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Good to know, thanks.Never leave your valuables in your pack unattended. Mine are with me in my sleep sack.
Yes, ALMOST every night. Its the almost that is the problem. I zip my money, cards, and passport into the pocket of my hoodie, which is also my pillow. Most people keep their "steal-ables" very close at hand at all times, including when using the shower and bathroom facilities.if they're tucked securely in my pack, will it be safe overnight?
I don’t wish to advertise my presence in front of an ATM (DAB) each time I need some cash and want to fill various banks with administrative fees…so little cash but then…how do you pay cafés for small items on a regular basis?It’s a route filled with hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, villagers, tourists, and the like. And even if 99.99% are angels, that still leaves dozens of devils milling about. Theft on the Camino is rare, but it happens. Sometimes it’s a fellow pilgrim looking for a little financing, other times it’s thieves posing as fellow travelers. You won’t know until after the fact, so while you should open your heart to all those around you, certainly keep your wallet closed and safely tucked away.
BTW, although rare, entire backpacks have been known to disappear overnight while pilgrims have slept. Don’t assume that a great hiding spot IN your backpack is foolproof. Personally, I only keep a small amount of cash with me and do not bring valuables. Thieves are seeking cash, not credit cards, passports, etc. If I can’t afford to lose it, I don’t travel with it.
You will need some cash. We purchase clothes with hidden and zippered pockets to wear on Caminos. Divide your cash up and don't keep it all in one place.I don’t wish to advertise my presence in front of an ATM (DAB) each time I need som cash and want to fill various banks with administrative fees…so little cash but then…how do you pay cafés for small items on a regular basis?
In the first instance, follow the official advice from your own country, which I presume is NZ. The SafeTravel site is here.This is my first time doing the Camino, and as a solo traveller, I'll be traveling with money and a passport, neither of which I want to lose. How safe are the various accommodations regarding theft, or are people pretty honest with belongings.(I like to think fellow pilgrims are!) I'm not suggesting leaving things in the open, but if they're tucked securely in my pack, will it be safe overnight?
I like thinking the best of people, but I've been caught it before.
This is my first time doing the Camino, and as a solo traveller, I'll be traveling with money and a passport, neither of which I want to lose.
This is my first time doing the Camino, and as a solo traveller, I'll be traveling with money and a passport, neither of which I want to lose. How safe are the various accommodations regarding theft, or are people pretty honest with belongings.(I like to think fellow pilgrims are!) I'm not suggesting leaving things in the open, but if they're tucked securely in my pack, will it be safe overnight?
I like thinking the best of people, but I've been caught it before.
Never leave your valuables in your pack unattended. Mine are with me in my sleep sack. - Trecile
ATM discretely.I don’t wish to advertise my presence in front of an ATM (DAB) each time I need som cash and want to fill various banks with administrative fees…so little cash but then…how do you pay cafés for small items on a regular basis?
During banking hours, go into the bank - many have an ATM in the banking hall.ATM discretely.
I have done transactions at the teller counter as well. You might expect to be asked for strong identification. I used my passport for that.During banking hours, go into the bank - many have an ATM in the banking hall.
Otherwise - what do you do at home? Northern Spain isn’t the 19th century wild-west.
The NZ Travel Safe site has Spain listed as Use Increased Caution with this note: Exercise increased caution in Spain due to the ongoing threat of terrorism (level 2 of 4). Australia's Smartraveller site also notes this risk.Otherwise - didn't worry too much about personal safety - felt pretty safe. Losing valuables is the biggest concern for me.
NO! Never leave anything in your pack that you cannot afford to lose!This is my first time doing the Camino, and as a solo traveller, I'll be traveling with money and a passport, neither of which I want to lose. How safe are the various accommodations regarding theft, or are people pretty honest with belongings.(I like to think fellow pilgrims are!) I'm not suggesting leaving things in the open, but if they're tucked securely in my pack, will it be safe overnight?
I like thinking the best of people, but I've been caught it before.
I carry about 200 euros in a zip wallet.I don’t wish to advertise my presence in front of an ATM (DAB) each time I need som cash and want to fill various banks with administrative fees…so little cash but then…how do you pay cafés for small items on a regular basis?
