places that might be considered "iffy."

Dude has good advice. Reasonable caution, be aware of your surroundings - this is excellent advice.

Of course, you know not to wear expensive jewelry and hang a $2,000 camera around your neck.

Keep in mind that not all places are the same: there are places where you should use all the above precautions and places where you can walk around counting your money after leaving the keys in your car.

patrigringo

I've never been pickpocketed and I've been all over central america. I usually have my pants/shorts/jacket with Velcro or zippers. I'll keep my wallet in a closed pocket and I've never had any issues.

fishee

I'm kinda shocked by the number of people carrying "throw down wallets"! Is this more for psychological assurance or does this really come into play?

Sounds like qwovadis actually gave up the dummy wallet in Guatemala? I'd consider doing this but I'm so disorganized I'd probably hand over my real wallet.

hopefulist

I don't take a real wallet. I have one of those under clothes things for valuables and the dummy wallet which I keep a few non active cards, a receipt or 2, some change, and the cash I might need for that day. I figure if it only has change in it they won't believe it's my wallet if I have to throw it down or hand it over. In other words, I use the dummy wallet as if it was my real wallet but don't have much in it.

I worry more about my cameras than my wallet, not so much because I'd hate to lose the cameras but because of the photos. I prefer more and smaller SD cards than the big mega ones and I back up my photos on a thumb drive as I go plus put the SD cards in a very safe place. That way if I lose my camera/s I don't lose the majority of my photos. Happy trails!

fishee

I get the concept of the throw down: a relatively useless decoy that mitigates the unfortunate incident, whether a mugging or pick pocket. I just had no idea this many people were so actively defensive in lessening the impact of possible theft.

I find it rather impressive. I suppose you'd totally discourage me from bringing an old laptop to Lake Atitlan? I can't imagine being without one for an entire month but I guess there's a first time for everything!

hopefulist

I was never tempted to take my "real" laptop - too much weight to lug around, too obvious, too much to lose, internet cafés all over the place. Then one of our sons moved to Africa and researched netbooks and I decided to get one, too, an Asus eee 901 netbook: ~2 pounds, <$300, fits easily in my too-tiny-for-a-laptop daypack. I've enjoyed having it the last few summers for sorting photos, backing them up, and blogging as I go. So, not a real laptop but not a throw down. ;-)

fishee

LOL! Will i have a cell signal out there? if i can get email on my blackberry i might be able to go without the laptop but I'll look into a netbook.

i think it's so great that you passed your travel gene to your kids!

patrigringo

forget the netbook, go with an iPad

hopefulist

I don't own an ipad but tried them out before I bought the netbook and again a few months back when I bought a new macbook. I do a lot of emailing and blogging and like having a keyboard. I like having an SD card slot and USB slots without needing adapters, too. To each his/her own!

emd3

Just fyi, you can get a blue tooth keyboard for the Ipad. I got one at Brookstone.com

hopefulist

Yes, I've seen those - very cool how they're a wraparound case, too. At the time I bought my netbook (Spring 2009), ipads weren't available and until recently they didn't have cameras which would have been a deal breaker for me since I enjoy video chatting using Skype while I travel. No doubt ipads are cool, but for my form of month-long travel it's tough to beat the low cost and high durability of a solid state, self-contained netbook. Plus I already have one and it will last for years. ;-)

suze

Easy answer. Wear a money belt under your clothing, don't carry a "wallet".

I think pickpocketing is really only an issue in large cities and crowded areas. Where exactly are you going?

mlgb

There is more to theft than just the classic pickpocket. Eg park your car at a deserted beach or trail head, or an unattended parking lot during dinner, find your window smashed and your luggage gone. Best scenario go straight to the hotel and dump the luggage, than go on the excursion.

Go to the beach, go for a swim, find your keys and sunglasses gone. If you're going to be laying about at the beach you might bring one of those beach safe things or wear swim shorts with a zipper.

I try to carry as little as possible. I will leave the passport in the hotel safe and carry a copy, except when going between stops, then it's under the clothing.

emd3

When swimming on the ocean or snorkeling, I use one of these for money, driver's license, and keys. Have had one for years and it is still as waterproof as can be- I just used it last week while snorkeling in the Yucatan in Mexico:

http://www.amazon.com/Kwik-Tek-6-Inc.../dp/B000BJ41BE