How not to be a traveling target

by Laurel Miller on

If you’re a novice traveler, allow me to let you in on a little secret. That little Canadian flag some Americans like to stitch onto their backpacks? Not fooling anyone. Your attempts to “go native” and wear Thai fisherman’s pants, or drink maté, or flaunt a bindi? Nope. They still know. Know you’re a foreigner, despite your best efforts to hide it.

Don’t get me wrong- it’s commendable to try and learn the local culture, and adopt some customs and habits, as long as they don’t inadvertently cause offense. But don’t let your immersion lull you into thinking you’re not a target for crime.

The color of your skin or hair, your accent despite fluency in the native language, even the way you walk- all are signs of your innate “foreignness.” Even if you’ve lived in a country for years, it’s hard to fully assimilate, and as such, that can make you more susceptible to anything from petty thievery to more serious crimes.

That isn’t to say you’re bound to get jacked on your holiday- odds are, you won’t. It’s just as easy to be mugged or assaulted at home as it is overseas, but one of the reasons travelers are easy targets is because they let their guard down on vacation.In the interest of keeping your trip as trouble-free-and fun- as possible, here are some tips to help you avoid looking like a walking advertisement for “Have money, will travel.”

Always look like you know where you’re going- even if you’re hopelessly lost.
Whipping out a map in plain sight and poring over the details; hesitant steps and head swiveling- these are almost guaranteed to invite a “helpful” stranger to assist you. More often than not, it’s someone who honestly wants to be of service, and I’ve had to rely on this kindness many times. But the point is, if I need help, I’ll select my source of information. If you absolutely must rely upon someone who has picked you out of the crowd, keep your distance, try not to walk near alleys or doorways, and make sure other people can see you.

Don’t flaunt your cash or cards at the ATM
This seems painfully obvious, but you’d be surprised by how many travelers blithely stroll up to a cash machine, extract their bills, and then stand there in plain sight, counting their money. Besides making you look like a bit of an a-hole in Third World countries where the average daily pay is a dollar, it’s like a flashing neon sign to would-be muggers. If you can’t go inside a bank, just be as surreptitious as possible. I keep my travel wallet and passport clipped into the interior of my day pack, so even if someone does try to snatch it, it will require a bit more effort. I also turn my day pack around to my front, and leave
my wallet down inside the pack as I pull out my cards, and insert my money.

Don’t dress to impress; honor the local dress code
You don’t need to don a burqa if you’re visiting Dubai, but some countries do have very specific rules about how much flesh (men and women) should show. In Marrakesh, you can wear a tank top if you’re female, but make sure it covers your torso, isn’t too skimpy/cleavagey/nippley, and cover your shoulders in places not dominated by tourists. Shorts should at the very least reach your knees. Following these rules is not just a matter of respect, but it also helps you to not stand out and attract unwanted attention. Men, your attire can also make you a target, so if loud colors and open collars aren’t what the locals wear, neither should you. Leave the Ed Hardy to Jon Gosselin (and you know don’t want to be him).

On a similar note: for the love of god, if you are newlyweds/a couple- do NOT wear matching clothes. Not only does it look asinine, but it’s like begging to be a victim.

Keep your wits about you
I’ll be the first to admit there have been times when I’ve gone a little overboard, and not been as responsible for myself as I should have after a few too many drinks. But overall, I try to keep it dialed down when I’m abroad. As for illicit drugs- while they may be a tourism draw in certain areas, just don’t. Not only do you contribute to the corruption of local culture, but is getting caught with that opium really worth a lifetime in a Thai prison? Whether you’re solo or with friends, the only person looking out for you is you. This logic also applies at home, but drunken escapades in Duluth don’t usually end with you being frisked, felt up, handcuffed, thrown in a police car, driven to a remote location, threatened, extorted, and dumped out on a deserted road. Not that that happened to me.

Keep your voice down
Americans are gregarious, enthusiastic folk, which has garnered us something of a worldwide reputation for being “loud,” and “obnoxious.” Please remember that you are in a foreign country, and as such, a guest. Take the time to learn a few phrases and local customs, remember that the people are not there to be your personal servants, and for god’s sake, pipe down. Don’t advertise your tourist status.

Keep your valuables at home, or out of sight
Overseas travel isn’t the time to wear your one-carat wedding ring, or your Cartier watch. Leave the bling at home, and keep your camera tucked away in your day bag of choice. Even if it’s in your pocket, it’s easy pickings. It goes without saying that your passport, money, credit cards, essential medications, etc. should be kept somewhere secure. Personally, I like to keep them on me in my day pack (see, “The empty bladder: why hydration packs make great travel companions”).