I'm going to assume that first bit is in jest.....I planned on travelling with a secure pocket anyway, and assumed the same was true of other sensible travellers, and was merely wondering if there was a preferred style of pocket. Also, much of what one reads speaks to the honesty of fellow pilgrims, but knowing humanity, and coming from a country where we don't really do pickpockets, I'm unaware of the variety of storage options.@Wayfarer1 I’m really surprised that you’ve asked this question. You’ve said otherwhere that you’ve been in Spain before so you’ll obviously be aware that the boyos of Bogata are wary of Madrid. Is it maybe that you’re questing pilgrims favourite stashing places so you’ll know where to rummage? I wouldn’t try and follow that up with @henrythedog, you might lose an arm at best.
You’ve also said that you’ve been “caught” before so you’ll have the opportunity to reflect on that error and avoid repeating it.
So, keep your valuables on you, with you, at all times. In the bogs, in the showers, in town, in bed. If you do that the issue of how safe the various accommodations of the Camino are simply doesn’t arise
I was a older women traveling , I had a waist pack that never left my waist unless I was in the showere and then it hung next to me always in my site. It as an issue I didn’t want to deal with.This is my first time doing the Camino, and as a solo traveller, I'll be traveling with money and a passport, neither of which I want to lose. How safe are the various accommodations regarding theft, or are people pretty honest with belongings.(I like to think fellow pilgrims are!) I'm not suggesting leaving things in the open, but if they're tucked securely in my pack, will it be safe overnight?
I like thinking the best of people, but I've been caught it before.
I love my fanny pack, but I do not keep my passport or my important ID there. A couple of years ago in Lisbon we were at the Sé cathedral. As we were standing around there were two young 'tourists' who asked us a few questions. A bit later I felt a bump at my waist and the zipper of my fanny pack was half open and the girls dashed off. Seemingly friendly 18-ish year olds who wanted to know some history who were really out to pickpocket. Passport, the bulk of the cash, and ID go in a neck bag inside my shirt. The fanny pack has the stuff I would risk losing, but is too bulky to keep in pockets.I always wear a fanny pack/bum bag and keep my passport, money/cards, and phone in it.
You will be tempted to hide or stash your valuables when showering in some albergues. Don't. Bring them with.This is my first time doing the Camino, and as a solo traveller, I'll be traveling with money and a passport, neither of which I want to lose. How safe are the various accommodations regarding theft, or are people pretty honest with belongings.(I like to think fellow pilgrims are!) I'm not suggesting leaving things in the open, but if they're tucked securely in my pack, will it be safe overnight?
I like thinking the best of people, but I've been caught it before.
Don't visit the ATM often and don't spend lavishly. Both problems solved.I don’t wish to advertise my presence in front of an ATM (DAB) each time I need som cash and want to fill various banks with administrative fees…so little cash but then…how do you pay cafés for small items on a regular basis?
I don’t wish to advertise my presence in front of an ATM (DAB) each time I need som cash and want to fill various banks with administrative fees…so little cash but then…how do you pay cafés for small items on a regular basis?
I would not be too sure that there was jest involved.I'm going to assume that first bit is in jest.....I planned on travelling with a secure pocket anyway, and assumed the same was true of other sensible travellers, and was merely wondering if there was a preferred style of pocket. Also, much of what one reads speaks to the honesty of fellow pilgrims, but knowing humanity, and coming from a country where we don't really do pickpockets, I'm unaware of the variety of storage options.
I agree completely. Even in the shower there is a place to put my money belt where it is right next to me.Never leave your valuables in your pack unattended. Mine are with me in my sleep sack.
I am prone to repeating myself (no - really!) but my longstanding advice to anyone carrying ‘valuables’ on vacation is to adopt whatever method you’re going to use for a few weeks before leaving home. You then become accustomed to your new security measure and develop an innate feeling of when something’s wrong.I'm going to assume that first bit is in jest.....I planned on travelling with a secure pocket anyway, and assumed the same was true of other sensible travellers, and was merely wondering if there was a preferred style of pocket. Also, much of what one reads speaks to the honesty of fellow pilgrims, but knowing humanity, and coming from a country where we don't really do pickpockets, I'm unaware of the variety of storage options.
