Ditch the Money Belt and Build a Hidden Pocket

by Justin Glow on

While I do feel they are usually necessary, I dislike wearing a money belt when traveling. I own a Rick Steves-branded pouch, but I often find myself not wearing it because it’s uncomfortable. Even when it is strapped to my waist, I spend too much time with my hands down my pants fixing an annoying situation spawned by the belt. This, of course, draws attention to the very thing I am trying to hide.

I was searching around today for money belt alternatives and ran across this tutorial on building a hidden pocket into an existing pair of pants. The plans seem simple enough: turn your pants inside-out, cut a scrap piece of fabric into the same shape as your existing pocket, and sew! Even I could do this!

You could do this to all 4 pockets of your pants, effectively tripling your storage space. My brain is already churning with ideas on how to keep your valuables from falling out. Andy over at HoboTraveler created a Velcro-based pocket, which seems ideal, though a zipper could work as well.

Now how could I waterproof it?

Going Alone: Tips for a Safe and Pleasant Solo Journey

by Catherine Bodry on
My first trip anywhere alone began in Athens 9 years ago. I grew up in the suburbs of Seattle, and had never even taken the bus, let alone experienced a foreign city. As my plane descended I watched the sprawling white city become clearer and clearer through the smoggy sky, and as we got closer I became more terrified. The plane touched down — and I started bawling. It took several Heinekens and a kind stranger to get me in a taxi to my hostel, and several more days before I recovered from jet lag and culture shock.

The subsequent month I spent touring around Europe were filled with incredible highs — I discovered I was capable and competent, and my self-esteem was boosted permanently — and all-encompassing lows — I got lonely and lost, and in situations that would’ve been funny if I’d been with a friend but drove me to tears instead — and I returned to the States a changed person. I’ve taken several solo trips since then, and I love that traveling alone forces me to be outgoing, or allows me be anonymous.

Of course, there’s smart solo travel, where someone always knows where you are and when they should hear from you. And then there’s … not-so-smart solo travel, like the time I arrived in rural China (Guizhou Province) without a guidebook, language guide, or friend. I cried until the only thing left to do was pick myself up and figure things out. I ended that trip humbled — and as always, amazed by the kindness of strangers and the power of body language.

If you’re traveling alone, you should always have someone who is waiting for you to check in, and who has a copy of your itinerary and passport at the least. To combat loneliness, try staying in hostels rather than hotels, and seek out touristy bars and restaurants if possible. If you’re dining alone, it always helps to have a good book or your journal handy to keep you occupied.

For more tips on having a safe and pleasant solo journey, check out msnbc.com.

Must-Haves for your iPhone Camp Out

by Justin Glow on

Are you planning to camp out next week for an iPhone? If so, you need to be prepared. Gone are the days of sleeping on sidewalks in the rain, or suffering in the heat. You need your iPhone, and you’re not afraid to wait for it in whatever Mother Nature decides to give. Here are a bunch of accessories to make your parking-lot camp out more comfortable, safe, and high-tech.

You’ll need somewhere to sleep, and access to power for charging all your gadgets is a must, so bring along a tent with power. The N!ergy tent from Eureka “integrates three factory-installed 12-volt outlets inside,” and runs off of a portable, rechargeable battery. If you don’t need power, but still want light, check out Wood’s Solar-Powered EZ-Tent. This eco-friendly abode “features a removable, 7-inch solar panel on the top of the tent’s hub; 4-6 hours of direct light yields 2-4 hours of tent light.”

Even with a tent, the concrete won’t be soft. You most definitely need a camping mattress. The Therm-A-Rest is “a lightweight blowup mattress which is perfect for backpacking. It is less than an inch thick but somehow manages to absorb the painful ground so that you don’t have to.” And if that’s too wimpy for you, try the Aero Sport All-Terrain Raised Bed with Dual Power Pump, “the Cadillac of such mattresses.”

Never again will you have to rely on your line neighbor to save your spot on bathroom breaks. Bring along the best portable toilet money can by, the BioToi. “Hygienic and environmentally friendly, each BioToi system comes with a roll of Bio-Bag waste bags, which are 100% biodegradable and 100% compostable. To use the system, simply thread the bags around the rim of the toilet seat, and do your business. When you’re finished, tie off the bag and pack it out. Each bag is certified to decompose to a humus state within 40 days when placed in a controlled compost environment.”

