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Veteran travelers use caution - you're not exempt from crime

Over my years of travel to Europe I've evolved from a wary, money-belt under the pants backpacker to a confident, stylish-bag-toting wanna-be-local. This is not a good thing, as I learned abruptly in Paris recently.

I've let my guard way, way down, and become too comfortable on repeat visits to the city. In my early travel days while in a public place such as a train station or restaurant, my day bag went on the floor, a chair leg through a loop so that someone who tried to seize it would knock me over in the process.

On a Tuesday night in a busy Montmartre restaurant last week though, I casually slung my bag over the back of a chair and tossed a coat over it. When I reached for it two hours later it was gone. Along with my passport, cash, cell phone, key to vacation rental apartment and debit cards. Not to mention innumerable personal items.

Learn from my mistake:

Never leave your bag dangling - anywhere. For any reason. If the floor is too dirty, leave it on your lap. It may be lumpy but it beats standing in line at the embassy the next morning, tear-stained and desperate. Or try this gadget - a portable purse hook you can fasten to a bar or table.

Always have the following on your person in case, despite your best effort, you do lose your bag:

Passport, or if you've locked your passport in a safe, a copy of it.

A copy of emergency phone numbers. All the numbers I needed for this trip were on my cell phone which was presumably far, far away by now. I didn't have any way to contact the apartment manager who would be able to unlock the door.

Enough cash for a taxi (in case the public transportation is closed when you finish at the police station) and a day's spending needs.

A credit card.

Room key. If you're in a hotel it's probably not such a big deal to lose your key but if you've rented an apartment, chances are not only are you locked out, but you'll owe an enormous fine for losing it, and may need a room overnight if it's midnight and your apartment manager lives an hour outside the city. If you have a travel companion, be sure they carry a key with them too when you go out together. I'd be $200 less poor if my friend and I had both carried our keys or if mine was in my pocket.

I learned valuable and very expensive lessons here. After ten incident-free trips to Europe in recent years, I became careless, never believing I would be the target of a crime. I confess to thinking I had no need to wear a money belt like those other tourists. You can count me as president of the money belt fan club now! I invite you to join me.

If you'd rather not, be sure to check these Web sites before your next trip.

U.S. Department of State
What should a U.S. citizen do if their passport is lost or stolen abroad?

Passport Canada
Lost, stolen, damaged, destroyed or inaccessible passport

TAGS: embassy moneybelt passport theft

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[ READER COMMENTS ]

1

Gunner and Bud's Mom said:

Hey...we sell those portable purse hooks at Organized Living! I'll have to get one!

Posted at 12:08 AM, on April 4 2008

Veteran travelers use caution - you're not exempt from crime

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