safe way to carry your valuables

[linda617]

when on vacation i carry my money and other valuables inside my bra cup. its the safest way i know ---i even do it at home in the local shopping mall. usually i dont have pockets and dont like dragging a hand bag around. let me know your opinion and if you ever done the same. never lost anything. linda

[ongmont]

Gee, Linda, I wish I could do that...but there are gender difficulties, so...

But seriously: My gf and I each use the kind of zippered pouch that hangs inside the pants, from a belt loop, or secured with a safety pin inside the waist seam in her case when she's not wearing a belt (this kind of pouch is available, among others I'm sure, from www.magellans.com). It's easy to yank up and out when needed, and to stuff it back down, no need to go for a private corner somewhere (there never is one, anyway - how the heck do you get your stuff out of the bra without creating a scene?).

My gf also has a kid's zippered little plastic wallet on a chain for coins and subway tickets etc. I have a real wallet on a chain but only for minor sums of cash and business cards etc; my cc and airline tix and pp etc are in the hanging pouch. Works even with shorts in summer. Haven't been pick-pocketed in 25 years (and that was my fault - had a regular wallet stuffed into an outside overcoat pocket after buying the Paris metro ticket and while rushing to catch the train - 30 seconds later it was gone, of course).

The lesson learned: Put business cards of the hotel where you're staying into your wallet and pockets and into your daypack. If you lose the wallet or daypack, or something happens to you, the hotel is the crucial link - they'll have your home address etc.. In my case, 25 years ago in Paris, I got the wallet back - with ID and insurance cards etc. still in it, minus cash and travellers checks - because I had put a hotel biz card in there with my name on it - the thief tossed the wallet quickly into a shop entrance and the shop owner called the hotel, asked if someone by my name was staying there, and it all worked out.

Happy trails

O.

[Host Bonjour]

Great tip, O, about keeping Hotel biz cards inside your "important stuff" wallet

I also always put my home address labels (the kind you put on a letter or you could make your own) and put labels inside ALL of my bags, luggage etc so that should the external address tags should get pulled off or something, once the suitcase was opened, there'd be clear indication of where I live - should anyone feel charitable enough to not steal my stuff. I do this mainly so my luggage doesn't end up in that "unclaimed luggage" place in Alabama.

[Pickles47]

I prepare before leaving home by removing from my wallet and purse anything I won't need on my trip. I leave anything I don't expect to need on a given day in the hotel safe or safe deposit box. I divide cash up into my fanny pack, camera bag and leave my charge cards and most of my cash in an under clothing pouch. I make sure my name, itinery, international cell phone number and business telephone number are in my purse, luggage and camera case. I use my business address or my husband's business address instead of my home address so the information can't be passed on that my home is empty. I don't put my home address in my luggage until I'm heading for the airport to go home. If I misplace anything an honest person can call me or turn it in to my hotel and they can get it to me.

A friend sucessfully evaded a mugging by doing the following: He had a few dollars in a throwaway wallet. When approached by a mugger he tossed the wallet, screamed "Take it, just don't hurt me." and ran in the opposite direction while the mugger concentrated on the wallet.

A little paranoia when traveling isn't a bad thing. Stay aware of what is going on around you.

[karazyal]

Many bags that are checked in look alike. Some airports have a problem with passengers picking up wrong bags or thieves stealing bags.

To make it easy for me to identify my checked in bag, even from a distance, I have my initials neatly painted on both ends of the bag. The letters are about 2 inches tall in a contrasting color. (My bags are black my initials are white.)

My bags are beat up (seasoned) from years of travel, so having big bold initials on my bags doesn't bother me to much. Doesn't have to be your initials, just something you can identify.

Also, nothing will ruin your overseas travel enjoyment so much as to lose or have your passport stolen. I photo-copy the information page from the passport and distribute several copies is different places in my luggage. When you go to the embassy trying to get a replacement it will be easier if you have the data from the missing passport.