I know you probably won’t be showering, but please try to brush your teeth a few times. Prepasted toothbrushes are the way to go, and the ReadyBrush is your best bet. “All you need to do is wet the bristles and the [built in] toothpaste is activated.” Genius!

You need to eat, so why not cook it yourself? The WoodGas camp stove — a revolution in outdoor cooking — “uses 90% less fuel than ordinary stoves; and burns almost any plant-based fuel.” Or you could bring along the Wavebox, a “rugged, portable lunchbox that’s also a microwave.” You can either plug this into a standard outlet, clip it onto a car battery, or plug it into a cigarette lighter. Still too much for you? Bring along a self-heating dinner. “These package meals come with a nifty button that automatically heats up the meal in ten minutes when pressed. And they don’t need to be refrigerated.” Don’t forget the frozen drinks! Whip up a quick margarita with the Daiquiri Whacker, a portable, gas-powered blender. Be careful though — local laws may keep you from having an open container of alcohol in public. (Get the booze-holding sandal instead!)

Safety is important. You don’t want your precious credit card to go missing after spending days in line, so keep it in a TravelSafe pouch. “Featuring a slashproof skin and a high-tensile stainless steel cable with a padlock that cinches tight, the TravelSafe can be locked to pretty much anything.” Once you finally get your paws on the iPhone, attach an Xscream to the box. “This carabiner-like device is really nothing more than a portable yell-box. It clips easily on a purse or backpacker and when danger approaches one simply presses the button and out comes a 120-decibel scream. This will either frighten the thief off, or irritate him so badly he will beat you until you start screaming equally as loud.” If you’re bringing along a laptop (and I know you are), try stashing your credit cards and cash in the Stashcard, a safe that slides into an open PCMCIA/PC Card slot.

Am I missing anything?

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Protecting Electronics at the Beach

by Dave Luna on

More and more people rush to the beaches with iPods, mobiles, and cameras in tow, and it seems these people have bigger concerns than which level sunblock to wear. The question on their minds: “How do you keep those electric doodads safe from sun, sand, and surf?” The Associated Press’ Jackie Farwell answered with some tips to keep your electronics safe at the shore:

  • Carry your devices in air-tight cases. These enclosures can protect from the big three beach baddies: moisture, sand, and dust. (Such cases are available from Pelican, Otterbox, and Anvil.)
  • Keep your electronics out of the sun. Direct sunlight can make electronics overheat causing possible damage, so keep your devices in cool, shady areas. The article recommends buying a tiny umbrella, but that’s just silly.
  • Cover any open ports. Plug up any holes because ports like headphone jacks and DVD drives are vulnerable to vicious sand attacks.
  • Clean with compressed air. If sand does get into an open port, blast the area with a puff of compressed air to dislodge any stray beach particles.
  • Wipe your hands clean. Your iPod’s worst enemy could be you! Be sure your hands are clear of any lotions that could discolor rubberized skins.
  • Let your toys cool down. Bringing a hot device into an air-conditioned room might cause condensation inside the case. Let your items settle to room temperature before bringing them across extremes.

I can vouch for the water-proof cases. I once lost a camcorder and a cell phone to a rogue wave from a wakeboarder. It was a drench and run.

Heed these warnings and stay safe this summer!

A Canadian in Beijing: Lone, Blond, Lady-in-Waiting

by Ember Swift on

Alright, so I know that I look different than most of the people here. I know that I carry with me enormous privilege with my white skin, English language and light-coloured hair (to name a few). I know that this privilege is my responsibility to recognize and acknowledge; it is the lens through which I am seen, no matter how “Chinese” I feel while I’m here. It is always with me and always will be. I also know that I am given great advantages, globally, as a result of this privilege and that any kind of complaint may well contradict this statement of acknowledgement.

But. . .

Here in China, I have experienced my first real taste of the disadvantage of difference. It’s high time I did. This white girl needed a dose of reality, I say. Bring it on.

Well, okay maybe in small doses. It’s good for the consciousness and hard on the spirit.

I was waiting for my friend to arrive at our meeting place before attending a concert at the Forbidden City Concert Hall. This is a beautiful venue located right downtown, across from Tian’anmen Square and next to the Imperial Palace. It’s the Beijing equivalent to Massey Hall (Toronto) or Carnegie Hall (New York) and I was done up to match the environment. I wore a new dress and some fancy shoes and went all-out so as not to look like a scruffy musician (for once).

I arrived by subway five minutes early and slowly made my way up to the entrance to the Imperial Palace – a logical choice for a meeting place as the huge poster of Chairman Mao is widely known. We were meeting “just under Mao” and the political double entendre made me smile.

