Hey travel guys and girls. Here are a few tips ive discovered in my travels around the world.
Tip #1: make sure to get references for every service you hire to avoid scams. For example, hotels check the reviews online and book through major sites you should stand to avoid any overcharges at your hotel. You can also book through Airbnb long term lodgings because they protect both the tenant and landlord.
For taxis, my advice would be to book a private vehicle from the airport if you have a lot of luggage as many cabs are rip off artists, especially for tourists. They may attempt to negotiate a rate that is above the metered rate. For me in Bangkok my cab driver tried to charge me 3 times the metered rate. I decided to take a bus from the airport to center city. In Belgrade i got a private driver who was a bit more expensive but worth it given the peace of mind.
Tip #2: Use a lockable backpack. i personally own the Pacsafe exp45. It has a cut proof zipper and fabric. it also has a lockable zipper. I sometimes put my wallet and valuable items like passport and cell phone inside to avoid theft. I also can use the steel cable to secure my bag to a bedpost or my belt while im sleeping for example inside a hostel. This a good idea for being near to people you dont know or trust or for example leaving your hotel room for a little while to go out.
tip #3: I usually put a shirt over my waist to cover my pockets in a crowded area to avoid pickpockets. While i do choose to leave my wallet in my back pocket i still cover and make sure its still there as im walking. i also like to watch my surroundings to make sure nobody is following too closely. THis is especially a good tip for places like a public bus or subway transportation system.
Tip #4: I purchased a Hikvision security camera for my hotel room. as a fulltime traveler i wanted to have a way to keep an eye on my suitcases while i was away from the room. the security camera can go over the Wifi for the hotel and connect to my cell phone so i can see what is going on there from a remote location.
Tip #5: I personally choose to avoid cities and locations that are listed as high crime. My advice would be to check the USA Embassy sites and check to see which are listed as having high street crime. A few locations for example, Venezuela, Colombia, many places in Brazil and Mexico. I have chosen not to visit these locations because of the relatively high crime. In the future I will try to minimize my time spent at these locations. one recent example, Casablanca, Morocco.
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[…] Crime against tourists… Here’s one thing I’ve learned as a traveler, petty crime like pickpocketing or stealing low priced items is something that can go on wherever, whenever; check out my tips for onebag travel safety in another post here. […]