So drive to Stonehenge...explore all things along the way; its an adventure! Do your homework on the history of the places you are going to. Take a side trip to Chartres and see a magnificent catherdral, spend some cash and enjoy a gondola ride in Venice, knowing the city used to be a major player in the western world. Go to local places for your food experience and don't fear if you can't read the menu, someone will always help. I rememeber our first trip to Vienna where my wife ordered a dish called Gebacknes Hirn, which turned out to be beef brains. Being as how, at the time, there was a mad cow scare in Germany, and she had already taken a few bites, I partook of it as well saying, followed by a healthy gulp of fine Austrian beer, that we would go down together. What fun! My wife, on her last trip to Venice, shopped daily at the local stores, often picking out things to eat she wasn't sure of, and loved every minute of the experience.

Operaman, you have the best attitude; your wife is a lucky lady to have you.

Maire;
Thanks for your kind words, but I feel that I am the lucky one to have her. Check out our belated honeymoon of 2001:
http://austria.starkeconcepts.com/
Tenshinokiss, get out there and love that food, the people, and everything else on your adventure.

Your website is beautiful, Operaman. Looks like it was a wonderful trip.

Maire;
Thanks, it definitely was. We have been back many times...real Austria junkies.
Next stop Switzerland, hopefully soon!

This thread has truly been a pleasure to read; kind words abound. However, I understand your original post to be looking for specific experiences. I will share with you mine.

In Rome, while walking back "into town" from the Coliseum along (I can't think of the name of the street; the one with the "typewriter" or "wedding cake" monument) the street and hit an unpopulated segment. Two (adorable) children approached us (two college-aged females) and asked us to look down at what they had in their hands. My friend hissed, "Don't look down!" and pushed me forward and past them. Afterwards, she explained that a popular trick is to sprinkle sand on a piece of cardboard and tell you to look down - then blow the sand in your eyes and take what they want while you can't see!

I understand there are many threads about pickpocket-ers, but I think you're looking for specific stories.

The point of my post is that, yes, although you may be more in danger in your own home town/city, different cities pose different tactics. I NEVER would have thought of this scheme, so my advice is to be EXTRA aware... Not that you have to be on the edge during your trip. Just be wary of anything unsolicited.

And to counter my own post, we were approached at a train station during a train strike by an older man asking if we needed help. We reacted in an extremely wary manner, but the kind gentleman ended up finding us lodging in a strange town for the evening. So all was well that ended well.

Just be cautious, and watch for any "strange", unsolicited tricks (other than typical pickpocketing) that may present themselves.

You will have an incredible time, and I guarantee that you won't need to "worry" about these things. But if any strange situation arises, you will know to be aware.

Have fun!

I'm an American who has been living in Europe for nearly 30 years. I do extensive traveling both in Europe and other parts of the world. I have never had my pocket picked, and have never been robbed. I don't use a money belt (except in parts of Africa where you need to carry large amounts of cash). I do carry my wallet in my front pocket, but apart from that take no special precautions.

I have had items stolen from my hotel room twice - once in Dallas, Texas, and once in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, but so far never in Europe.

I live in London and have personally witnessed people being pickpocketed on a busy bus 3 times in 1 year ( the driver declined to get involved, saying it wasn't a part of his job).
Violent crime is on the rise in the capital as well, be on your guard and only use black London cabs, never order a minicab (many women got raped by the drivers).

Just came back from shopping. I found a good-quality but relatively unmarked leather bag that I can wear over my shoulder or across my chest. It has a separate flat zippered compartment that goes against the body for more important things. It's small enough to keep close to me and if someone slashes the bottom or cuts the strap, well, I won't be keeping anything of real value in there. The thing that I marvel about most is that my dear husband was right beside me, looking at various features of the bags and cataloging pros and cons. He was the one that ultimately chose the bag, which is saying something for him, because when it comes to me and my bag-buying, he keeps his own counsel. The other thing was that we knew exactly what to get based on this thread and others on this website. You guys totally rock!

Now, I just need to figure out if I want to get a hidden belt pouch or one that goes around my neck. I'm thinking the neck one.

Back to the relevant things:

Operaman,

Wonderful suggestions. I will do my homework to further enrich my experience. I'm going to start my travel journal before I leave and jot down notes for myself before I go. For food, we're usually pretty game--we love Japan and they have some unusual things that we ask about after we eat. Although, I think we'll learn the words for "brains" in French and Italian and try to stay away from those! We certainly plan to ride a gondola in Venice--both of us are looking forward to that.

As you can probably tell, I'm a worrier, especially about the details like how to get places and making sure we're safe getting there. But I make a point to slow down and enjoy while I'm there. We'll definitely stop at places to have a drink, rest our legs, and to just soak it all in.

Thank you for sharing your website and your generous spirit with me and everyone else reading this. Your words of encouragement, and as Maire said, your attitude, have pushed away the fears and uncertainty to let the joy and anticipation shine through. I'm fully ready to enjoy this new adventure!