Works for me!

[New Couples]

Same here Linda617!!

Linda126(New Couples)

I never take jewlery. I wear a cheap pair of earrings and a plastic watch I paid $1.99 for. Believe it or not my bf and I spent 4 weeks in Greece and Italy last summer, with only four outfits each.Mix and match items. He carried a large gym type bag, and I had a roll on piece of luggage. Both carried on the plane, and neither was packed real full. Sandles we wore, and flip-flops for the beach, or in any sandy areas, like 10 days we spent on Santorini Island, and always in the shower. Long black slacks (shorts are not allowed in many places and churches) denim and kakahi shorts, the t-shirts we wore on the plane, plus two others, undies, and two bathing suits, a one piece and a two piece. We bought t-shirts and things we wanted, and had them mailed home. A one piece bathing suit covered with a white blouse and black slacks, can get you into the most expensive places you could want to go. My bf took a white long sleeved shirt he wore over his best t-shirt,that would have taken the place of a mans jacket required at many fine eateries.

BE CAREFUL....Getting travelers checks cashed and replaced if lost. It is not like here in the states. If not for the checks I had in my bra, we were stuck twice when my bf lost all the checks and money he had to pick pockets, and believe me, they are fast and good!you at times never know you have been touched. Don't waste your time, the police do not care, and can do nothing anyway. It must be a guy thing, because my bf thought he had to be in charge of all our money and was careful to keep it in his front pants pocket, but he was robbed twice. Once in Athens and once in Rome. We found with the euros we never got what our travelers checks were worth, and in Athens we had to go to a bank each morning to get them cashed, as the euro changes each day. Plus we had to wait two full days to get them replaced when robbed. I kept my money, travelers checks, a paper with all check #'s, and a photo-copy of the information page of our passports, in a plastic bag taped inside my bathing suit. Which I wore when we were changing hotels, or flying, and I knew we had to show our passports. Once on a plane I went to the restroom and took my passport and put it back inside my bathing suit.

We were lucky to have no problem with luggage, by taking only carry on bags. After years of travel, we both agree it was our best trip not taking too many clothes as we always did before. Who cares what you wear? You will never see the people again, so my advice is travel light and mail home what you buy. We both had a pair of kakahi shorts with zippered pockets on the front of one leg. That is where we kept our passport until we needed them. My bf had the camera case, and I had a small case with toliteries in it. I also had a small over the shoulder (crossways)travel bag, like a fanny pack, but better, because it is flat to your body. I wore it under my blouse. It had plastic zippers and no one ever knew I had it when we were flying. Magellans has a catalogue of things to order and are all good, but a little pricey. Take plenty of snacks. We stuck power bars, chocolate for energy, and things like that in every place we could find in our luggage. My bf even took two cans of pringles. In Mexico we found water bottles that are in a cloth case with shoulder strap to carry for $2.00 each. So you don't have to hold all day.We learned from the last few years paying upwards to $5 dollars for a bottle of water is a bit much. Believe me, it is the first thing we get out when ready to pack for a new trip. We put them in our luggage when we get ready to get on the plane, then once on we get them out. Flight attendants fill them with cold water for us just before we land. They are 1 1/2 liter sized bottles. So we have water for most of the day. Unless we find another safe place to fill them again.

MY ADVICE....for what it is worth....don't take US dollars. Only what you will need to get you out of the states. Credit cards are a must. You can buy anything, and pay any bill even food on your credit card. We always take a few one dollar bills, and some old bills from Mexico that are no longer used, to leave in our rooms, just in case the hotel has not so honest employees. My bf always buys a kids wallet and puts three dollars in it. When shopping and you know the pick pockets are watching he takes it out and looks at it a few times. Knowing he is being watched, and it's always stolen. But at least we can laugh knowing they didn't get much, and not our main source of money. We each have a different credit card. In case one is stollen, you still have the other one to use.

