Travelling

is the greatest thing in the world, you can see places, taste different cultures and meet new people. Those new people are 99% fabulous and interesting persons but there is always a minor chance to meet that 1%, and those are, unfortunately, not so nice.

If you have ever been robbed on a journey it could spoil the trip, gets you out of cash or ruin your mood. Most of the times it will, but by taking some easy precautions u can get the best out of the worst. So here they are.

Step 1: The Wallet

The wallet:

While screaming ‘give me your wallet’ those robbers are as keen to run away as you are, so make it quick, they won’t spend time checking your looks and dates. Fill an old, crappy wallet with an outdated student-card, the useless saving card from a shop, an prehistoric note… anything that looks like this is you actual wallet. And it is (well, it was until you hand it over). Put a little amount of money in there, enough to buy yourself (or the robbers) some beer. When wandering around, also use that wallet, so if you are getting robbed, you’ll only lose a little cash. Keep the other money on a safe place.

As an extra, you could change your precious life companion of a smartphone for a much simpeler, non-attractive dumbphone. Nobody is interested in that AND you will have morer time to enjoy what's around you instead of whats on your screen.

Step 2: The Safe Place

The safe place:

Don’t walk around as a camel with your life-savings. Try to keep the cash you need in a secured place. While walking I hope your trousers are like that. Buy a FLAT money-belt to wear under those trousers and keep your belonging there (don’t mistake a camera as an important belonging, it would look stupid under your trousers … and awkward) and don’t use one of those big belt bags, that’s like putting a red flag before a bull.

Even with that, take some precautions. Always scan the most important documents and store them in an online (secured) place. In the unfortunate event of loss (or stealing) you always have a backup. A coppied document is always better than no document.

Your hotel/stay/hostel... could be a safe place. Sometimes there's a shiny metal safe inside it, use it when the hotel looks reliable, but always change the standard code. But most of the times this little safe is in no possible way big enough for a shiny macbook, your e-reader, that gigantic DSLR and more of that. If you really want to take all that with you, don't store it in one place. Robbers are like wild animals in a cage when entering your room, and they want to get out as fast as possible. They will run and grab whatever they can or do a quick search untill they find something. So keep your belongings in different hidden places to minimize the greater loss...

Step 3: The Fight

Don’t fight.

You are probably not a superrich kickboxing mean fighting machine, so don’t pretend like one. Robbers have the home advantage, they know the way to the hospital, you don’t.

Step 4: The Camera

The camera:

unless you are working for a shitload of money as a travel- photographer, don’t toss around with your digital reflex-cam. It’s nice to have good photographs, but don’t brag about it, you’ll get too much unneeded attention.

Step 5: The Most Important Thing!

But most of all:

Try not to get robbed, pickpocket-prevention is all over the place so I won’t bother you with that. Try to keep as less cash as possible, so it hurts less. Don’t take things that are too expensive on a trip where you don’t know anybody, you don’t need to show off so leave the expensive stuff at home.

And don't look like you are rich and scary. Robbers will search for those people... when looking like your most precious possession is that confident smile on your face that says ' i know where i am and i know what i am doing', they most likely will pass on...

And finally: de carefull, but dont be scared. it's a holiday.