|
|
What You Should Do with Your Valuables when Traveling
You want to protect yourself first and foremost, when traveling. But you also want to take the best precautions to protect your valuables. So what do you do when you are in the hotel, on the street, or out sightseeing?
What to Do with Jewelry
While it’s nice to wear special jewelry on cruise night or to a special event or meeting, some valuable (irreplaceable) jewelry should be left at home. Instead of taking your valuables with you or “hiding” them in the house somewhere, rent a safety deposit box.
What to Do with Cash
Instead of carrying more cash than that which you might need for tipping and phone calls, use traveler’s checks, phone cards, and credit cards. Before you leave the house, record the check numbers as well as the credit card information, both of which you can include in the safety deposit box.
While traveling, lock what extra cash you don’t need to tote around in the hotel safe, along with credit cards, passport, and other valuables best not brought into the streets.
Whatever cash you do carry, along with your travel tickets, keep them all in an inside pocket, a front pants pocket, and/or a money belt. Never carry valuables, tickets, and wallets in a back pocket, as this location is the first (most obvious) target for pickpockets. And do not carry valuables in a fanny pack (which is an easy target) or a strappy purse (which is even easier, as a thief can snip the straps, grab the bag and go).
Some seasoned travelers also recommend buying a packet of safety pins and pinning money inside bras and shirts. The key here is to carry valuables in more than one place, so if you do get held up, hopefully only one hiding place will be emptied.
Another trick suggested by those who travel a lot is to use pins to pin your pants pockets closed. Even better: Velcro your travel pockets so that when someone attempts to pickpocket you, he/she will hear an audible opening sound, alerting you to the now not-so-smooth operator.
Another safety measure can be done by slipping a large bill or two inside the insole of your shoe, so if the bad guys get your pocket goods, you still have emergency money to get back to the hotel.
What to Do with Film
Heat and moisture can damage film. When packing film in a carry-on leave the rolls in their original plastic canisters and outer boxes. Put them in a plastic sealable baggie or special photographic film pouch designed to protect film.
And pack the film with silica gel packets, which will protect it from humidity.
Explosive detection technology used to scan luggage at airports can also damage film. Operating like hospital x-ray scanners, these machines double scan luggage looking for potential problems.
X-rays will damage already processed film, and unprocessed film will produce foggy pictures after being exposed. Unfortunately, most film is at risk.
So first, you must avoid carrying film and cameras containing film in your luggage. Instead, pack it in your carry-on, in an easily reached location in the bag.
Though it has been said that the carry-on baggage scanners emit a low enough dose of x-radiation that “most” films will not incur damage, it is still better to play on the safe side, just in case.
Get to the airport early enough so when approaching the inspection gates, you can insist that the film be hand-inspected.
If airport security personnel require your carry-on be checked with the luggage, be sure to remove the film and any cameras with unprocessed film in them. Carry the film by hand, which you can have in special carry case designed for shielding film, through the security walk-through gates.
The walk-through archway and the hand wand security uses to scan your person will not affect film, usually. If possible, ask to hand the bag to the airport personnel.
So while it’s important to enjoy yourself and have fun with people from all backgrounds and cultures, you can still protect yourself against those who might take advantage of your relaxed and gullible nature: be friendly, but don’t loan money to anyone who asks. Be alert to scammers who will set up a spill or a question about directions while the buddy rips you off, but don’t be paranoid. Instead, plan ahead, prepare, and protect yourself with strategies that will give you the confidence to enjoy your vacation.
|
