This article suggests steps tourists (particularly Americans) can take to protect themselves and their personal effects while traveling abroad. I cover how tourists should dress, how they should protect their passports and other valuables, where they should sit on public transportation, and how they should interact with locals.
One of the biggest fears of many travelers is the possibility of becoming victimized during their vacation. It’s rather easy to take precautions, but many travelers are completely unaware that they’re not doing enough to protect themselves. It’s not enough to carry a money belt under your clothing or take measures to protect your passport. If you make an effort to blend in with the crowd and not look like a tourist, you can significantly decrease your chances of getting mugged or becoming a victim of terrorism. Also, it helps to know where you should sit on an airplane, bus, or train in case of a terrorist attack. Knowing how to react to the locals is also key. If you are vigilant about these things while abroad, you can significantly decrease your chances of becoming a crime victim.
How Not to Dress Like a Tourist
Throughout my travels, I’ve heard about things that tourists commonly wear that make them stick out. White athletic shoes are typically mentioned. Wearing those in particular will mark you as an American or Canadian. So be mindful of your footwear. If you’re going to wear athletic shoes, make sure they’re not white. Otherwise, try to wear comfortable loafers or sandals.
Shorts and fanny packs are other dead giveaways. If you’re in the Caribbean, perhaps, you might be able to get away with shorts. However, if you’re traveling somewhere like Europe, the climate doesn’t get so hot in most places that you have to wear them. Try to wear khaki pants instead. Skirts and cropped pants are fine for women. Try to avoid t-shirts and denim – strive for business casual dress. A lot of people in foreign countries dress more conservatively than North Americans do.
If you carry a purse, try to find one with a long enough strap to wear across your shoulder, and make sure you walk with one hand on the strap to deter any would-be purse snatchers. A money belt worn under your clothing is a good idea, but it’s also wise to carry money in different places on your person, so that if you do become a victim of pickpockets, you haven’t lost everything. Keep the bulk of that money in your money belt, but don’t forget to tuck some money into your socks or into a front pocket.
Try to avoid wearing anything with logos or flags on it that will give away your nationality. The only people I’ve ever seen get away with putting flags all over everything are Canadians. Avoid wearing baseball caps. Very rarely have I seen anyone outside of North America wear them. The same goes for cowboy hats.
Obviously, you can’t avoid bringing your camera or camcorder with you, but if you’re able, try to bring something small that fits into a small carrying case that you can sling across your shoulders. It’s rather painful and cumbersome walking around with a big camera strapped around you all day long anyway.
Protecting Your Passport and Other Valuables
Your passport is one of the most important documents you will ever own, so make sure you take the steps to protect it before you travel. Make several photocopies and keep copies with a trusted friend or family member at home, in addition to taking along a few copies for yourself. This will ensure that if anything happens to your passport, it can more easily be replaced. Also make sure that you look up the phone number and address of the nearest embassy, so if you are in trouble and/or you lose your passport, you can go there for help.
While you’re at your destination, try to avoid having your passport with you. If your accommodations have a safe, use it. And while you’re at it, secure any valuables that you don’t need with you on the day’s adventures, such as jewelry and any money that you don’t think you’ll need that day. Only bring what you think you’ll need once you leave your accommodation.
Credit cards are a good way to pay for things while abroad, but keep in mind that if they get stolen, you have to immediately phone your credit card companies to cancel your card – a more difficult task when you’re out of the country. Another option is traveler’s checks. If they get stolen, they can usually be replaced by the company who issued them. Visit an American Express office or your local bank for more information about traveler’s checks.
Trains, Busses, and Airplanes: Where is the Safest Place to Sit?
If you’re traveling by plane and there would happen to be a terrorist attack, the safest place to be on the plane is in a window seat. This makes it more difficult for the hijackers to get to you, and buys you a little more time until help comes. It would also be wise to sit near the emergency exits. The seating rule is the opposite on busses and trains. When traveling by those means, chose the aisle seats. This will protect you in case anything is thrown through the windows. Again, try to sit near the exits for quick evacuation.
Other Things You Need to Know to Protect Yourself
Seasoned pickpockets create diversions – having someone distract you while they take your wallet or purse. So be vigilant about this. Many of them target tourists on public transportation as well. The bottom line: never allow any of your possessions into a stranger’s hands, not even for one second, and not even if you’re keeping an eye on them. Experienced thieves can pocket your stuff without you even noticing. Make sure your stuff stays secure in restaurants as well. Thieves have gotten adept at stealing things when you’re busy ordering your food or are otherwise distracted.
I have yet to be a victim of a pickpocket, but when I was in Istanbul, a man stopped in front of me in a fancy costume and offered to pour me a cup of apple tea from a fancy urn he had strapped to his shoulder. I was mesmerized and had to stop and take his picture. While he was doing it to make a few liras, and the tea was good, a few of my friends were ripped off when they gave him euros and he gave them lira in return (they ended up paying about $5 US for a small cup of tea). So not only do you have to be worried about pickpockets, but you have to be worried about street vendors and the like who are trying to make a fast extra buck. They prey on tourists, and it’s very easy to get ripped off, particularly if they see that you aren’t using the local currency. We had this problem throughout Istanbul, as they take euros and American dollars in addition to lira. The exchange rates were always off. So always carry the local currency to avoid paying extra in another currency.
It should go without saying that you should stay in well-lit, busy areas at night. If you’re a woman, this is especially important. And if you’re a woman, you should always be with someone when you’re out wandering at night. It’s good advice too if you’re a man, because although you don’t have to worry about sexual assault, you still have to worry about getting mugged. Remember, there is safety in numbers.
There is no reason why you should be afraid to travel. Many destinations have a very low crime rate, but tourists are an easy target. As long as you avoid trying to stand out, keep your passport in a safe place (and have photocopies in case it gets lost/stolen), watch how you carry your money, and take whatever other precautions you can to avoid becoming a crime victim, you will have a wonderful, worry-free time. Keeping a low public profile will also protect you against terrorism. Remain vigilant, keep strangers out of your personal space as much as possible, and stay alert. Thieves depend upon their victim being distracted, so as long as you avoid it, you will have no reason to fear.