THIEVES....don't want your US money, nor your travelers checks. They sell your credit cards, but what they want most is your Passports. They sell for big bucks. I sewed a piece of cloth inside our front shorts pockets, that cannot be seen from the outside. No one knows it is there, and that is where we slide our credit cards in, when doing a lot of shopping. Before we take the card out, we turn toward each other so no one can see where we are getting it from. ALWAYS get your copy and don't throw it away, keep them till back at your room and burn them or do what we do. I take a soap case with an almost used up piece of soap, and we put our receipts in it. No one robbing you wants your soap.

HAPPY TRAVELING....GO LIGHT....TAKE CREDIT CARDS....and HAVE FUN!!

[New Couples]

Linda126 (New Couples)

I forgot one thing. Before everyone gets upset. We wash out our undes at night. If we are staying at a place long enough for our clothes to dry, we wash them ourself. If not and we want them fresh and pressed, we have the hotel do it.

We may see each other wearing the same clothes off and on during our trip, but it is heaven to not stand in the line to get big oversized pieces of luggage at the airport, and have to lug them all over the place on your trip. That is why we take mix and match, and each of us always wear different tops and bottoms, on different days. We are the only one that looks at each other, so this way we never think about not having a closet of clothes with us.

Traveling in the states, we pack together and check one piece, but all our travel has been abroad for the last few years, and no check in luggage, is a dream.

Things are so crazy in the world now, our trip last summer to Greece and Italy, was not without problems, confusion at times, and things we hoped to see and do, closed because of fear of being destroyed. Especially in major cities in Italy. Things like this used to really upset me, but after 9/11 life is too short, so we see and do what we can, and if we miss something we plan another trip to see it again. We leave in Aug. for 2 weeks back to Italy but this time the upper part. Venice is my favorite. We are getting brave though and are planning our trips in 2006 to some of the places we have fallen in love with watchig our favorite show, The Amazing Race.

SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT PLAN TO ME!!

[lynclarke]

We, too, wear neckbags but when we are not flying, I pin the bag to our shirts. I recently found the waist bags at a camping store for $3.99 so we have added those to our repertoire. When sightseeing, my husband wears a backpack to carry our extra sweater, guide book, water etc. We carry one disposable camera to ask others to take our picture- I can't afford to see our good camera running off across a beach or plaza-(another clue- only ask a person whom you can out run if you use your regular camera!) But, I thought that is a great idea to use "old money" as a ruse. We have some old British stuff that is unusable. Thanks for that trick. I also carry a dummy dollar store wallet. Lyn clarke

[Up4Travel]

Traveling "light" is really the key...it is so much easier to keep track of yourself and staing in safe surroundings if you aren't worrying about your STUFF!

Case in point. I really tried to talk my husband out of taking his huge camera bag w/ his SLR camera and all those damn lenses. I really did. I ended up stating clearly "you are making a mistake -- *I'm* not touching that bag the entire trip to Alaska".

He had to drag it everywhere, since it didn't fit in the safe in our cabin stateroom -- even his camera alone wouldn't fit. Annoying.

First port of call - Juneau. We were standing on a street corner, and he's got this monstrosity hanging over his shoulder behind him, and I catch some guy reaching into the bag! This set the tone for the trip for hubby, who isn't a big traveler. (why don't they just LISTEN to you???).

Fast forward to Skagway....my then 16 year old son had his wallet pickpocketed out of his back jean's pocked. Geez, how many TIMES have I told him you don't put your wallet there! He only lost $90 (alot for him) but the lesson he learned was worth its weight in gold.

Sheesh, I've GOT to stop traveling with newbies! lol

Laura

[New Couples]

lynclarke

I agree, the disposable cameras are a must. We are leaving for Italy in 2 weeks again, and the reason my hubby takes a camera case, is because we broke down last summer before going to Greece and bought a new disc camera and a chip card that holds 356 pictures. You can see the picture as soon as you make it and if it isn't good, delete it and remake it. It is so small it is hardly bigger than a deck of cards that has view power of 8 football fields. We also bought a video cam that weighs less than 1 pound, does not need tapes, and the view power goes up to 10X in distance.

