Unfamiliar locations, when we are on vacation for instance, seem to be the most likely times when things will start to go wrong. This often means that the memories of the holiday are tainted as sometimes the local people are blamed for something which could have been prevented. In the worst case scenarios, passports, credit cards and cash may have to be replaced. Common sense is still the single most important tool for traveling safely when you’re in a foreign land, meeting new people, walking down strange roads, eating and drinking new things.

Trust your instincts if something doesn’t feel right, do something about it. A big mistake made by many tourists is they take everything of value with them which makes it very easy for thieves and pickpockets to steal their whole identity in one go. Just take what you need for the time you will be away and place anything that is valuable in the hotel safe. If you place your cash, traveler’s checks and credit cards in various locations about your person, then there is less likelihood of pickpockets stealing all your financial assets and leaving you with nothing.

The thing is that it is not uncommon for married people to share the same credit card account, but a piece of traveling safely advice says that two separate credit card accounts should be used; if something should happen to one of them, there is another one to fall back on. Some of the easiest possessions to steal are bags and cameras owing to the way people carry them without even recognizing that they are an easy target for thieves; ensure the straps are over the head and across the chest if you want to hold on to them. Some of the easiest crimes involve snatch thieves that may actually work in teams; they locate unsuspecting victims who have a bag on their shoulder for instance that can be easily grabbed by a passing cycle or scooter. The reason most people fall for these tricks is because we are more relaxed on vacation and the people that carry out these crimes are very good at it.

We can become complacent believing it will not happen or we are cleverer than them but this is how they make their living and in many cases the way that they feed their family every day. If you use a small backpack or day bag when wandering the streets or local markets why not buy a small padlock because would be pickpockets will be put off straight away.

When traveling many things can and do go wrong so following a few simple rules could prevent many of those problems fellow travelers encounter on the road. Often these problems can leave a bitter taste in the mouth and leave you with a dislike of the destination, its people and cost a great deal of money. At the extreme end you may have to spend time at the local Police station giving statements and filling out reports. Your common sense is still the most trusted method of traveling safely so whether you are just walking down a street or dining out, if you feel a situation does not feel right then act accordingly.

If you ever get that distinct feeling that something is wrong, which often happens on vacation, that is your instinct giving you a warning that you should take notice of. When you go out to discover new places, bars and restaurants, think about what you are taking with you; are all your credit cards, passport and airline tickets for example necessary where you are going? Just take what you need for the time you will be away and place anything that is valuable in the hotel safe. One easy thing to do to protect your money is not carry all of it around at once or leave it in just one location where a thief can steal everything you have quite easily.

As an added measure when using travel safely methods, carry credit cards from different accounts; should one be lost or stolen there is a second to fall back on. Some people just make it easy for snatch thieves who specialize in grabbing bags and cameras from unsuspecting tourists who have them hanging from their shoulder; to prevent this make sure the strap is over the head as well. When you walk out make sure you are on the sidewalk as motorbikes and cars can’t drive here and if you have your bag or camera dangling off the shoulder furthest from the road it won’t be so easy to take. From a criminal’s point of view, large groups of tourists are just treated as easy targets and because they do this sort of thing all the time, they are extremely good at it.

The problem is we all think we’re smarter than the scammers, robbers and pick pockets but the sad reality is that these people do it for a living and it’s how many of them feed themselves and their families. One way to help reduce the chances of things being stolen is by using a back pack with a padlock, this makes it more difficult to get into and therefore acts as a deterrent.