You would be foolish to assume everyone in your albergue is as honest as you . “Hope for the best , but plan for the worst” (JR) I have alway put my valuables , cards , passport , phone in a bag , in my sleeping bag. When walking all on my person tight. You can ruin your whole Camino if you lose your PP or cards. I have met people who lost their valuables and had to quit.This is my first time doing the Camino, and as a solo traveller, I'll be traveling with money and a passport, neither of which I want to lose. How safe are the various accommodations regarding theft, or are people pretty honest with belongings.(I like to think fellow pilgrims are!) I'm not suggesting leaving things in the open, but if they're tucked securely in my pack, will it be safe overnight?
I like thinking the best of people, but I've been caught it before.
Where I worked some many years ago, there was a standing joke that the organisation wouldn't give you an overseas trip until you had been on one.All of these are travel skills that are best learned though prior travel experience before your Camino.
I always wear a fanny pack/bum bag and keep my passport, money/cards, and phone in it. It goes with me wherever I go,
I was just thinking, by the time I read the entire thread, that it is such a pity we haven't got little zippered pockets in our skin...
To add to that, the only thing that goes into my hip pocket when I am travelling overseas is a packet of wipes. Everything of value is elsewhere.I would avoid taking valuables in a waist bag or any other arrangement that allowed them to be behind your body.
Fanny packs are targets for pickpockets with razor knives. Especially in cities like Barcelona. They can disappear in an instant. I've heard horror stories! You shouldn't carry your passport in them. Wherever you carry it, it should be hidden and difficult to access...even by a nimble pickpocket.I always wear a fanny pack/bum bag and keep my passport, money/cards, and phone in it. It goes with me wherever I go, usually attached to my waist. Even in the shower and to sleep. Don't ever leave valuables in your backpack. My bum bag is fairly slim so I can even pull my shirt over it and it won't bulge too much.
Otherwise - didn't worry too much about personal safety - felt pretty safe. Losing valuables is the biggest concern for me.
Yes the ‘bird-shit ’ one is the one that I had tried on me recently. It was not in Europe. Buenos Aires - it’s a big favourite there! Even tho the guy who immediately showed up with the tissues was the guy that looked the the last guy in the world that would ever carry tissues!!!I was for a moment disorientated and though I quickly recovered I think many would have been taken in!Henry, Doug, Kirkie and many more on this forum know these things but some might not:
Those two teen-age girls with a Tourist Map / Clipboard / Kitten - their job is to distract;
The man who offers to clean the bird-shit off your jacket - he'll clean out your pockets too;
That hand-written sign as you exit the Metro "Beware of Pickpockets" - you'll check your wallet and now the team knows where your wallet is;
The guy with the heavy suitcase suddenly blocking the escalator / metro train door - well you can guess;
The guy who offers to help you with the ticket machine - with luck he's in uniform and works for the company.
Yes Barcelona infamous for pickpocketing!! Buenos Aires runs it close!While visiting Barcelona for the first time in 2007!
I was staying in a cheap hostel off Las Ramblas! Was given a tiny room with 6 beds!
Lying in my bottom bunk, I remember reading some graffiti that was written above me in biro on the chipboard panel of the bed above!
“Barcelona, pickpocket capital of the world, R.I.P my IPod”
Still had the picture somewhere!
Kind of hard to pickpocket it when the belt is under my backpack and the front is covered by my shirt and hard to access due to the backpack hipbelt. Believe me - if worn properly while hiking with a backpack, it is hard to access... But indeed - take extra care in big cities. Especially in crowds. I am rarely in a crowd on the Camino - much easier to keep valuables safe. And again - mine is very slim. Not a big old bum bag that you see some people wear. but bigger than a money belt so it can hold my phone which is also a valuable to keep on your person.Fanny packs are targets for pickpockets with razor knives. Especially in cities like Barcelona. They can disappear in an instant. I've heard horror stories! You shouldn't carry your passport in them. Wherever you carry it, it should be hidden and difficult to access...even by a nimble pickpocket.