Respect local custom, and avoid potentially inflammatory topics
Foreign politics are a conversation best left at home, along with your opinions about religion/race/sexual orientation/women’s rights/child labor/animal abuse, as they apply to wherever you happen to be. This doesn’t mean you should turn into a Stepford Tourist, but there’s a difference between having a civil discussion or coming to the defense of a person or animal in danger, and putting yourself at serious risk. I’ve had to practically wire my jaw shut at times to avoid an ugly confrontation. It’s frustrating, and sometimes heartbreaking, but a big part of travel is learning to appreciate the things we usually take for granted.

Galley Gossip: The Best Women’s Travel Writing 2010 – book giveaway!

by Heather Poole on


I have an announcement to make, a very big one. But first I must tell you about a wonderful book, The Best Women’s Travel Writing 2010: True stories from around the world, edited by Stephanie Elizondo Griest. It’s an anthology full of fascinating travel tales by interesting women from all walks of life. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you do, or where you’re going – or not going – there’s something for everyone in this book. And I’m giving copies away to two lucky Gadling readers! (Details at the bottom of this post)

It’s the kind of book that makes you want to travel, or at least go to your local Pakistani restaurant and order the chicken haleem extra spicy, which is exactly what I did right after reading The Heat Seeker, by Alison Stein Wellner. My mother, who also read the book, couldn’t stop laughing over the phone as she recounted the story, Desert Queen, written by Diane Caldwell. I don’t think she’ll be planning a trip to the desert anytime soon. And neither one of us could get over Design a Vagina, written by Johanna Gohmann, which caused my mother to shriek, “I would never!” as if I actually thought she might.

Travelers Tales writes…

This best-selling, award-winning series presents the finest accounts of women who have traveled to the ends of the earth to discover new places, peoples – and themselves. The common threads connecting the stories are a woman’s perspective and lively storytelling to make the reader laugh, cry, wish she were there, or be glad she wasn’t. From climbing a volcano in Ecuador to running a kennel for pariah dogs in India to helping prepare meals in Iran, the points of view and perspectives are global and the themes eclectic, including stories that encompass spiritual growth, hilarity and misadventure, high adventure, romance, solo journeys, stories of service to humanity, family travel, and encounters with exotic cuisine.

In The Best Women’s Travel Writing 2010:

  • A search for the perfect wave in New Zealand provides a lesson in love
  • Curiosity leads to an understanding of political activism and human rights in Burma
  • A childless American is adopted by a six-year-old and becomes part of the family in Italy
  • Cultural understanding deepens in surprising ways through language lessons in
    Vietnam
  • On a fact-finding mission in Afghanistan, a retired professor learns that peace is
    everything
  • A day on a nude beach in the Netherlands gives a self-described “prude” a new appreciation of body types, and comfort with her own
  • …and much more.

So…can you guess who the “prude” on the nude beach might be? ME! That’s right, my essay, An Ode To B-Cups, is also included in the book! (Read an excerpt HERE.) I’ll even autograph the books….if you want. Just let me know.

HOW TO WIN:

  • To enter, simply leave a comment below – or better yet, share a travel tip! – whichever you prefer.
  • The comment must be left before April 2, 2010 at 5pm Eastern time
  • You may enter only once.
  • Two winners will be selected in a random drawing.
  • Two Grand Prize Winners will receive a free, autographed copy of Women’s Best Travel Writing 2010, edited by Stephanie Griest
  • Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who are 18 and older.
  • Book is valued at $17.95
  • Click here for complete Official Rules

GOOD LUCK!

Photos courtesy of Travelers Tales and Photorisma

Captive audience: crying babies and air travel

by Laurel Miller on

We’ve all been there: the flight with the screaming infant. It strikes fear into the hearts of many to see a baby coming down the aisle.

The issue of crying babies and unruly children on flights divides air travelers. Many say they’re exasperated by parents who seem to do little to quiet or control their offspring, while others counter that fliers should be more patient and understanding.

Even normally well-behaved babies turn into screeching hellions when changes in air pressure hurt their ears. The question is, what to do about it?

Some passengers think airlines should seat families with children in one section of the plane, while others slap on headphones and watch a movie. If a baby on board has you ready to down Valium, it helps to understand the reason for in-flight tantrums.

“Because babies don’t know how to talk, crying is their only way of communicating, and can mean a number of things: I’m hungry, I need to be changed, I’m bored, I’m cold, I’m hot,” says Dr. Jennifer Shu, a pediatrician in Atlanta, Georgia, and a CNN.com Living Well expert.

That doesn’t make it okay for parents to ignore tears. “The other people on the plane do not have to be subjected to your child crying. It is absolutely not something that they should be expected to endure. They can’t leave.”said Dr. Susan Bartell, a psychologist specializing in parenting issues and author of “The Top 50 Questions Kids Ask.”

Tips for parents and passengers

• If a baby reacts to changing cabin pressure, give it something to suck on such as a bottle or a pacifier.

•Always make an effort to quiet a crying baby. “If other people see you trying, even if you’re not succeeding, they will feel at least you’re … doing your best to stop it.” explains Bartell.”You may have to get out of your seat and walk around [with your child].”