But we always take several of the disposal cameras for just the reason you mentioned. I am sure everyone has seen the movie "European Vacation" where they had a man make their picture who took off with their camera. As we buy sweat shirts,
t-shirts, or just whatever we want to buy and get it packed to send home so we don't have to fool with it, we also put the used cameras in the boxes we send home.

I am glad to hear you are using the fake, (no good anymore) money, and a cheap kids billfold. I guess we have just traveled so much and have been hit several times by pick pockets, we are realy careful to let them see what we have when we are shopping because it is a hit and hand off sting. Once the pick pocket hits you he hands it off to someone else who takes makes a drop with it.Once they hit you they don't bother you again.

One thing I forgot to mention, as I got my new Magellan Magazine today, are what we pack everything in. The Space Saver plastic bags. You can pack a ton of things in them and then just roll all the air out of the one way vents. We have been using them three years now and that is why we can get by with only carry on luggage. Its amazing how flat everything gets when you mash all the air out. When you open them and the air gets back to the clothing, there are no wrinkles at all. Also we put in several places through our things our business cards, and cards with our name address and phone #'s. Another trick is to put 2 or 3 pictures in your luggage, especially in the camera case of us with our neighbor children, writing in the back all of our names made at a park. We put an index card in the small camera bag saying a reward will be given to anyone that finds and returns the bag. Saying that the cameras are used to make pictures of our children. Honest, decent people will return and refuse a reward. We have found cameras twice before and returned them both at our own expence to the owners. It is funny how you can meet people this way. We get Christmas Cards each year from both of these families.

Be careful with whatever you carry during the day. Our over the shoulder travel bags are at a shoe shop now having a piece of strong wire sewn in a flat fabric pocket the length of the strap. When the pick pockets see something they want they can hit you and cut the strap with a fnife so fast you don't know what has happened till they are gone. On our trip last summer in Greece, heading to the Island of Santorini, standing in line to get on the boat, we saw a man get his back pack strap cut and it was grabbed so fast the man in the crowd of people never saw what had happened. He thought it slipped off his shoulder. If we are where it is chilly in the morning we wear a light jacket or sweater, and when we take it off we tie it around our waist.

TRAVEL LIGHT....HAVE FUN....AND BE CAREFUL!!

[New Couples]

Up4Travel

Laura,

This has to be one of the funniest threads I have ever read. You can't tell a man anything though. At times I hate fooling with our small cameras, I laughed till my sides hurt picturing your husband with the camera he had. Can't you just choke them at times, trying to make them listen to you, but that is a man for you. You say (why don't they just LISTEN to you???). They can't hear you, its too empty between their ears....!!

I hate your son lost his wallet and money, but I bet he will keep it in his front pocket from now on. I am still laughing.

Linda126

STILL LAUGHING OVER AND OVER!!

[lynclarke]

Hi all. Laura- I call that behavior "husband ears" but mine gets forgiven fairly quickly because he also has "husband eyes". I may be ten years older and saggier but he still thinks I am beautiful!! One offsets the other! Yes, we are HUGE fans of space bags. We also have a motorcycle so they are invaluable for motorcycle outings, too! Good idea about adding the wire to the backpack handle- I am far too cheap to buy one and I just saw a new cobbler shop the other day. I'll stop by and have a chat with him. We are going to Italy next spring. Did you have any trouble sending stuff home frm Italy? Supposedly, they have one of the worst postal systems. Lyn Clarke

[New Couples]

lynclarke

Lyn,

The wire in the shoulder strape is one of the best things we ever did after we saw how quick and easy they can cut your strapes. The shoe shop we use, sewed the wire cover on both mine and my husband for only $2.00 each. He showed us on a scrape of strape how it would work before doing it on our both of our over the shoulder bags. Yes, all men in Europe carry bags or purses too. They are so close to your body, safe, and your hands are free. I couldn't believe how impossible it was to cut the strapes when he finished, and it took only about 20 minutes doing both of them.

