No I'm not bragging I'm complaining.... <BR>I'm one of those very slightly waistline challenged females Sandi was complaining about!

I leave everything of value, passport,extra credit cards in the hotel safe. I carry a photocopy of mine and wife's passport with me. On my last trip to Italy my pocket was picked on the Rome metro despite all precautions. He got my day's cash, my luggage key, photocopies of the passports and driver's licence, my address list of people to send postcards to and my pen(!). Also in that pocket(front) was my hotel key with name and room number on it, which they missed. I did not even notice my wallet missing for over an hour. My credit cards and other cash were in my money belt. It makes me very uncomfortable to have the above information in the hands of a pickpocket. So, I have modified my approach. I now carry nothing in my pockets that I don't want a thief to have. No wallet. Carry only cash I might need, loose in my pocket. (That's what I observered Italians doing.) Everything else in my money belt including keys. (There was a $50 lost key fee at my hotel.) I carry one cash card and one credet card and copy of passport in my money belt and all else including passport, extra cards and airline tickets in the hotel safe. I have never been asked for my passport in Europe except when crossing borders or checking into a hotel. They know you are a tourist. I am also more careful what information I leave in my luggage as bags can be lost or stolen. It has also been suggested to me to keep a copy of my itinerary in each piece of luggage so that if my bag is lost, they can find me to return it to me. <BR>After several experiences, I no longer consider this paranoia but simply common sense precautions to avoid potential disaster. <BR> <BR>Safe travels, <BR> <BR>Gerry <BR> <BR>

For my travels to Mexico, I sewed together two special zippered pockets and, using matching thread, sewed these to the inside of two pants. I keep my passport, atm card, some cash, etc. in there. Then I keep a photocopy of my passport in my wallet. (Although I don't need to bring a passport into Mexico, I bring it anyway, so I don't have to explain to some local cop why I don't need a passport. I show him the photocopy.) My luggage is a duffle bag, I don't keep anything fancy in there, just old clothes and a couple of disposable cameras. I take a couple of pictures right away out of each camera, so I know that they would be worthless to thieves. The pockets have outlasted the pants, so I sewed them into some other pants.

Thanks to everyone who mentioned they had experience with -- or knew about someone who had experience with -- a theft from locked luggage in their hotel room. <BR> <BR>This has not happened to me (yet), nor to anyone I know (yet) in any of our travels, and I suspect it is <I>very</I> rare in the overall scheme of things, but it's interesting to know that it does happen.

Sorry JOdy, I thought you were a man <BR>(small attempt at humor).

We noticed many hotel room safes for passports/tickets, etc are now located inside the minibar. We kept photocopies of passports and the emailed eticket receipts (yes I travel dangerously!) as well as multiple copies of our itinerary in two different bags. Passports went into the safe (if it had a working "you-pick-the-combination" type lock) or in the money belt.

OKAY&gt;&gt;Someone thought my new friend Mel was a man ,too. So that makes she and I even on one more score!!! If Mel sees this she'll know what I mean&gt;&gt;

I've often wondered what the hotel does with those safe numbers that are changed and cannot open the safe. At one hotel there was a safe which we had not used and we came back to our room, obviously unexpected since we returned to pick up something we had forgotten, and found one of the desk clerks coming out. I felt we would have been missing valuables had we not had our money in a moneybelt on us. Also, I had a niece who was traveling in Italy and left her passport in her room. She found herself in difficulty explaining to the carabinari when she didn't have it on her. We copy everything and leave the copies in our locked luggage, but not the originals. Also my sister put her travelers checks into the hotel safe deposit box. Next time she went to sign in there was a signature on the card that was not hers; fortunately nothing was missing. Marilyn

True story. Friends of mine were in Paris (husband on business) right before Christmas and bought presents for all their relatives and children. The night before they were to leave, they went out to dinner. When they came back to their hotel room every present was gone. They knew it was an inside job - apparently they were on the first floor (second floor in US) and the thieves just tossed everything out the window and accomplices picked it up and took it. Hotel denied all knowledge. <BR> <BR>Another question - Am I getting something wrong but I have done the money belt thing and I always feel like I'm undressing, unbuttoninh things in public to get at my money. <BR> <BR>I also took the approach of someone above and sewed inside pockets in all my jackets (I needed to carry passports for my two young children too). It worked fine but the joke of the trip was that they always knew where I was and was spending money when they heard velcro ripped open.

Pat, if you're wearing a money belt, you probably <I>are</I> unbuttoning things -- hopefully the right things! -- in public to get at your money. <BR> <BR>But...undressing? What kind of a money belt do you wear, exactly? :~) <BR>

We are a bit conflicted about whether the passport v. the copy is best taken with us or left in the hotel safe. <BR>Are not hotels somehow responsible for their guests property? Are there no <BR>documents to sign as proof? How can one predict whether a hotel is honorable or not? And is there no authority to protect a guest when such a situation arises? We are visiting SE <BR>France/Cote d'Azur, the Italian riviera, and Tuscany

We usually stay in a hotel in Paris that has a safe in the office. I have to sign in and out whenever I use the safe. I would also mention that they are usually annoyed that I bother them to put documents in and take them out. Not very comfortable for me.

