jj

My husband and I and our two teens are about to leave on driving trip to Scotland, Ireland,Wales and London. We will be on the move between locations for 22 days. My question is: "Where should we keep our passports as we sightsee?" Should we keep them with us at all times or could we lock them in the suitcases in the trunk of our rental car? When travelling before we stayed in a central location and kept them in the hotel safe but that is not possible this trip...Any advise?

Liz

The trunk would be bad.<BR><BR>If you're on the go, an under your clothing safety pouch is the best answer. There are models that go around your waist, hang fron a cord arround your neck, or fasten arround your calf. Ther are even models made of light-weight silk for extra comfort. <BR>www.eaglecreek.com seems to have the most versions.

David White

That's a tough one. Car theft, or theft from cars, can be a problem in any area--urban or rural. I'd keep them with me.<BR><BR>Suggestion: Before you leave for your trip, make a photocopy of the photo page of each passport. Keep the copy someplace separate from the passports while on your trip. If you were to lose a passport, the copy makes it much easier to get a replacement from a US embassy or counslate.<BR><BR>Enjoy your trip<BR><BR>David White<BR>http://www.KidsToLondon.com

Ronda

Assume your rental car will get stolen. Bad place for passports. A money belt would be the best place. If you dislike a money belt around your waist, try wearing it across one shoulder (under your clothes of course). <BR><BR>I'll probably catch it for this, but I did carry ours in Switzerland in a La Sport Sac, zippered inside, purse slung across one shoulder at all times. I do have photocopies zippered inside the lining of one suitcase.

kel

I have traveled several times carrying my passport in my purse. I would NEVER lock it up in the car. If you are aware of your purse, keep it closed, and carry it more in front of you instead of letting it hang behind you where you can't see what's happening, you should be fine. I've never had any problems but I am very aware of my surroundings at all times.

on your person

I'm with Kel above. I keep it with me in my regular shoulderbag/pocketbook. With a photocopy in my suitcase.<BR><BR>Maybe if I was traveling youth hostel style, on the road for a year, or trekking southeast asia, it would be different, but I am staying in 3-star hotels or with friends and traveling in nice cities (Geneva, Venice, Paris).

Bob C

My wife and I always carry our passport in our money belt. We never put them in the suitcase or in the car. I don't even trust a hotel safe. The only person we can fully trust with doing the job right is ourselves.

jorge

DO NOT GET THE passport holders you place around you neck.. someone that wants it can just cut it with a razor or what ever..<BR><BR>the best option is getting the passport holders that go around your waste and you slip down your pants...NO one knows you have one <BR> TIP if you get one of these place the passport. credit cards, extra keys ets.. inside of a ziplock back.. since that pouch is near your croch area it tends too get sweaty...<BR>DO make photocopies...

xxx

I'm not trying to make fun but I've always imagined that also the neck pouches can be pulled by the thief.

hmh

I find that putting the passport, etc. in plastic baggies, and then wrapping a man's handkerchief around it, helps keep me and the money belt drier. Also, it is a little more inconvenient, but if you wear the storage part of the $belt in the back, it fits flatter against you and is totally inconspicious. You would have to visit the "WC" to accesss it, but it seems to be more comfortable that way. You do not feel it when sitting down.

RegularTraveler

Just slap them in your purse and be done with it, already! It's not like you're going to Nigeria or something! I travel to Europe 4-5 times a year and i NEVER do anything special like hide them in the trunk or take a special body-hugging purse or anything like that. As far as I'm concerned, that stuff makes you look like a nutcase and a definite tourist, as you're always fumbling with your stuff to get to your money. Just relax and take normal stuff and you'll be fine.

Monica

I'm with Regular Traveler. I never take the tricky money belts or anything, just a purse backpack with my essentials in the hidden interior pocket that cannot be gotten to by slashing the bottom of the purse or reaching inside. I think the harder you try to protect against theft the more someone is going to think you have something worth stealing!

Doug

Any thieves are probably trying to get "easy" money. They aren't likely to know that you have passports. Lock them in your trunk , hidden out of sight, in a bag that contains only passports. Passports are not a high priority item in the British Isles and thieves will probably leave them alone if you are robbed.

Laura

I'm with the 'keep them with you at all times' camp. Re: the photo copies, make two copies. Keep one set in your luggage, and leave another set at home with a friend or relative with access to a fax. I lost/was robbed of my passport in Paris in March and having a copies with me made getting a new one a 1 hour affair at the embassy.

Gretchen

I don't think passports are a target of thieves. If they get your pocketbook they'll toss everything but the money. I'd leave them in the car. We leave ours in the hotel, not even in a safe--just out of sight. Agree about the copies.

xxx

I keep my passport locked up in the hotel safe in my room or I take it with me, if I think I will need it, zippered in compartment in my handbag which is completely closed by another zipper -no openings to entice anyone - and placed across my shoulders hanging more towards the front of me. Never had a problem. I also have photocopies of the document - one with me in a hidden spot in my travel bags and one I leave at home, or on occcasion, I have left the copy with a friend in case I needed to call and get passport numbers.<BR><BR>My sister uses a pouch with her passport, money, cards, etc. in it and hangs it around her neck under her blouse or dangling into her slacks. Either way, this is a real nuisance when you need to get something out of the pouch. And it is very visible - everyone must know that the little white or gray strap around your neck is holding some important stuff.

Bob

Hotel safe if you are in one place long.<BR><BR>I also took a reduced copy of my passport photo page (credit card size) laminated it with my wife's info on other side and keep this in my wallet. This helps when they need your passport number for something. You do not have to have the original.

jorge

if I were a thief, Reading these posts it would make me realize that tourists in Europe are pretty lax in thier personal security. <BR>easy pickings!!.<BR> The big market for western passports is Eastern europe.. where new identities are created.<BR>-------------------<BR>plus you never know when your going too be stoped by a cop who is really bored and wants too see your passport. it happened too me in Hong Kong 2 months ago...<BR><BR>be safe and have fun..

Nigel Doran

Make sure you put EVERYTHING in the boot of the car and do not leave ANYTHING - even a magazine - on show on the seats, dashboard etc. Car crime is, unfortunately, quite high over here. Try and get a car with a crook-lock that fits over the steering wheel, or a car with an alarm. Also, always check where you are parking. Local councils make &pound;&pound;&pound;&pound;&pound;&pound;&poun d; from people falling foul of their laws. Keep lots of change with you as 'pay and display' machines rarely give change. If at all possible, park your car in your hotel car park and then walk or take local transport, ie. buses.

sm

In the UK, a thief is much more interested in your credit cards and cash. He'll have a ready market for your cards but your passport will be pretty well useless to him. He'd probably through it away.<BR>I'd echo the advice to put everything out of sight in the boot, always set the alarm and if possible park in a proper carpark with an attendant or CCTV<BR>