I do realize that the title suggests perhaps worse possible events than what I am going to cover here, but I feel that this is vital information for anyone looking to travel the world – as I wish I would have been a bit better prepared when I first started traveling. Travel is, unfortunately, more complicated than just roaming and seeing all of the great, new and strange things of this world... When you’re getting ready to head out on a trip, you have to consider many things, like Visas, financials, route-planning, logistics, and insurance, among other things.
Early in my travel career, I spent nearly a month trekking across Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England. And unfortunately for me, I took security measures over the top, and I learned that it was actually a sort of double-ended sword, as over preparation ended up being more hinderance than a blessing. I over-planned and booked each and every step, which right away put a halt to my ability of organic travel, where I simply go with the flow. Instead, I was stuck to a rough, ridiculous, and poorly planned schedule that made the trip more stressful than fun, in some ways. As a part of that stress, I also would obsessively check and double check my precautions. I brought a second faux wallet incase of being mugged, I wore a security pocket under my pants to hold my money and passport, I split up all of my funds in different pockets, and I went above and beyond on a few other aspects of my packing. While most of those ideas are good, and I still continue to this day, there are some that, as I said, were more harm than good, and a bit over the top really.
With all of the stresses, my mind became sidetracked for a moment, and at this moment of weakness, a thief struck while I was at my hostel in Edinburgh, Scotland. The moment I took my mind off of all of my security measures, and went to the bathroom, the thief quickly snagged my money bag from within my backpack. They had obviously been watching me, noticing that I carried myself a bit differently, and that I was wearing a ‘hidden’ wallet. I don’t talk much about this awful event that had occurred a couple years ago, because of my second robbery in Puerto Rico – as it was monumentally much larger (and if you’ve been reading my blog this past year, you know what I’m referring to). While both incidents effected me negatively, the losses were different and the effects were quite ranged. While they snagged all of the cash I had on me and my passport, I was still able to finish out my trip, however in Puerto Rico, I was only 2 days into my trip and BAM, everything was gone. So, the point here is that ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN, and no matter how much you plan ahead, the worst can strike, and there’s really only one way to have some security... While I’ve had my ups and downs with insurance companies as you know, there’s really no other options, but to be sure that you cover your ass for whatever event could happen to you – whether it’s your gear being lifted or something far worse, it’s best to be insured. For travelers, I suggest working with companies like SCTI (if you’re in Australia) or World Nomads.
I tend to write quite random and whimsical, as you probably know by now, and while I write as thoughts flow (and I rarely reread what I write, because I want it to be natural), I hope that somewhere in my chaotic mess of rambling words that you find inspiration and helpful information... And the point of my work (and how I find fulfillment in it) is to wake up the potential traveler in you to the wonders of travel, and the point of this piece is more to focus on the real dangers that are out there – with the hope that you will take the appropriate measures to secure yourself, your belongings and the future integrity of your travels.
(Photo by Barry Kuts via Flickr)
With all of the stresses, my mind became sidetracked for a moment, and at this moment of weakness, a thief struck while I was at my hostel in Edinburgh, Scotland. The moment I took my mind off of all of my security measures, and went to the bathroom, the thief quickly snagged my money bag from within my backpack. They had obviously been watching me, noticing that I carried myself a bit differently, and that I was wearing a ‘hidden’ wallet. I don’t talk much about this awful event that had occurred a couple years ago, because of my second robbery in Puerto Rico – as it was monumentally much larger (and if you’ve been reading my blog this past year, you know what I’m referring to). While both incidents effected me negatively, the losses were different and the effects were quite ranged. While they snagged all of the cash I had on me and my passport, I was still able to finish out my trip, however in Puerto Rico, I was only 2 days into my trip and BAM, everything was gone. So, the point here is that ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN, and no matter how much you plan ahead, the worst can strike, and there’s really only one way to have some security... While I’ve had my ups and downs with insurance companies as you know, there’s really no other options, but to be sure that you cover your ass for whatever event could happen to you – whether it’s your gear being lifted or something far worse, it’s best to be insured. For travelers, I suggest working with companies like SCTI (if you’re in Australia) or World Nomads.
I tend to write quite random and whimsical, as you probably know by now, and while I write as thoughts flow (and I rarely reread what I write, because I want it to be natural), I hope that somewhere in my chaotic mess of rambling words that you find inspiration and helpful information... And the point of my work (and how I find fulfillment in it) is to wake up the potential traveler in you to the wonders of travel, and the point of this piece is more to focus on the real dangers that are out there – with the hope that you will take the appropriate measures to secure yourself, your belongings and the future integrity of your travels.
(Photo by Barry Kuts via Flickr)
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