Questions about Security while Traveling

Old Mar 3rd, 2011, 07:21 PM
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Questions about Security while Traveling

Hi all,

I'm going to Nice, France for 12 weeks for language study. I will stay at host family. During that 12 weeks (on the afternoon after class or on weekends) and after that 12 weeks are over, I will also travel to some other cities.

So I have some questions (some might sound silly, but please pardon me for being a newbie in traveling) about security while in Nice and on the road.

1. I have money belt. Considering that I will spend 5 days a week from morning till noon in the class, should I wear the money belt during class or can I just use my wallet? And what about when walking around the town after the class?

2. Where exactly do I have to wear my money belt on? Tucked under the t-shirt? Or under the pants?

3. For the weekend trips (to Paris, Florence, Venice, etc), I will stay at hostel dorms which will not have locker in the room. Should I bring my cameras, money belt, and other valuables when going into the bathroom to shower or to the toilet? Or should I put them in the deposit box on the hostel receptionist/concierge?

4. When staying at hostel dorms with no locker in the room, should I wear the money belt when sleeping? And what about the cameras and other valuables in the bag, should I put it in the deposit box on the hostel receptionist/concierge? Or should I just hug the bag as bolster/pillow when sleeping?

5. When staying at hostel dorms with no locker in the room, when out exploring the cities (I bring all the valuables out with me), should I leave my bag (inside are clothes and some other stuff, but no valuables) on the dorm room? Or should I put it in the luggage deposit/room of the hostel?

6. When traveling by train, should I bring my backpack with me or leave it on my seat when going to the toilet?

I'd really appreciate your suggestions and advices on this. Thanks!
stewart_life is offline  
Old Mar 3rd, 2011, 08:01 PM
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1. Put a lock on your stay behind luggage (suitcase or backpack and just take what you need for the day in your wallet. I went around Nice with my usual purse, but leaving extra money, credit cards I didn't need that day in my apt.To me, Nice was a very safe city.

2. A money belt self=closes and just pull other clothing - underwear & pants - up over it - when you need to wear the money belt. A money belt tip - Put passport and money in a ziplock bag then in the money belt. One may sweat around the waist and find their money wet!

I don't stay at hostels so don't have experience with that to share.

6. Wear your money belt on the train, lock your suitcase/backpack and dare to go to the BR with your 'stuff' in the luggage sections.

What an absolutely wonderful experience you are going to have!

If others don't chime in with the answers to other questions re hostels, look around the Lonely Planet talk forums for advice.
wintersp is offline  
Old Mar 4th, 2011, 05:50 PM
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Thanks a lot wintersp for the reply and advices. It's very helpful.

Anyone can help with other questions about the security in hostel?

Thanks!
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Old Mar 4th, 2011, 10:31 PM
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I just remembered something about money belts. They have these little closers BUT take a safety pin the two ends together in spite of the clasp for more security. I learned this after seeing my passport on the floor of a restroom. When you try them on, you'll see what I'm talking about. If I were sleeping on a train I would sleep in my money belt which would contain passport, money & credit cards. Everything else is replacable - although I wouldn't like to (but I have) lost my camera. Laid it down for a minute to get money and pay for something and it was gone in a couple of minutes. Put it around your neck and risk looking touristy or whatever! My son lost a camera after putting it on a chair while he sat at a table in a restaurant with 'friends' - and this was in Sweden where safety is as good as it gets. You can't prevent everything, just do your best. Just use common sense re hostels - if the luggage storage room looks safe, use it. When you are out of your 'country' you learn to be just a little more vigilant about how safe things look/are.

Read some in travel guides re safety - particularly Rick Steves guides and you'll pick up good practical advise relevant for where you plan to be. For instance, Paris is well known for pick-pockets.

After taking basic precautions, money belt & locks on luggage, relax and enjoy yourself. You'll soon be a seasoned traveler and boy, the tales you will have to tell!
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Old Mar 5th, 2011, 12:47 AM
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About money belts... Definitely wrap all the contents in plastic. A safett pin isn't abad idea, although the one I'm wearing has done well without.

You wear the belt under all your outer clothes, but over your underwear. I wear mine with the puch at the back, where my body has a natural curve, but it is likely different for guys.

Most important!!! You do NOT access the belt in public. Keep a days spending money in a wallet separately. When you have to draw money from an ATM it is a good idea to try to use one inside a bank, and I put the new cash and the card in my belt in the bank. Otherwise, find a toilet.

On night trains I generally sleep with the belt under my pillow, but each country should be treated individually - I wear it on Indian trains. In France you should be safe enough.
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Old Mar 5th, 2011, 01:20 AM
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wintersp and thursdaysd, thanks so much for the advices. I really appreciate it. Now I know what to do as precautions.

