Travel Tips

I figured that it's time for some traveling tips! While I was on exchange, I heard many 'horror' stories of friends having their phones and wallets pick-pocketed. I even had a friend whose passport of pick-pocketed.

Some of the items that I fear losing the most include:

1. My passport - the troubles one would have to go through to get a replacement
2. Mobile phone - I stored important information (flight details, booking refs etc) in my phone
3. Wallet - Losing cash is fine. I'd rather not lose my identification cards and credit cards.
4. My laptop (When I do bring it with me on travels)
5. My kindle (Unrealistic I know, but there are hours of entertainment in there!)

Some things I do to stay safe while traveling:

1. Instead of carrying my passport around, I carry a photocopy of the front page with me
2. I never bring all of my cash out. 
3. I never put all of my cash in one place - I'm starting to sound like a highly paranoid person 
4. If you have a jacket with inner pockets, keep everything there! *Unless you are not planning on wearing the jacket.
5. Travel with people you trust to watch your back.
6. Always, always be alert. I once hit my friend for tapping me because I was not aware that she was next to me. 
7. Walk with confidence. 
8. Carry your bag in front of you, or carry a bag that is made of sturdy material. 
9. Keep small notes in your pockets, so you don't have to reveal how much cash you have to everyone when making a purchase. 
10. Occasionally check to make sure that you have your things with you. 
11. Don't let any strangers approach you, even if they look friendly. 
12. Do your research. Know what kind of scams to expect from a certain city, and be on the lookout. 

As embarrassing as this sounds, I was once so paranoid that I locked the zip of my bag to the strap. I have friend who have done weird things too. I had a friend who duct taped the inside of his bag, so that it could not be easily slashed. 

Those are the main things I do to keep safe. What about you? What weird things have you done to stay safe? 

Do let me know if you have other tips! After all, we only stand to benefit by sharing such information.