My bright red dress looked good last night, I have to say. I was proud of my outfit and felt like I had scrubbed up rather well and would have no trouble blending into the highbrow theatre-going community. I strolled along and took some photos and just as I arrived I received a call from my friend (who I was meeting) who was stuck in traffic. He said he’d be about ten more minutes.

There I was, alone and surrounded by tourists (mostly all Chinese) who found me to be a great source of interest and delight. One young girl approached me and asked me for a photo with her. She was beside herself when I smiled and responded in Chinese. I know that she wanted a picture because I am a a white and blond foreigner (who was in a pretty dress). She kept saying “ni hen piao liang!” (you’re pretty!) and I found myself just slipping into my performer mode. I posed with her for a photo just as I would if a fan asked me for one after a gig. I also seized the opportunity to ask her to take a picture of me in return and she did. Then, she and her mother left with a wave and a smile.

Seconds later, a large group of people from a different province (because their accent was different to my ears) got very excited by me and started to point and laugh. They started taking pictures of me without asking and then came over to me with a small child in tow and motioned that they were going to take my picture, as though I were a circus trick or a street performer stationed there. There was much talking and not a single kind word was actually said to me; they were just surrounding me like I was a fixture for their amusement. I said “bu yao” which means “no” or a more polite way of saying “get lost” (literally: don’t want) and then I walked away from them and turned my back. I could hear the cameras anyway. I turned around and said, “that’s not polite!” but I think I got the words in the wrong order because they didn’t seem to register my meaning and just snapped a picture of my angry face and acted like my turning around and their successful shot was the equivalent to winning the lottery with their cameras.

I was very flustered by this point and felt totally vulnerable there. . . alone. . . in a dress.

Then, this young man sauntered up to me with a sticky smirk on his face. He thrust a pamphlet into my hand and got much closer to me than I’ve experienced with men here in China. He asked me if I’d gone to the Great Wall (in Chinese) and I answered him that yes, I had gone and I didn’t need the pamphlet, all the while backing away from him. His buddies joined him then and suddenly there were about ten young men around me all talking to me at once. I was answering them when they asked me questions while simultaneously looking for my escape. I eventually backed right into the white stone railing of the bridge behind me before realizing that I couldn’t go any farther in that direction.

Other people were looking on like it was some sort of spectacle. Surely they’ve seen white people speaking Chinese before! But it wasn’t just that. I was a lone, white, blond woman in a fancy dress and I was creating quite a hubbub of exuberance in these young men, joking and remarking and pushing each other, that it was enough to start to draw a small crowd of onlookers.

For the first time since arriving in China, I felt really unsafe and scared. I haven’t felt that way in so long.

I think this is why I rarely wear dresses.

I pushed through and past the group to break free of the cluster and then I started to quickly make my way back to the sidewalk closer to the road. When I did that, they laughed like I was a great big joke and I heard them commenting on my tattoo when I turned my back on them.

As I walked, I dialed my friend Rui on my cell phone, fuming mad (my typical response to fear) to ask him how to say “F*** OFF!” in Chinese. This is a very forward question here and to explain my angry tone, I told him what was happening and he taught me the word immediately. Then he offered to stay on the phone with me for a while until my friend arrived. I was relieved by this very logical suggestion and people miraculously left me alone as I was talking and so we chatted for about ten minutes before I realized that I was running out of battery power. I had to hang up because I didn’t want to be without a cell signal while my theatre date was still late (now twenty minutes) and possibly couldn’t find me in the crowds.

Suddenly, the guards all lined up and started their formation for the flag lowering ceremony which apparently takes place on both the Tian’anmen Square side and the side I was on (gugong) and so it is a popular time to visit the entrance to the Imperial Palace. I had mistakenly timed my arrival with this daily ritual, which suddenly explained the ballooning crowds.

They corralled us into two groups, east and west, and I found myself pushed with the herd to the east side. I got a call from the friend I was meeting and he had arrived on the west side; we were impossibly close but I had no idea how I would cross the barricades to get to his side of the entrance. He had a good idea, though, and he rushed through the underground walkways and arrived up on my side about ten minutes later, apologizing profusely.

I was just happy to see him and excited to shift the energy of the evening to a more relaxed, less stressful vibe. I smiled and took a deep breath. Right on cue, my cell phone died.

It was time to go to the theatre.

In my dress.

Proudly.