• If there is a baby screaming and the parents aren’t reacting, ask a flight attendant to say something to them.

• Glaring at the parents of a loud or unruly child may not always work. “Sometimes the parent is so thick-skinned and they don’t care, so it isn’t helpful,” says Bartell.

• Give parents the benefit of the doubt. Many babies sleep right through a flight. Remember- one day, it might be you trying to soothe an infant in the midst of an angry economy class.

Advice you can actually use about clubbing alone on a trip

by Annie Scott on

Going out to the clubs at night is an important part of experiencing a new city. For many of us, mingling with the locals over drinks is one of our favorite travel activities. There’s a lot of finger-shaking, old-fashioned advice for staying safe out there, but here are some real tips you can actually use, even if you’re alone, which can actually increase your fun-times.

Make and take a buddy – if you can.

A buddy is not always possible. I travel alone a lot, but it doesn’t preclude me from going out at night. Always ask your hotel reception (and your taxi driver, and anyone who will listen to you) if there are areas you should avoid at night alone, and how late is really too late to be out. Make a friend during the day if you can, as you can meet up with them at night, but if it doesn’t happen? It’s okay. Stick close to your hotel and/or call taxis (don’t just wander around outside trying to flag a cab).

Careful who you befriend.

If you’re the kind of person who wants to get laid in every city you travel to … I don’t know how to help you. That is some dangerous business, even if you’re in your own state and trolling the suburbs. I would advise travelers to consider “hooking up” a big risk, and not a wise one to take on a night out in a strange city. If you’re going to make new friends, it’s safest to meet them during the day, then meet up with them at night. Added bonus: they’ll be able to recommend a cool place to go and keep you from wasting your evening somewhere that sucks.

Now, if you befriend Dr. Jekyll during the day, and at night they turn into Mr. Hyde, remember that you don’t owe them anything, and get the heck out of the situation.

If you’re out on your own and trying to meet new friends at the bar, don’t be looking to hook up with the hottest thing you see. You’re just setting yourself up for disappointment or even danger. Look for people in your age group, who dress like you and are laughing and having a good time. It may be tempting (or less intimidating) to approach someone who’s all alone, but it’s much safer to go talk to a group of people; serial killers don’t usually travel in groups of friends who are laughing their heads off and having fun.If they don’t speak any English and you don’t speak any [language], be careful.

If you’re in a country where you don’t speak the language and they don’t speak any English, you probably shouldn’t go out without a bilingual buddy. Fortunately, most countries where one would go clubbing have a fairly developed English-speaking population. Just be careful, and listen to your gut. If you think the people with whom you’re speaking English are muttering bad things about you to each other in their own language, they may well be — and if they’re not, it’s rude of them to behave that way. Move on.

Plan the end of your night in advance.

Enjoying the thrill of the evening and letting the night take you wherever it may is a romantic idea, but it can be dangerous. Decide in advance which part of town you’re going to end up in and how you can get a cab from there. Furthermore, decide what time you’re going to turn in — lest you should stay out too late, spend all your money and ruin your sightseeing the next day. Going out with no plan is like wandering down a dark alley with no idea whether it has an outlet at the other end. Don’t do it — it’s not just dangerous, it’s also likely to be way less fun.

Put these numbers in your phone.

Even if you don’t want the roaming charges, etc., put these numbers in your phone in case of emergency:
1. Your hotel — and put the address in there, too.
2. Local taxi service.
3. Police.
4. 202-501-4444 (country code 01), the US Department of State Emergency Assistance to Americans in Foreign Countries line.

Now have fun, and click here for Five sexy ways to carry your valuables safely.

Charm Camp for teens at The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach

by Annie Scott on

Looking for an etiquette program for your teenage daughter? Look no further than The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach, where they have just announced a Charm Camp program.

At Charm Camp, young ladies will be given a 5-hour polishing course in poise, etiquette, makeup, style, healthy snacking and choreography by Miami HEAT dancers (pictured).

The “glam capital” hotel’s PR manager will teach a class on the art of conversation, and a professional makeup artist will guide students through an hour-long session on age-appropriate makeup. Additionally, Celebrity Chef Jeff McInnis, of Top Chef fame, will teach a class on eating and cooking right in the hotel kitchen. The day will end with a dance lesson led by two Miami HEAT dancers (four-time “Most Popular Dance Team in the NBA”), and then a Q&A about etiquette, appearances, being a role model and making a positive impression.

Charm Camp is the brainchild of Michelle Payer, the same visionary behind the hotel’s tanning butlers. “It’s loosely based on my own experience in ‘Wendy Ward Charm School’ at age 13. I kid you not. It left an indelible impression, although WHY, in Portland, Oregon, we were taught to graciously get in and out of a limousine is still a mystery. I still chuckle about that …”

The $175 program will debut June 19, and additional days are planned for November and December. Contact Mylene Santana at The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach (786-276-4008) for more information or to book.