Hiroshi

Tourists usually need to carry a few essential items, such as a passport and cash. Sometimes, electronic airline tickets are available. If not, some people keep it in the hotel because they think their suitcase will not be stolen. Others carry the ticket.

During the winter, it is easy to hide cash and a passport.

During the summer, where do you hide it? The UK is usually cool so you can wear a light jacket and hide stuff easier. How about Spain or Greece?

Any ideas? I have a few t-shirts with a pocket and I wear it under clothes as underwear. Money belts, ankle belts, purses are other possibilities. Any other ideas?

snorkelman

Without getting disgusting, stick to the moneybelt.

Hiroshi

Sorry about my English, but I do not understand snorkleman.

Is he referring to a rectal tube? I saw on in the German resistance museum, north of downtown Copenhagen. During World War 2, Danish patriots hit documents in those.

bellairegirl

I found a "leg wallet" made of stretchy fabric that's about six inches long and slips over your foot and is worn at the calf. Needless to say, it only works well if you wear long pants!

leeg

I use a soft fabric money belt. There are many different products. You just have to find the product you will be comfortable with.

Judy

I don't like wearing moneybelts, etc. under my clothing. I don't find it comfortable and just draws attention to the fact that you have something worth hiding when you need to access it. I have a cheap, crocheted black purse with a long strap that can be worn over the shoulder resting on opposite hip. Weighs next to nothing and is large enough for passport, credit/ATM card, a little cash and lipstick.

Natalia

I thought Hiroshi was a man, so a purse isn't such a good idea, unless it is a man-purse.
Wear a moneybelt with the pouch in your mid back under your pants or you can buy the kind that slips into your pants and is held by a strap that loops over your belt.

BATUFFOLINA

I would usually have a small hand made pocket with some money which i would secure with a safety pin inside, in the front part my jeans. As regards the passport I would make a copy of it and leave the original in the safe in my hotel room or at the reception of the hotel.

jessica323

I'm sooo ignorant so please excuse this question. When you wear a money belt, how do access what's in the money belt? It seems like you have to halfway undress to get to it?? Is this wrong??? I'm leaving for Europe in a bit and I'm so curious about how to use the money belt.

Hiroshi

To Natalia, I am not a woman. I don't carry a purse, but I have seen a man-purse that you refer to. Japanese men feel uncomfortable even carrying a woman's purse when the woman is trying on clothes in a store. This is a funny feeling that I have overcome. However, I don't yell "I'm holding a woman's purse and I'm proud of it".

I have travelled with a briefcase. This functions like a purse. It's funny because there are no work documents inside. Probably just a sandwich and a camera.

Syrin

Hi Jessica,

The simple answer is that you don't. As Judy pointed out, if you get into a money belt in public, it draws attention to where you keep your cash and anything else worth stealing.

I leave my passport, plane tickets and ATM card at the hotel, preferably in the safe. For money and credit cards, I'll carry only what I'll need that day, with the large bills and credit card in my money belt, and copy of passport, small bills and change in my purse.

Natalia

I thought you were a man, funny about the purse holding. I guess man-purses didn't go over big in Japan, I think they are out of style now anyway. How about carrying a camera case that can function as a "purse", they are manly yet functional with a shoulder strap.

Jessica, you put extra money in the money belt, not what you would use for purchases, or you will raise a few eyebrows! If I overspend and really need to get into the moneybelt I use the lady's room. Just be careful the belt doesn't fall off into the toilet though, I speak from experience.

skatergirl

I've travelled all over Europe and New Zealand. I own a money belt and I have never used it. I find that thieves know where they are and they go for them. When I joined a tour group three of the people with money belts were robbed.

My advice is the same as the person with the cheap black purse. I used this all over the world and it worked fantastic.

Natalia

Skategirl, you are saying a pickpocket reached inside their pants and took their moneybelt? That's pretty bold.

indytravel

Once again the poor, misunderstood moneybelt. You should NEVER access a money belt in public. A money belt is for extra credit cards, an atm card, your passport and cash you do not need for the day.

You carry another wallet or purse or whatever with one credit card and enough cash for that day. Even put a photocopy of your passport in your "day" wallet. (Most places I've run into will accept a copy of your passport.) That way if your wallet/purse/whatever is picked, you lose very little.

If you should have to get into your moneybelt sometime during the day you do it in a toilet stall where your only concern is accidentally dropping it in the john.

Nothing screams stupid tourist louder than standing in line at a tourist attraction and digging into your clothes for a moneybelt.

oilrag

If you are staying in a place that has safes, great. Then I just carry loose bills and a credit card in my front pants pockets. I use pants for travel that have deep pockets. If I want to carry other stuff, it goes in a purse slung bandoleer style across my chest. I guess I am chubby enough so no one can easily pick my front pockets.

Scarlett

Hiroshi,
I have really enjoyed reading this thread
I am not that interested in money belts, I carry a purse (I am a female) and my husband carries his wallet in his pocket (never been picked), we leave our passports in our hotel room.
But the reason I am responding is to tell you how funny I think you are! I hope it is intentional, or else I am sorry to offend you but the idea of a Japanese man suffering through holding his wifes bag while she tries on clothes just makes me giggle..especially since I am famous for not only handing my bag to my husband, but then walking away, forgetting that he is left to carry it!
Thank you for the laughs.

Hiroshi

Many of my posts have understated or dry humor. I am glad you find it funny!

Christina

I don't do anything special myself, I just carry things in my purse and am not careless with it, don't dangle it or let others get their hands in it.

As for products, though, I've seen some interesting things in sporting goods stores for runners who can't carry things, such as socks with little pockets sewn on the side of them. YOu couldn't put a passport in them, but you could fit some paper money and a credit card in them. I don't remember how the pockets closed, maybe velcro.

I don't wear funny hats, myself, but there is a possible product -- some pouch or pocket inside a hat crown. I've never heard of a pickpocket taking someone's hat, although I suppose it's possible. I often don't carry my passport around with me as I don't usually need it once I'm in another place.

Ursula

What Christina said! I live here in Europe and would find it pretty strange to walk around with a moneybelt or whatever all the time.
It's my purse and that's it. Besides, I never carry too much cash with me anyway.
When I travel, I leave passport/airline ticket at the hotel's safe. I am careful, when using public transportation and in crowded places. And then, I try not to stick out as a tourist.