Unfortunately we had our hotel room broken into and then the locks on the suit cases prided open. We had everything with us in our money belt. The only thing that was stolen was our camera. I would use those money belts. <BR> <BR>Sue

Jody: This coincidence thing is getting spooky... <BR> <BR>Pat: Aside from the moneybelt, you'll leave a little cash (in local currency) in your FRONT pocket (with a rubber band around it for friction so you'll feel it if someone tries to remove it). When you're in the restaurant having dinner, go to the restroom stall to remove your credit card, pay for dinner, put it back. Not the hassle it sounds like--if you're like my husband, you're probably going to visit the men's room around that time anyway :) If you're going shopping and plan on purchasing articles for which you'll need your credit card, leave it IN the moneybelt, but OUTSIDE the baggie when you head out that day. Step to a corner of the store (or, again, bathroom), to unzip the belt and remove the card. <BR>We've NEVER been ripped off anywhere (as I said on a different post, it was attempted in Paris, but my pockets were empty, so they got nothing. <BR>Judy: Whether to leave the passport in the hotel safe or with you--depends on the type of safe at the hotel. Combination lock that YOU get to choose should be safe.

We also make several copies of tickets and passports. We also send a copy of credit cards number to my wife's brother who seems to be buying more items recently.... <BR>The money belt or a money bag around the neck is vital. My wife carries a small purse with an expired credit card and kleenex as a gift for the thief. Likewise an expired card in my wallet around which is wrapped a rubber band to add friction to those sticky fingers. <BR>We carry cash for the day's anticipated expenses and rarely open the "waist safe." If we need a credit card, we follow Mel's advice. Also, we don't wear expensive jewelry. In fact, we have a set of "travel" thin gold band wedding rings which are only used on trips.

Thank goodness for computers and internet cafes! I e-mail all my important info-credit card #s,Passport copy,birth certificate, travel ticket copies,phone #s etc to myself. <BR>

<BR> <BR>I use a two pouch system for valuables. What I don't need to access during the day goes in my waist pouch which I wear to the small of my back. Plane ticket, TC's, passport, the bulk of my cash, extra CC's, a typed list of all CC numbers (with the last four digits typed in code, exp. dates and emergency telephone numbers to contact in case of loss with same for traveling companion). These are contained in a ziplock bag to protect from moisture. In the neck pouch I keep one credit card, copy of my passport, and most of the cash for the day - things I want easy access to without disrobing (I wear dresses!). <BR> <BR>As mentioned above I make copies of everything and place in suitcases, copies with someone at home. I simply do not trust locked suitcases or the people who have access to safes. The safes I trust not so the people. Can't imagine ever leaving my passport with anyone. It stays on me. <BR> <BR>If you're really paronoid (like I tend to be), you might consider one of those motion alarms to keep in your suitcase in your room. Those babies let out the loudest shrill if the suitcase is moved (Radio Shack). <BR> <BR>Oh, yes, and I do carry travel insurance. Hell, I think I've just been reading too many "Scams and Rip-Off" postings but they can sure make you a believer in taking all the precautions you can.

Glad that I happened upon this thread <BR>b/c it appears that we are at the extreme end of recklesness on this one! <BR>We need to tighten our security! Perhaps <BR>over the years we have been lulled into a false sense of security. That said, I have a question: If somebody did steal your passport how cld. he/she use it? <BR>I mean, it has your picture! Are we concerned about forgery here? ( I am serious w/ this question, guys! I can hear some of you: Reckless & stupid!) <BR> <BR>

Are we concerned about forgery? Abso-freakin-lutely. A US passport can fetch $1000 on the black market. There are many that make their living changing tourist passports into documents for those that will pay for them. <BR> <BR>A forged US passport may not fool a US customs agent, but may fool the customs agent of another country or perhaps local officials. <BR> <BR>As for carrying, I will ONLY leave my passport if the hotel has a safe that is completely secure, ie. only I have access to it. Otherwise it goes inside the pants in a pouch designed for it. <BR> <BR>Who said things are never stolen in hotels? My wife had 30 compact disks in a velcro case stolen at a 4 star hotel in Bankok, Thailand. <BR> <BR>As for wanting to have your documents on you at all times for ID purposes, someone told me this, I tried it, and it works just great. Take your passport to Kinkos and make a LASER COLOR COPY of the picture page, fold it over and laminate. <BR> <BR>It sure looks official, and 99% of those you show it to will think so as well. When checking into hotels and have been asked for our passport we have presented this and had it accepted no problem. It really looks like a State Dept. issued ID. If you pack your passport into the hotel safe, why not carry one of these in case someone asks you to prove your citizenship, like the woman's example on the bus (posted above). <BR> <BR>I bought a leather passport holder that has a leather loop. Stick the case inside my pants on my side (right where an undercover cop would put his gun) and thread my belt through the loop. If I need my passport, I pull it out, remove my passport (with the case still attatched to my belt), when done, put the passports back in the case, zip it up, and poke it down into my belt line again. Good luck getting it out without me noticing. <BR> <BR>I carry an inside the pants money belt as well (looks just like a "fanny pack" but is very thin), just behind my belt buckle. When I need money, I stick my thumb and forefingers into my belt line and pull it up just enough so that the top of the money belt clears my belt line. Then I can pull out any cash/credit cards/etc that I need. When done, I zip it back up, and push it back down. <BR> <BR>If you didn't see me pull the passport or money belt, you would never know I was wearing them. At first you "feel" it and know it's there, after a while, you forget it's there and won't even notice it. <BR> <BR>Trust me, if I can carry a full sized 40 caliber handgun under my belt and forget it's there, you too can get used to a thin money belt.

This subject makes me crazy-- I was in Paris for 2 weeks and carried my passport with me at all times -- why put it in a hotel safe? For fear you'll be attacked? How many people have that happen to them?