Thank you again!!

ceb1222,

Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Yes, you got it exactly! The more we know, the more prepared we can be! I heard about the kids and the cardboard, but never about the sand variation. You're so right about avoiding nonsolicited interactions. But I also hear what you said with the man that helped you find accommodations.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us--it will help keep us safe and in possession of our belongings!

Heimdall,

Thank you very much for sharing your experience with us. It must be so wonderful to be able to travel so extensively. I love to travel, but I'm afraid I'm not as adventurous as many of you that post on this board.

Thank you again!

teddybear,

Thank you so much for your warnings. It's also helpful to get the scoop from people who live in these places. I'd read about the minicabs somewhere else and we won't be taking anything but a reputable cab if we need to. We'll also be careful on the buses as well as the tube.

Living in London sounds so exciting. I had the chance to go on a study abroad program when I was in college. But I didn't take it. Looking back now, I really should have. When you live in a foreign place, you get to know the customs, people and places so much better than if you just visit.

Thank you so much!

Tenshinokiss, did I detect some irony in your reply to my post? Sorry if it sounded pretentious, but I am a semi-retired empty-nester with mortgage paid off, and after many years on a tight budget am able to indulge my travel bug.

I was only trying to put the thread in perspective. Of course you should be aware of your surroundings when traveling, but Europe isn't as dangerous as some people make it sound.

the worry-warts and poorly travelled might make you feel that in europe is there are pickpockets on every corner but equally ignorant view is shown by the american europhiles who aim to "teach" other americans that it is really the US that is the dangerous country.

this is a rather outdated, misleading and more linked to their own agendas than reality.

the answer is somewhere in the middle. as a tourist in a large european city, you are probably much more likely to be a victim of crime than at home (depending on where you live). the reason is both related to the fact that there is a lot of crime in europe and the fact that tourists are particularly vulnerable to it.

similar crimes mentioned by st cirq are not at all uncommon right around the area where i live in london....and they occur with surprising frequency. there is no use getting into a t1t for tat of crimes in the US vs Europe but i could tell stories all day about people i know here who have been victims of serious crime all over europe.

comparing crime statistic between europe and the US is also misleading and not able to accurately be used to guage the likelihood of being a victim of crime in either place.

my purpose is not to scare you but to try and inject some reality into this discussion. don't worry but be cautious whereever you travel. the likelihood of being a victim of crime during a short trip to europe is very low and largely able to be controlled by just common sense precautions.

I had been to Europe on numerous ocassions, never took precautions and never had a problem.

On our last trip, to Spain, I decided that I had been lucky long enough. I decided that I am a tourist and they are professionals. They've got to be better at stealing than I am at defending. Also, they are concentrating on stealing. I am concentrating on being a tourist.

I decided I probably couldn't really stop them. But I could make the experience very unrewarding.

I've always used a money belt for airplane tixkets, passports, ect.

This time I decided to keep only 20-30 Euros in my pocket and nothing else.

I bought a small thin zippered pouch large with a belt loop and large enought for some bills and a few credit cards. I used the belt loop and slipped it down the inside fron on my pants.

I was not afraid to pull it out dsuring the day to use my credit card. Then I slipped it back down inside my pants. Very, very difficult for someone to get to (impossible).

Sure enough I was a victim at the Madrid flea market. I saw it happening. I heard some change fall and I jumped back away. Somebody leaned on my leg as if to push me away.

About 30 seconds later, an older man came over, gave me back my empty sunglasses case and street map (I guess they went for what was sticking out of my pockets rather than go for the inside and the 20E) and said that "somebody" took this.

Also, the zipper on my backpack was opened a few times at the same flea market. I guess they didn't want my umbrella.

We didn't have a problem anywhere else.

I expect to use the same strategy on our upcoming trip to Prague, Budapest, Bruge and Amsterdam.

This is good reading:
http://www.who.int/violence_injury_p...summary_en.pdf

You will also find that it's about 5 times more likely you get murdered in the USA than in Germany. Those crime statictics DO count.

tenshinokiss;
How many days are you planning for each destination?

Actually, unless tenshinokiss is a drug dealer or some other sort of criminal living in the inner city, her chance of being murdered in the USA is about the same as in Western Europe--very, very small.

Right, but there still is a difference between very small and very, very, very small. :-). Western Europe, Australia and Japan would be the peferred places if you want to be a drug dealer and still live to see retirement age :-)

Hi

My wife and I were also a bit worried before we went to Rome last year but we didn't have any problems. I say use common sense and you should be fine. The most important thing is that you don't let the worries get in the way of a wonderful city vacation :-) Paris and Rome are my two favourite cities in Europe and my wife and I just came back from Paris. I have posted a trip report with links and pictures from Rome on my homepage http://gardkarlsen.com/rome_italy.htm by the way. Maybe you can find some useful info there. Have a great trip :-)

regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures