Sadly, we live in a post 9/11 world where travel can be as much of a headache as it is a stress-reliever. The good news is, most places that you want to travel are usually very safe. I very seldom hear of any tourists facing bodily harm in most touristic destinations in Europe. Your belongings, however, are another story. I have literally sat in restaurants on Ramblas watching the street below and seen pickpockets at work. I have watched the expert scam artists hard at work on the streets in Paris, and seen them disappear into the bushes when the police make their rounds. Again, you will most likely never face bodily harm in these places, but you should always be careful with your wallet. This brings me to a couple of my travel essentials.
The first one should be obvious, but you will want to protect that document that must endure 10 long years of travel. Mine averages 20+ border crossings a year. It needs to be protected. I chose the clear sleeve for a number of reasons over the fancier leather options. First, I don't always have to remove the case to go through passport kiosks in US and some foreign airports. Secondly, most of the security officers in Europe will put those pesky stickers on the cover instead of my actual passport (which are always near impossible to remove!). Finally, it helps keep the passport profile very low, so that it will fit into the second accessory, the money belt.
Let's face it, going to the Embassy to renew your passport abroad is a pain. I've done it with guests a number of times, and it is no fun. You lose an entire day or two of your trip, spend a lot of money to sit in a waiting room, and even more money to have a passport replaced on the spot. During the day, the safest place for your passport is generally your hotel safe. However, when arriving from overseas, taking transportation with your luggage, or taking international trains, you may have to navigate cities with your passport on your person. In that case, the money belt is your best bet. Many people do not like the "in the pants" money belt, but please give me the opportunity to sell you on this idea. A neck passport holder is obvious. I'm not even a thief, and I can identify every tourist wearing one. If I really wanted your money, no amount of social convention would prevent me from grabbing the string from behind your neck, cutting it (the string!), and yanking. Don't fall victim to this. The belt version is much more discreet - to the point that I can wear mine with suit pants and still have it completely invisible. You won't want to put your entire wallet with 16 credit cards and every grocery store discount card in it, but, do you really need those when you travel? I recommend putting your backup cards in it, as well as any cash not needed for the day, and your passport. In a safe place, perhaps an interior pocket, place ONE credit card and the cash you will need for the day. In this way, everything you have is safe, and if your first card gets stolen, at least you can cancel that one and pull the backup out of your moneybelt. My one word of caution on this - you can NOT go through most airport security wearing this belt. I usually put mine on in the airplane restroom just prior to landing. To date, I have never lost a dollar, pound, or euro to a thief while abroad. I attribute much of that success to this necessary addition to the traveler's tool box. Thanks for reading!
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