Mary Kay

Hi all you well seasoned travelers,<BR><BR>I'm heading to Italy for my first time and plan on using a money belt. Should I also lug around a backpack, or purse (for my camera, water, lipstick)? I'm a new yorker an always have a water bottle with me in the city, should I do it in Italy too? <BR><BR>Thanks for the feedback!<BR>—MK

Diane

Hm, good question... I'm leaving for italy next week, and i hadn't thought about that! I'm a New Yorker as well, and never without a water bottle (esp when shlepping around all day!). I'll prob do both: a purse with a sturdy strap that slings across my chest, AND the backpack for camera, guidebook, etc. <BR><BR>Just wondering: are you using the kind of money belt that goes under your clothes, or a fanny pack sort of thing?

xxx

Please, God, please. . .tell me it's not a fanny pack!

Sue

Yes, take your water. It's going to be hot. I carry a tote bag with my water, maps, camera, etc. You don't need to worry about a money belt - just don't carry all your cash with you. Take what you need for the day and leave the rest in the hotel safe. I didn't experience any crime in Italy anywhere. Just be smart about things.

Mel

Neither. Take a husband and you never have to carry anything!

MK

Diane,<BR><BR>Definitely DO NOT use a fanny pack! At least not for money, maybe for other stuff, like water, camera, just not money. I use the moneybelt that goes beneath your clothes, mine's actually flesh colored...which I don't think is entirely necessary, but, at least it won't show through my summer clothes.<BR><BR>—MK

StCirq

I don't know if this is of any help to you or not, but here goes...The first few times I went to Europe I guarded my belongings jealously in money belts and fanny packs and things that hung about inside my clothing like large bandages. I didn't get robbed. When I got comfortable about traveling to Europe, and had a couple of young kids to steer around with me, I bought a black leather backpack from a chic shop in Paris (it was when all Parisian women were wearing these things as handbags - well, they still are, actually)so that my hands could be free to hold onto my kids (whom I was often sheparding alone through French cities and towns and villages). It had a clasp and a zipper and several inside pockets, and I would sling it under my arm when we were on public transportation or otherwise in some area where I might be preyed upon - no problem. Now that my kids are 12 and 15 and I don't have to hold them by the hand to get around Paris or France, I carry a fairly large French purse, the kind of bag (mine's made of cork - a tribute to wine drinkers - I bought it in the local market in Le Bugue) that holds not only the day's necessities but also a newspaper and a small paperback and a small pastry or two if needed. It zips at the top and has a small zipped compartment on the back at the outside as well as one on the inside too. My feeling has become that if you wear things that look "local," your chances of being hit upon as a tourist are minimized. I can't attest to the accuracy of my theory, as in 25+ years of traveling in Europe the only theft I've endured was one in Florence when the garnets I'd bought in Prague were stolen from my suitcase in my room in a pensione. But I do believe if you look like a tourist, you're a target - and don't want to get into a clothing war here. It should be obvious that if you are dressed "like an American tourist," and I think it's fair to say we can all close our eyes and imagine what that looks like, and if you have a "fanny pack" with all your stuff in it, you'll end up being a target. Better to dress like a Parisian and carry a "real" purse. It works for me.In your case, I guess you dress like an Italian.

Lucy

I prefer to carry a bag that has a strap I can wear across my body (ie, it can't be snatched). It zips shut but also has a flap which covers over the zipper making it pretty much impossible for anyone else to access without me noticing.<BR>Cheers...

Leslie

Mary Kay - Italy, in particular the big Italian cities, is well known for pickpockets and gypsy scams. All the guidebooks will caution you to use a money belt or any of a number of pouches that can be hung around the neck or attached to the belt and worn under clothing about your waist. They recommend you use the hotel safe or an in-room safe (our Rome hotel had this) and not to use backpacks or fanny packs. Fanny packs are ill-advised because the strap is so easily cut and backpacks are ill-advised because others can get into them without you seeing. Also, if you rent a car, you should use caution when stopping at roadside stops, preferrably having one person stay with the car and leaving nothing of value in view. <BR><BR>If you must use a purse, then carry one with a comfortable/soft/wide strap that goes across your chest is preferred (without latches or buckles on the strap that can be undone). It should also be reasonably hard to open and you should wear it with the latch or flap facing in toward your body. Be particularly alert when on a train or bus, in a tight crowd. Be alert to packs of street urchins or men or women who approach you and do anything distracting such as putting a cardboard sign in your face or spilling something on your sleeve. Do not stand at the sidewalk's edge with your purse dangling on your shoulder as theifs on mopeds are known to pass by and snatch them. Also, don't hang your purse on the back of a chair in a restaurant.<BR><BR>You should not take comfort in the fact that someone says they had no problem. This is simply not statistically valid. The statistics make it clear that one must use extra caution in certain locales. To ignore these statistics is a bit naive, in my opinion. While it helps to not "look" like a tourist, this is pretty unavoidable when you take out your camera at the Fontana di Trevi. I used a money belt for some cash and credit cards, left my plane tickets and passports in our in-room safe. I also carried a lightweight comfortable purse with a wide strap to hold my camera, city map, reading glasses, etc, a small water bottle... but nothing that would have spoiled the trip, had it been stolen.<BR><BR>I saw plenty of others carrying backpacks, fanny packs and such and was satisfied to let THEM be the easy targets for thieves. And while my anecdotal experience is of little value to you, I can say we had only one problem. That was in Rome when two gypsy women approached us with their cardboard sign...we simply said NO very loudly and they backed off. <BR><BR>In spite of the need to exercise such cautions, do not fail to engage in conversations and pleasantries with the Italian people you meet as we also had many wonderful and special experiences with the people there and, believe it or not, we felt quite safe.