We hunt for everything we need at a Dollar Store first, and something I forgot to tell you about is a mesh bag, to carry things you buy during the day. It weighs nothing, and can carry a lot as the bag streaches the more you put in it. It folds so small and flat my hubby puts it in his shoulder bag till we need it.

We have NEVER had trouble mailing things home. Italy has very nice and accommodating postal clerks that are so pleased to help us. At times we even get free boxes at the post office. I have a sister that went to school in Florence for a year, and we sent things back and forth all the time. Mailing boxes home is very simple. Some hotels will do it for you. They just weigh it and you pay the postage and it is on its way home. When we return home its like Christmas opening all the things we send home, and so much fun remembering our trip all over again. If your hotel does not offer this for you, any post office are happy to do it. We have never lost a package at all, and we buy so many gifts I would never suggest it unless we had done it for years.

We go to our post office before we leave and tell the postmaster we are leaving. We have all our mail held while we are traveling, and that includes all our packages

Other things that are a must. DON'T FORGET TO TAKE DUCK TAPE!! It can save your life in many ways. We buy a box of hand or alcohol wipes to clean our hands through the day. A package of small packs of kleenex (because toilet paper is not in bathrooms.) We find the small packs of kleenex are much better than toilet paper. We take them with us during the day, when you couldn't go around carrying a roll with you. Both we buy at the Dollar Store for 1 dollar each.

If you need to know anything else just ask. I will try to help you as best as I can. I will tell you if you are going to Italy next year, start saving your money NOW. Things are expensive now with the euros. We lost over .38 cents on the dollar last year in Greece and Italy. One euro last summer cost us $1.38 US

STAY SAFE...HAVE FUN...AND START SAVING MONEY NOW!!

Linda126

[Host Bonjour]

Laura: Did hubby at least get some really awesome photos? Hopefully the camera made it out of the bag several times as I can't imagine a more photogenic place (and hence his "insistance" despite your veteran advice) to take traditional SLR pictures. I'd probably do the same thing but then I don't know if I'd be on a cruise - though I probably would because it seems like an easy and pleasant way to see a lot of beautiful Alaska!

While on the subject of photography I have to chime in on the importance of using disposables when asking others to take your photo.............for me, it isn't because I lost a camera - so far, so good. BUT, I did get HORRIBLE pictures when I tried to get folks to use my SLR so I could be in some of my Italy pictures - I'd even pre-focus and choose the settings for them so they could just snap but almost none of the photos with me in them came out even remotely clear. BUMMER. Now I know to either bring my autofocus camera or just get disposables, which, not for anything, do take some really good photos!!

After reading all the posts about storing valuables, I feel rather "lucky" because I've been all over the world and have not yet had anything ever taken from me - be it on the Paris metro, walking a Piazza in Italy, roaming through the Temple Street Night Market in Hong Kong or walking around Sydney, Australia's "red light" area (would not be even close to RED in any other country - theirs is barely PINK it's so tame !!!) at night. I have two passports (dual citizenship), carry my money and credit cards/bank card all in same place and luckily, all of the items were always still with me. Maybe it's because I live in NYC and while considered safe so long as one uses common sense (as in any city) I've been used to "stuffing away my stuff" for years and accessing "said stuff" quickly and neatly when necessary - something I guess I can only attribute to being extra mindful of my surroundings - especially folks that might seem to be focusing on me. I used to ride the NYC subways when (in the mid 80's for those who recall) one could regularly see folks being robbed of jewelry or being approached with large knives - usually just ranting fools but no less scary - or trying to find a car that wasn't inhabited by a homeless person with nowhere else to go. I didn't mind sharing the car but the "aroma" just made it a bit tough to take, which meant we were all usually squished closer together in all the other cars, making it more likely for someone's pocket to get picked but luckily, it didn't happen to me. I have miserable 1980's subway stories but luckily they don't involve theft and I hope that I will remain lucky - I'll try to keep doing what works.