I don't wear mine behind my body. I wear a fanny pack in the front. Slim, can be easily covered by my clothing so not visible. And when worn on a Camino with a backpack - the backpack is over the waist band in the rear... and the hip belt in the front helps keep it hidden along with my shirt.I would avoid taking valuables in a waist bag or any other arrangement that allowed them to be behind your body. I wear cargo style pants and a travel/trekking shirt with sufficient pockets on my front to carry my passport, wallet, phone, guidebook and credential as well as the other stuff that normally gets put into a pocket. I have a light, ultrasil, pack that sits on top of my big pack that comes out when I get to where I am staying, into which all these pockets get emptied when I go for a shower. Given my 'evening wear' is essentially a replica of my day wear, everything can go back into place once I have showered, and then goes back into the back once I am preparing to sleep.
There are anti-theft versions you can buy that prevent this. There are also many with hidden pockets that are hard to access. I would never keep my passport in the biggest, easiest to access pocket. But see my other replies above - it is all in the pack you chose, how bug it is, how you wear it, and how you protect it. Buying the right SLIM fanny pack - it can be easily hidden and well protected.I love my fanny pack, but I do not keep my passport or my important ID there. A couple of years ago in Lisbon we were at the Sé cathedral. As we were standing around there were two young 'tourists' who asked us a few questions. A bit later I felt a bump at my waist and the zipper of my fanny pack was half open and the girls dashed off. Seemingly friendly 18-ish year olds who wanted to know some history who were really out to pickpocket. Passport, the bulk of the cash, and ID go in a neck bag inside my shirt. The fanny pack has the stuff I would risk losing, but is too bulky to keep in pockets.
We sent our bags by Correos from one stop to the next. They are left often in quite open public places. We only had clothes in them.
I suspect its more likely to be used by speakers of British, Australian, New Zealand and other English dialects located outside of North America. In those countries, 'fanny' is generally an insensitive colloquialism for a woman's genitalia. It is one of a relatively small number of words that appear to be commonly used by some forum members who don't realise they can have quite different meanings outside of their own country.I have never heard the expression "Bumbag" before.
What I did was this:I don’t wish to advertise my presence in front of an ATM (DAB) each time I need some cash and want to fill various banks with administrative fees…so little cash but then…how do you pay cafés for small items on a regular basis?
That's why I prefer "waist pack," which really is a better descriptor.I suspect its more likely to be used by speakers of British, Australian, New Zealand and other English dialects located outside of North America. In those countries, 'fanny' is generally an insensitive colloquialism for a woman's genitalia. It is one of a relatively small number of words that appear to be commonly used by some forum members who don't realise they can have quite different meaning outside of their own country.
I will let you imagine how funny it is to see someone suggesting they always wear their fanny pack at the front!
LOL! Yes, I know!! But I was just feeling contrary. "Fanny Pack" rolls more easily off the tongue - and please don't read anything into it!!That's why I prefer "waist pack," which really is a better descriptor.
As stated, In the south of England ‘fanny ’ is pretty much a term used by schoolboys given that vagina is far too sensible! I remember it well from my schoolboy days in 70s/80s. As always in the UK we have a million words for everything, often linked to rhyming slang. Don’t google ‘fanny’ or ‘bum ‘ from your work computer!!LOL! Yes, I know!! But I was just feeling contrary. "Fanny Pack" rolls more easily off the tongue - and please don't read anything into it!!
Yes, the discussion of waist pack vs. fanny pack is always a lively one in this forum. I'm an uncouth American - what can I say? Just get your mind out of the gutter (kidding, kidding!!) LOLAs stated, In the south of England ‘fanny ’ is pretty much a term used by schoolboys given that vagina is far too sensible! I remember it well from my schoolboy days in 70s/80s. As always in the UK we have a million words for everything, often linked to rhyming slang. Don’t google ‘Danny’ or ‘bum ‘ from your work computer!!
Ha ha! Yes the word ‘pants’ is another word that always makes me smile on here. Obviously it means underwear in UK, or increasingly is a slang world for rubbish. I.e. that restaurant was ‘pants’ (rubbish). Not wearing pants is known as ‘going commando’! This is the only forum I am on that is USA dominated so words like ‘fall’, ‘sucks’ always needs me to think!Yes, the discussion of waist pack vs. fanny pack is always a lively one in this forum. I'm an uncouth American - what can I say? Just get your mind out of the gutter (kidding, kidding!!) LOL
My daughter did a sememster in England when she was in high school. Preparing for her first party in her new country, her question as to whether she should wear pants or not raised some eyebrows (or would a dress/skirt be appropriate). Naturally, it had to be explained to all of us in New York.
