Image via Wikipedia

It is almost a certainty that it is when you are traveling or on vacation that things will go wrong. These things can often ruin a vacation and leave a bad taste in the mouth for a particular location; they can even be expensive! At the extreme end you may have to spend time at the local Police station giving statements and filling out reports. It is easy to drop your guard when you are on vacation and enjoying yourself but this is when you are most vulnerable so traveling safely relies on your common sense to guide you.

If you ever get that distinct feeling that something is wrong, which often happens on vacation, that is your instinct giving you a warning that you should take notice of. A big mistake made by many tourists is they take everything of value with them which makes it very easy for thieves and pickpockets to steal their whole identity in one go. You know that when you go out for the day or evening there are only certain things you need, so just take those and leave the rest behind in the safe or security deposit box. One suggestion that can help reduce the risk of losing everything is placing cash and credit cards in different locations like pockets, wallets and bags; a pickpocket who is trying to steal from you will only get a small amount, leaving you with means to get back to the hotel.

It is also never a good idea for a couple to use the same credit card, when to travel safely it just is a simple matter to take a second card from a completely different account; as a replacement should one be mislaid or taken. For some time now, thieves have been perfecting the art of snatching handbags and cameras on straps over the shoulder; but by placing the strap over the head and laying it across the chest, this is much harder to do without cutting the strap. If you are the person carrying the camera or bag, then walk away fro the edge of the road where it is easy for motorcycle thieves to grab something and make a quick getaway. There are many ways to scam tourists and you are vulnerable when you are on vacation so it is an easy task as these people are very good at what they do.

We can become complacent believing it will not happen or we are cleverer than them but this is how they make their living and in many cases the way that they feed their family every day. For instance, when carrying small bags (rucksacks for example), it is not a difficult job to place a small combination lock on it to put thieves off; remember they are always looking for the easy victim! To prevent keys being lost or stolen try attaching them to a climber’s D-shackle that you can place on your belt or pack of some sort, this should help stop anyone trying to snatch them quickly from you. Probably the most common theft is that of a guy’s wallet from his back pocket so try placing it somewhere else on your body that will be hard to find and steal from. Many of the problems outlined above happen only when people let their guard down; traveling safely does not mean you have to be paranoid, just prepared and use common sense and you will have an enjoyable vacation.

W