$90 is a lot to lose in a wallet and shame on anyone who targets anyone, let alone a young person! For a young person, that's a lot of allowance/work money saved up and it's no worse when it happens to someone carrying a bit more cash (it's all relevant) and is targeted.

I think somehow it comes down to I have perfected a sort of "death look" (although if any of you saw me, even I'd say I would make for a fine target unlikely to resist........) that gives off some kind of vibe. Again, coming from growing up in and moving about NYC whether walking, driving or on mass transit. I'm not an agressive person by any stretch of the imagination - like I said, you could almost put a bullseye on my back!!) but I know my face has some kind of "bugger off" scowl that manages to push through my admitted wimpy-ness. When my mother was worried as I prepared to embark upon my first Euro-trip (alone) she lamented to her well traveled boss and repeated something I told her to try and reassure her: I said "I go in an out of Manhattan - an all around the city - day in and day out and if I can do that, then I can go anywhere and probably do OK, so long as I've done my "homework" before I depart" and my Mom's boss told her that I was right. If you can manage getting around NYC in tact and stay safe, you've been through a sort of socio-logical boot camp that might help make some folks a bit more intrepid in their travels.

I do not think that one has to come from NYC to become travel savvy. Participating in discussions like this help folks to gain insightful tips and ideas of what works for some people and also what does not work.

I'll close with this one last thing to carry: those mini packs of Kleenex - a multi-pack of pocket Kleenex won't take up too much space (it's squishable!) and can come in handy when you least expect it, most importantly, in "le toilette" which in some countries, amounts to a hole in the ground with a place on each side for you to plant your feet and most certainly has no paper to use. That's also why the hand sanitizer - another small item - deserves a place in everyone's daypack. The tissues and sanitizer will not take up much space but may be the most important things you packed, depending upon the varying facilities you encounter in your travels!

May you all travel safe, smart and happy!

[aussieroo1]

Nice tips on how to take care of valuables when going on a trip. I also learned that you should put money in different pockets, just to be careful. You should also consider traveling with a local so that you can be sure where the safest places to go around are.

[lynclarke]

Too funny--now it is four years later--and I can add a couple more things-
In Italy--my husband carried a dollar store wallet with play money and a note in Italian which said. "thief". No one bothered to steal it. I did buy him one of those leather pants belt with a zippered hidden compartment. You have to fold the money carefully, but you can get several bills in there.
In China- we wore neck bags and never felt in any danger. No one stole anything. For the day pack in China- Yes, to alcohol gel and TP/tissue packs. In the summertime- add large brim hats, wet neckerchiefs, umbrellas, and water bottles.
Our next trip, is Greece.

[ClaraLondon]

well linda, there is no harm in keeping your money inside your bra. If you find it comfortable then ofcourse this is the best way to keep your money and valuable things in a safe place. sometimes i also use this trick.

[shubhranshu]

While touring not only India but other places also, there is no need to carry on valuables. However, for cash, you should use debit or credit cards. Good hotels also provide facility of lockers, when you go out.

[LadyLuvsTravl]

Originally Posted by linda617

when on vacation i carry my money and other valuables inside my bra cup. its the safest way i know ---i even do it at home in the local shopping mall. usually i dont have pockets and dont like dragging a hand bag around. let me know your opinion and if you ever done the same. never lost anything. linda

That's why I love the bags with the long handles/straps. They are called cross body bags. Free hands and all my stuff I need and it's safe. Except when you have to go through airport security then I would use the bra idea. Security agents very thievery.

[rich]

Thanks for all the tips .....

[explorer848]

Thanx fot the tips too

[MidGart]

Nice tip, thanks