isabel

Relatively small backpacks, especially the kind that look like they are designed to be pocketbooks, are very common in Europe (therefore you can tell yourself you look like a local). You can find a model that has a double zipper which you can then hook together (I use a small luggage lock but it doesn't have to be a lock, just something that would make it hard to undo quickly. I've heard people use safety pins, twist ties, etc). I carry camera, guidebooks, etc. in there. The backpack style makes weight distribution easier on the shoulder than a regular pocketbook. I ALWAYS use an under the clothing money belt. A money belt and a fanny pack are exact opposites. One is safe, the other stupid. The day's cash I either keep in the backpack or in a front pocket. Everything else goes in the money belt.

Martha

May Kay -<BR><BR>I have something that might be helpful--<BR>I have known 2 women that were wearing their purse "across their chest" with a strap ------ and someone went by on a motorbike and grabbed the strap and dragged the women down the road --- until the strap broke.<BR><BR>This happened while they were crossing the street-----one of these women was me !!! I had to have sutures in both legs from being dragged. I considered myself to be "street wise" (from NYC)<BR>I had the correct type of chest strap, I walked with the openings (of my purse) towards my body--- I thought I had it all covered ! <BR><BR>I just never gave any thought to the fact that someone might grab the strap and take off on a motor bike.<BR>Therefore, I never, never wear anything that won't break EASILY ! <BR>The "incident" was quite terrible. But, if you think about it---- it does make sense not to wear anything that you could be dragged with----- <BR>Those motorbikes--- sneak up on you and then zooooooom they are gone!<BR><BR>I guess you cound wear it across your chest when walking on the sidewalk and in and out of stores etc. Then put it over your shoulder when crossing streets. That would probably be a good compromise. Good Luck !

purse

I use my regular somewhat oversized pocketbook from home. I think backpacks are looking for trouble (people can unzip them on crowded public transport, they're behind you not under your arm, etc.). Especially if you've got your valuables in a money belt under your clothing.

jessie

Hi Mary Kay:<BR><BR>Please use your money belt. You can leave some of your valuables in the hotel safes, but you need to use your money belt when traveling between places, at the very least. Why take chances? I was ripped off in Italy many years ago and now I am extremely cautious. Live and learn. <BR><BR>I always take a small backpack for water, maps, sunglasses, etc. during the day. I use a backpack because I have a bad back, but a small purse is fine too. Just don't have anything in it that you really care about.<BR><BR>Have a great time!

Meredith

The smaller the purse the better is what I found. It was amazing the amount of stuff that I started to realize I could do without while traveling around. Purses that have a zipper and maybe a flap covering the zipper is usually the best bet as it makes it more difficult for someone to try and get into it.<BR>As for the water - I too am seldom without a water bottle and found that bottled water (both with gas and without) was so easily available (tobacco shops almost always sold bottled water) that it was easier for me to just buy a new bottle while out then to try and bring a big enough bag to fit everything in it! Happy travels!

liveintheburbs

I didn't realize that carrying a bottle of water around was limited to New Yorkers. Silly me! I guess you learn something new every day.<BR><BR>I don't like to be the one to break it to you but bottled water has caught on in the rest of the world too. I keep a case in my place of work and in my vehicle at all times, no matter what the temperature AND I live in the burbs...

Diane

Martha, what a scary experience -- you made a good point, I wouldn't have thought about that. <BR><BR>Burbs: I wasn't implying that only NYers drank bottled water! I was just commenting that I happened to live in NY as well. Sheeesh! I even know one or two people from the burbs, like my boyfriend (or the "country", as we city folk call it). ;0)<BR><BR>I hope I didn't come across sounding like I was actually FOR those awful fanny pack things -- I just didn't want to sound elitist! Perish the thought! <BR><BR>Have a great trip -- watch out for those upcoming strikes! (see my post on that)

Mandy

Mary Kay, I use a LeSportSac nylon purse which has a very convenient open pocket, the perfect size for a one pint water bottle. It also has lots of zippered compartments and a wide, adjustable fabric shoulder strap. It comes in black, navy, tan (and lots of really horrible prints I wouldn't recommend). I always use a money belt, but I like to keep my water, lipstick, brush, etc. and maps and guidebook with me. I like the nylon purse because it is very lightweight and can also be sprayed with waterproofing if it will be rainy where you are traveling.

Mary Kay

Hi everyone,<BR><BR>Thanks for your great advice! I really appreciate it. And Martha, thanks especially for your story. Sorry to hear it happened to you, I hope you're all recovered by now.<BR>I'll use my money belt and all the other advice!<BR>MK