By the way, my flight is tonight. Can't wait for it!
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Old Mar 5th, 2011, 01:31 AM
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At hostels, a lot depends on what sort of lockers and locks they have. If it's a large luggage room where everyone dumps their bags together, it could be easy for someone else to grab your bag. If it is a small locker where you rent a key, someone else may have a duplicate. If it is a small locker where you provide your own lock and key, it should be safer. If it is an electronic lock where you are assigned a code, someone else knows the code. If it's an electronic lock where you can make up your own code, it should be safer, but there may be an override function.

If you are the sort that sleeps very deeply and doesn't wake up easily, it could be safer to lock your valuables in a locker at night than to have them with you in bed. If you wake up at every sound or movement, you should be safe having the things with you in bed, but you may sleep very badly. Hostel dorm rooms have a lot of sounds at night.

When I stay in hostels I ALWAYS take my moneybelt (with money, cards and passport) and small handbag (with my camera and phone inside) with me into the toilet/bathroom. I've gotten so used to doing it that I found myself doing it last trip when I stayed in a hotelroom with shared bathroom.

About leaving things in the hostel dorm room when you go out in the day, well, it really depends on how much you trust the others with access to the room (dorm mates, cleaning staff etc.). And how difficult/expensive it would be to replace things. Clothes should be safe, but I wouldn't leave expensive electronics or money/cards/passport lying around.

If you have a digital camera and you aren't going to put it in a locker at night, take out the memory card. Or find somewhere to transfer the contents to a CD or to an online storage place on the Internet. That way, you don't lose your pictures if someone takes the camera.
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Old Mar 5th, 2011, 01:42 AM
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Great advice anyegr. Thanks a lot for this.

I have learned a lot from lots of people in this forum.
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Old Mar 5th, 2011, 01:45 AM
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Oh by the way anyegr, about the locker that I can use my own lock/padlock and key, do you recommend to get a padlock that has a 3 numbers combination, or the one with the key instead?
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Old Mar 5th, 2011, 02:06 AM
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Good question. If you have one with a key, you need to keep track of the key at all times. Those are usually very small, but you can keep it on your usual keychain. If you chose a lock with a number combination, you need to remember the number. Some people do that easily, others need to write the numbers down and that is NOT safe. I've always used one with a key, but I'm also the sort who sometimes (when stressed) try my VISA card pin on the alarm code pad at work and keep failing. Can't imagine why.
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Old Mar 5th, 2011, 02:34 AM
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Thanks anyegr for the points to consider. I usually can remember all my combination and PIN easily. I guess, I'll choose the lock with number combination then.

My only concern about this kind of lock is that, if someone is determined enough to try all the 999 combination, the lock can be opened by anyone. If using the one with the key though, that won't happen as a key is needed.
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Old Mar 5th, 2011, 02:49 AM
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Trying all 999 combinations is going to take time. In a dorm room, anyone can walk in at any time. Much easier for the thief to use a tool to cut the lock off completely.

Seriously, there is a line between sensible precautions and paranoia. Yes, there are dishonest people. There are also lots of honest people, too. And sometimes normally honest people get tempted when they see "expenisve things" lying around.

If you do not take sensible precautions, you risk losing your valuables. If you are too paranoid, you will not be able to relax and have fun. You need to weigh these things against each other.
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Old May 14th, 2011, 08:15 PM
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Thanks for all the good info.
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Old May 15th, 2011, 06:03 AM
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1.Always wear my money belt under my clothing to the front
everything of value there including passport do not leave
in hostels or room safes usually unsafe always a general
combo.

2.wear my belt low to the front under my pants belt.keep
it with me at all times especially shared bath situations
most folks lose it to thieves in hostels with shared baths
during showers in the bathroom in dodgy hostels so be
careful coose only top rated hostelbookers.com hostiles.

3.expensive electronics are a theft magnet usually keep
pocket camera with me at all times even in the bath
easy to hang on the shower head with my money belt.

4.I put my money belt and pocket camera etc under my pillow


5.Take everything with me or all top hostels have lockers
but bring your own good combo lock if you choose to use
the lockers.Top hostels will sometimes have a safe safe
in the front office but I would not count on it.

6.Bring your pack in the bathroom on train to be safe.
I never let it out of my sight have seen too many
thieves grab from the overhead quickly and bound
out of the train to quickly for anyone to catch at
the multiple stops.There are gangs that do this along
the tourist routes.So I usually hook my pack strap
around my le and/or use it as a leg rest on dodgy trains

The street value of a stolen US passport is now 3500 euros so be careful still overall quite safe if a savy traveller.
Northern Europe especially quite safe overall was just there it has been cleaned up a lot.

travel.state.gov for aa heads up

columbusdirect.com

insuremytrip.com

always cheap wise has saved my bacon numerous times.

Happy Travels,
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Old May 15th, 2011, 06:05 AM
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backpackeurope.com

eurocheapo.com

2 good research sites for u...
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