Indeed, and as far as I can tell it is a slang term with that general meaning through a lot of the English speaking world. It would certainly not be acceptable speech in polite company. Unlike 'sucks', which seems to be now used by my grandchildren's generation as a mild expletive with absolutely no understanding of its original meaning as a sexual act, the effluxion of time doesn't seem to have changed the status of 'fanny' for any generation.As stated, In the south of England ‘fanny ’ is pretty much a term used by schoolboys given that vagina is far too sensible!
I once knew a lady who liked to go to parties not wearing pants.Yes, the discussion of waist pack vs. fanny pack is always a lively one in this forum. I'm an uncouth American - what can I say? Just get your mind out of the gutter (kidding, kidding!!) LOL
My daughter did a sememster in England when she was in high school. Preparing for her first party in her new country, her question as to whether she should wear pants or not raised some eyebrows (or would a dress/skirt be appropriate). Naturally, it had to be explained to all of us in New York.
Ooh-la-la!!I once knew a lady who liked to go to parties not wearing pants.
Ha, ha, yes, she had a very lovely time! And we all began to realize how divided we are by our common language!Ha ha! Yes the word ‘pants’ is another word that always makes me smile on here. Obviously it means underwear in UK, or increasingly is a slang world for rubbish. I.e. that restaurant was ‘pants’ (rubbish). Not wearing pants is known as ‘going commando’! This is the only forum I am on that is USA dominated so words like ‘fall’, ‘sucks’ always needs me to think!
Hope she enjoyed her time in England. We don’t use the world ‘semester’ btw!!!
I’m almost reluctant to mention this here, as it did not happen to me, but I have heard of people reaching over cubicle doors in public restrooms and removing purses hanging from hooks, while the occupant is otherwise engaged. Some establishments are now putting hooks further down the cubicle door making it almost impossible even for a long-armed pilferer to reach.I also took my money belt and bum bag (holds phone etc.) with me when showering and used a S hook to hang them over the door as not all albergue/municipal showers have clothes hooks inside them.
Yes, it is imaginable. The same happens with Spanish as is spoken in 21 countries. You may encounter 21 way different ways of naming the same thing.Ha, ha, yes, she had a very lovely time! And we all began to realize how divided we are by our common language!
See, for example and if not prudish, an alternate use of the word concha, (sea shell). Be careful discussing your Camino experience in Argentina.Yes, it is imaginable. The same happens with Spanish as is spoken in 21 countries. You may encounter 21 way different ways of naming the same thing.
Might I suggest that there are two other Spanish speaking countries not shown on the map, the USA and the Phillipines. It might not be the 'national language' in either, but seems widespread in both.Yes, it is imaginable. The same happens with Spanish as is spoken in 21 countries. You may encounter 21 way different ways of naming the same thing.
Also in Uruguay.See, for example and if not prudish, an alternate use of the word concha, (sea shell). Be careful discussing your Camino experience in Argentina.
Yes, you may.Might I suggest that there are two other Spanish speaking countries not shown on the map, the USA and the Phillipines. It might not be the 'national language' in either, but seem widespread in both.
LOL. So true!!Yes, it is imaginable. The same happens with Spanish as is spoken in 21 countries. You may encounter 21 way different ways of naming the same thing.
Hi Kathy F:LOL. So true!!
Just when I thought I was getting the hang of having pretty good Spanish . . . BANG!
Gallego!!
I always wore a money belt that held my passport and the bulk of my money. It was under my clothes. I carried daily money in a place I could easily access. I never felt unsafe in fact I am way more anxious in the US. That being said, always bring your valuables with you, into the shower and when you go to bed, I tucked my money belt into my sleeping liner by my feet. Never heard of a problem or felt one on my three caminos.This is my first time doing the Camino, and as a solo traveller, I'll be traveling with money and a passport, neither of which I want to lose. How safe are the various accommodations regarding theft, or are people pretty honest with belongings.(I like to think fellow pilgrims are!) I'm not suggesting leaving things in the open, but if they're tucked securely in my pack, will it be safe overnight?
