The Rough Guide to First-Time Europe by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780241258354
Publisher: Rough Guides

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How to avoid being robbed

The basic trick here is to blend in, keep out of areas where you’re likely to become a target, stay alert, carry your gear discreetly and provide yourself with a quick exit when you need one.

Start by removing all jewelry (if necessary covering a wedding or engagement ring with a band-aid or tape). Wear a cheap digital watch or no watch at all. Keep your camera concealed (not in a case that says “Nikon”). Then you’ll want to wear clothing that blends in, the more discreet (think earth tones) the better. A little tip: safari pants with zip-off legs and a photojournalist vest are generally not what the locals are wearing.

It’s a bit like outrunning a bear… you don’t have to be faster than the bear, just faster than the other people around you. Show that you don’t have much to steal – or that you have less than other potential targets. With just a backpack and no carry-on bag, you have both your hands free and can remain mobile for a quick getaway, so robbing you looks like more of a challenge. The small padlocks and wire mesh pack-covers will do little to protect your pack, but they will draw attention to the value of its contents. Plastic rice bags are easy to find, dirt cheap, decrease the perceived value of the pack’s contents, and make great rain covers. It takes five or ten seconds more to access your pack’s interior, but it can make you less of a target. Cut two slits for your shoulder straps, then sew or use duct tape to fasten the rice bag around your pack.

If you’re traveling with a partner, make sure one person isn’t carrying all the cash and valuables. And at ATMs, have one stand back a bit to guard against someone who might grab and dash.

And remember: put nothing (you can’t afford to lose) in the overhead compartment on overnight trains. Your pack is your pillow (or at least spoon with it).

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