I would add a few things. I have done a LOT of traveling
abroad and no matter if you are staying at a nice hotel or
skeezy youth hostel, there are a few precautions you should
take.

I have met many fellow travelers who have been robbed. I was
lucker because I was more careful. Here is what I do that has
meant I was never robbed of anything important while
traveling.

1. The most important thing is to ALWAYS have your passport
with you. Never ever leave in anywhere including your hotel
room. I knew two female travelers who left their passports
and money in their (fancy) hotel rooms while they went to the
beach and both were stolen. I always keep my passport on my
person. I don't know what you should do if you go to the
beach to swim. I didn't do that. But if you go to the beach,
you should figure something out like the hotel safe.

I always take a small travel bag where I keep my money/credit
card, passport, plane ticket, and camera/video camera. Even
in the youth hostel, I wrap this in a plastic bag and cover
it with a towel and hang it in the shower with me but away
from the water. There is no way that I ever let these items
part from my presence.

2. photocopy your passport picture page and driver's license
and keep these copies somewhere else like a different piece
of luggage. If your passport and ID are stolen, these copies
will help the authorities to determine who you are more
quickly.

3. Pick pockets will have no trouble figuring out that you are
not a local no matter how much you try to blend in. They will
easily get to your pockets of your clothes as well as top
zippers of your purse/bag. So keep anything important in
inner pouches and keep the bag in front of you in your arms. I
don't put my important bag on my side or on my back. I hold
it in my arms. They would have to stab me or kill me to take
it. Mostly, they want to pick your pocket and don't want to
fight you for your stuff.

4. Rent your own car when possible. This is safer than using
public transportation unless you are in London or somewhere
else with amazing public transportation. Make sure the car
has a trunk. You are less likely to have your luggage robbed
if it is in the trunk out of sight then if it is visible in
the car. But even in this case, always take your important
things with you everywhere. Sure it is annoying to always lug
that heavy little bag with your camera and money with you
everytime everyplace. But it is much better than having it
stolen.

I have had many occasions traveling when a child or adult
pickpocket 'accidentally' bumped into me. I have felt their
little hands go in my jeans pocket for a split second. This
happened to me in more than one country on the public street.
But their grubby little hands always came away with nothing
because I never kept anything anywhere obvious. The adults
are much better at it than the children and you will barely
feel their hands in your pocket. So it is only when the
children do it that you will feel it because the children are
just learning to be good thieves. I also had a pair of
sunglasses that were in the top of my travel bag pickpocketed
when I was on the street traveling. I never even noticed them
do it but then when you are in close quarters with people and
there are many people around, it can be hard to notice. But
they never got my money or ID because those were zipped in
harder to reach spots in my bag.

So the lesson is that they will get to the outside zippers of
your bag and to your clothes pockets. Don't think you are so
smart or sensitive that they won't get to those areas. They
will. That is what they do for a living. They are good at it.
The only thing you can do is not keep your things there. And
don't leave anything you like in your hotel room because a
lot of maids will steal it. Why not? You can't prove they did
it and they can steal a lot of things before ever being
suspected and fired. Then they just move on to a new hotel.
Sometimes their managers might even be in on it.

Also, onto a different subject. I often take clothes that I
don't like very much on the trip. And I throw them away as I
am traveling. You know that shirt you have been meaning to
take to Goodwill or that pair of jeans that you don't like
that much anymore but you feel a little bad throwing away.
Well, take them with you and toss them when they get dirty. I
especially take any socks and underwear that I hate and toss
them everyday. That frees you up from having to do too much
laundry while you are gone and you come back lighter so you
can pack a few souvenirs and such to bring home without
paying a surcharge to the airline.

By the way, the airlines have become very strict about size
and number of bags. So be very careful to pack very light. If
I plan to buy a lot of things to bring home, then I pack a
suitcase inside an empty suitcase or I bring an extra empty
duffel bag stuffed in my suitcase. Try not to bring really
flashy, expensive looking luggage because that is more likely
to be stolen by thieves at the airport.

If you are going to stay in a youth hostel then always bring a
lock with you for the lockers. This is especially important
if you are a guy because the men's youth hostel rooms seem to
have more theft. Also, it is a good idea to bring little
locks for your suitcase and even a chain to chain the suitcase
to the bed. Anything you do that makes it a little harder for
them to rob you increases your chances of not being robbed. I
always had little locks on my suitcase. You can't use the
locks at the airport but you can use them afterwards.

If you are a female, do not stay at a youth hostel that has
coed rooms or showers. This is a very good way to get raped.
Also, this is usually a sign that the hostel is a very sleazy
and dirty one. The cleaner, nicer hostels separate the rooms
by gender.

A lot of hostels and even hotels provide free internet for
their guests in the lobby. Try to find one that provides this
because it will save you a ton of money on your trip. When I
travel, something always comes up where I need to find
something out or make a change in plans and the internet is a
real lifesaver for communicating with people and making new
travel arrangements, etcetera.

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