Thanks for the link, janisj .

Penguins, I'm not athletically built (short and thin), but I will try to carry myself confidently and not look like the clueless tourist I will be.

I use a messenger style bag and connect my wallet and camera to my bag with those keychain type things that look like a length of thin telephone cord coil.

Each end has a split ring, and I run one split ring through the zipper pull, the other through my camera wrist strap. Then I tuck the camera plus the cord into one of the bag pockets. When I need to use the camera, I just pull it out and the cord stretches a small bit. This is also good because I'm a complete butterfingers with my camera.

Same goes for my wallet - I found a lightweight microfiber one with a keychain attached. I attach this one to an inner zippered pocket.

It probably sounds a bit like overkill, but my traveling companion in Rome a couple years back wished she had done the same after her camera was lifted out of her bag in a Metro station.

I still do the normal other precautions like a money pouch and wearing the bag so the flap is towards my body.

Does anyone else find that the passport can get a little worse for wear in the moneybelt? The hubby uses the moneybelt on our travels, and his is a mess from the sweaty moneybag.

I use a microfiber black messenger back, with a wide mesh strap, across the body and often with my hand on the bag itself. The shoulder strap adjusts to just the right length to permit me to do so under just about any circumstances. And I do keep it on on the train, restaurants, etc.

My passport rides inside a ZipLoc® bag inside the money belt under my waistband.

My "ticket home" is a printout of the confirmation email (which is sometimes also a boarding pass) the carrier sent me. And a few hundred USD for "mad money."

Chepar, where do you get those keychain things that look like a length of thin telephone cord coil? Thanks.

i've mentioned this technique several times in response to the same question. it is virtually foolproof and, yet, no one seems to pick up on it:

i carry an ultra thin wallet (essentially a business card case) which just holds two credit cards, a copy of my passport, a medical insurance card and approx. 200 euro in 50's. this is slid into the upper portion of an over the calf stocking.

i also carry a normal wallet with my driver's license, a mastercard i rarely use with no atm privilige and other miscellany in my rear pocket as a dodge. and i keep 50 some odd euro in my left front trouser pocket.

it would be a bold and rather stupid theif who would get on his kness and reach up my trouser leg assuming he had even suspected that location. if i'm pickpocketed of the wallet in my rear pocket: no real loss and if i'm strongarmed: i simply give over the cash and the useless wallet while retaining the more important and valuable stuff.

i've travelled europe for some thirty-five years (now at least twice a year). this arrangement has never let me down.

I can find them at my local drugstore. They're in a small section with other keychain type things.

They usually come with a clip attached at one end (so you can hang it on your belt loop or something), which I remove before attaching to my bag.

Las Vegas also gives them away attached to their frequent player slots cards. My sister was in Vegas last year and signed up at a bunch of hotels, so she gave me a couple of them. These are longer than the ones I can buy at the drugstore, and are better for my camera use because of the greater length.

subcon, my male friend did have someone "frisking" his trouser legs as we got on the Metro. We believe it was done as a distraction so his accomplice could go thru his pockets (which he did and got nothing. If he had a hidden wallet in his sock I'm sure his reaction would have been different). So I have seen it happen!

Maire-

to get a look at what I'm talking about, see this website:

http://www.janway.com/keychains.htm

it's called a coil/hook keychain.

Anyone "frisking" my trouser legs could be recognized readily in a police line-up. He'd be the one with EKIN printed on his nose.

Robespierre, LOL, but it was from the knees down and sort of "flapping" the bottom of the pants too...in the crowd going off the train and boy these guys are quick!

(GIGGLE)

In addition to all these fantastic tips, don't forget about planning for the worst case scenario - you do get picked. Do photocopy your credit cards, or otherwise take the info with you (front and back of the card), clean out your wallet before you go so you don't lose things like library and museum membership cards that you will not be likely to need in Europe and are a bit of a pain to replace, and if you're really an overanxious type, call your credit cards in advance and ask about whether they have a toll-free number in London and Paris in case you need to report a theft. Also, if you are traveling with a spouse, try to carry cards that are not on the same account, so if one person has a wallet stolen, the other person will have a card(s) that will work. Sometimes card companies will insist on shutting down the account and opening an entirely new one and the other card is then useless! Be aware that card companies will typically FedEx a card to you if you need a replacement while away. Hopefully this will not be an issue for you, and even if it is, the worst case scenario planning makes it not so bad if it does happen and allows you to enjoy the rest of the trip!

I would stay home, if you are so concern..... unless of course if you have teenagers in the house LOLOLOL!!

gomiki...

was the offender crawling on his hands and knees? there is no other way of "frisking" a trouser leg from the knee down unless it is a gay (NOT THAT THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT) overture to a seated mark.

subcon, as we got on the car this guy quickly knelt down in front of my friend (as the car was emptying) and quite aggressively "frisked" the pant legs below the knee and once at the hem "flapped" them. (I know it sounds strange). His partner was trying to pick my friend's pockets from behind while he was distracted. He got his Carte Orange but threw it on the floor before they jumped out. We didn't notice it but a woman on the car pointed it out to us.

I've been reading all this to make sure I'm prepared for my trip to Europe. I grew up in Baltimore, lived in NYC for 25 years and have spent a lot of time in all the major US cities (at times doing "tourist" things) and I've never used any of the techniques suggested here and have never been a victim of theft. Is it really that much worse than here?

absolutely!

>> Anyone "frisking" my trouser legs could be recognized readily in a police line-up. He'd be the one with EKIN printed on his nose.

Anyone "frisking" my trouser legs wouldn't have a nose left...

well, gomiki...

i just don't know what to say. that has got to be the most remarkable episode of non consensual sex/criminality i've ever heard. i wouldn't know how to characterise it. but , on your word, it surely blows my theory out of the water...

what more can i say???