comtnboy

Hi Folks. What's your opinion on having a luggage alarm for our duffle bags. Necessary or overkill? Any suggestions on a particular model? Thanks

ShayTay

I assume that you would use it while at the hotel or camp, given that they work on the basis of motion. I've never had a problem at any of the safari camps. The people working at the camps are, in my experience, quite honest and won't bother your luggage. They know that they would be the first to be accused if something disappeared, as you are out in the middle of the bush with no one else around.

I think that your luggage has a far greater chance of being pilfered in the airports on your journey to and from Africa. Lock them up (the TSA locks are good in the US) or use cable ties to close them while traveling.

matnikstym

Keep them locked up in the camps also. Our duffels were stolen (found 2 days later) from one camp and ditched in the bush, unopened because they were locked. The thieves probably weren't employees of the lodge, but were never caught.

santharamhari

TSA locks work well....most camps dont have an in-room safe with a few exceptions. So what i do is, lock my passport, tix etc in the duffel bag and throw some clothes etc around the room so that i dont need to keep opening and unpacking the bag.

comtnboy

Thanks everyone. I am thinking the TSA locks may be the way to go. I'll probably scrap the idea on the motion sensors.

matnikstym

DON'T lock your passport/tickets in your duffel and leave your duffel in your room. Take them with you at ALL times in your backpack. I speak from experience about stolen duffels with passports, tickets, cash inside.

comtnboy

Ouch, thanks for the heads up.

santharamhari

Dennis,

You strongly recommend carrying my backpack with passports etc etc 24/7??? Maybe the camp managers at some camps have a safe in their rooms where i can leave my passports/tix/Travellers checks???

May i ask, what camp your duffel was stolen? If you dont want to answer it, it's fine.....

Hari

matnikstym

Hari- unless the camp has a safe for your passport, tickets and cash, YES carry it with you 24/7! Not one camp I have been to has offered safe keeping, though I never asked. the camp was Chongwe in Lower Zambezi. There were about 100 migrant workers building Chongwe House up from camp and our tent was the farthest from the common area. It was assumed that 1 of the migrant workers came down, took the duffels from our tent and hid them in the bush. In Chongwe's defense, they did everything they could, roadblocks, all camps in the area went out seaching on land and river all night long and into the next day, a reward was offered to the villagers, they took care of us until the embassy opened on Monday, flew us to Lusaka, lunch while waiting for our found bags. It was the first theft in Lower Zambezi in 10 years, and I would go back to Chongwe in a flash, it's a beautiful camp and it wasn't their fault, but it could happen anywhere and I did not let my important stuff out of my sight for 1 second on my last trip!

santharamhari

Wow!!! Thanks Dennis.......food for thought........i will definitely carry a backpack with a TSA lock to it. I am one of these edgy ppl when it comes to passports and stuff.......can't relax for one moment. I guess it's genetic. My dad is just like that...very possessive and edgy with the passport and it's safety. I just assumed locking it in the duffel is safe.....obviously, not if the whole duffel is stolen.

Thanks
Hari

comtnboy

Hi Haris, just a thought but instead of hiking around with a backpack you could put your important documents and money in a money belt.

bellhouse

What are TSA locks?

martync

TSA locks are special locks that the TSA can open. Usually there is a combination for you and the TSA has special keys to open the locks. Don't know if this works outside the USA.

ShayTay

You can use them outside the USA; they just can't be opened by foreign Security personnel. If the bag needs to be opened, they will probably cut it off, just like any other lock.

santharamhari

It isnt any issue in majority of other countries.....as you are permitted to lock your bags. The TSA locks are designed as most ppl have a problem with leaving their bags unlocked in the USA.

Hari

bellhouse

Do luggage stores carry them, or do you order them? I had never heard of them - and I hate not locking my luggage.

cw

They are available on-line at Magellan's and at Travelsmith and I'm sure at many other places, and at stores that carry travel accessories.

cw

santharamhari

Travel 2000 stores in any shopping Mall across the USA carries them......also similar stores should carry them.

bellhouse

Thanks!

Patty

I found TSA locks at Target.