I like thinking the best of people, but I've been caught it before.
Question: do you sweat a lot like yours truly? I hesitate using the money belt due to the fear that all documents would be drenched.I always wore a money belt that held my passport and the bulk of my money. It was under my clothes. I carried daily money in a place I could easily access. I never felt unsafe in fact I am way more anxious in the US. That being said, always bring your valuables with you, into the shower and when you go to bed, I tucked my money belt into my sleeping liner by my feet. Never heard of a problem or felt one on my three caminos.
Question: do you sweat a lot like yours truly? I hesitate using the money belt due to the fear that all documents would be drenched.
It depends on the fabric of the clothes I wear:Question: do you sweat a lot like yours truly? I hesitate using the money belt due to the fear that all documents would be drenched.
Thank you, Stevepjq for your reply.@Ivan_Prada "In Phillipines is a great influence in their own language. They were a colony of Spain for long time, they were the last colony in Asia; as Cuba and Puerto Rico were the last colonies in the Americas. The three were war bounties after the Spanish-American War ending in 1898."
Just an historical FYI - Cuba became a sovereign republic following the War of 1898 albeit with constitutional intervention rights from the US. Philippines, Puerto Rico and Guam sovereignty became under the control of the US . As an aside, Spain went through a cultural renassaince for the two decades following the war and was attributed to the fact that they no longer had to adventure outside of their geographic homeland.
Wherever I am carrying important documents, they are in some form of ziploc bag to protect them from becoming soaked in sweat. This includes having them in a waistbelt as well as just in a pocket.Question: do you sweat a lot like yours truly? I hesitate using the money belt due to the fear that all documents would be drenched.
I too keep my passport, large cash bills and spare credit/debit cards in an underclothes flat waist pack which is never exposed to people.I love my fanny pack, but I do not keep my passport or my important ID there. A couple of years ago in Lisbon we were at the Sé cathedral. As we were standing around there were two young 'tourists' who asked us a few questions. A bit later I felt a bump at my waist and the zipper of my fanny pack was half open and the girls dashed off. Seemingly friendly 18-ish year olds who wanted to know some history who were really out to pickpocket. Passport, the bulk of the cash, and ID go in a neck bag inside my shirt. The fanny pack has the stuff I would risk losing, but is too bulky to keep in pockets.
We sent our bags by Correos from one stop to the next. They are left often in quite open public places. We only had clothes in them.
One day, some pilgrim opened the "only for emergency" back door for a convenient way to stay out after closing, and during the night someone snuck in to steal things. I wasn't there at the time, but if I remember right, staff said they actually caught the thief.This is my first time doing the Camino, and as a solo traveller, I'll be traveling with money and a passport, neither of which I want to lose. How safe are the various accommodations regarding theft, or are people pretty honest with belongings.(I like to think fellow pilgrims are!) I'm not suggesting leaving things in the open, but if they're tucked securely in my pack, will it be safe overnight?
I like thinking the best of people, but I've been caught it before.
I put my items in a ziplock then into money belt. I washed my money belt frequently.Question: do you sweat a lot like yours truly? I hesitate using the money belt due to the fear that all documents would be drenched.
I put my items in a ziplock then into money belt. I washed my money belt frequently.
A lot of good info here . I have good fortune and bad luck on Caminos. My worst situation was at Pamplona( running of the bulls) too much wine with locals that had less wine. It was pre 2001 and was able to talk my way home . I doubt you could do it todaySweating happens and inevitably all the cash notes you have will get soaked in sweat. You can take steps to avoid it, but it will eventually still happen. It's just part and parcel of walking across a hot country.
Randomly offtopic (sort of), I generally have a prepay card, separate to my main card, carried in a random place (some hats have a pocket for putting an emergency note or card in, alternatively between the inner sole and shoe (remove at night if albergue requires shoes/boots left somewhere) or somewhere else fairly secure). I load it with say 100 euros or equivalent in dollars. This is your bailout fund for when it goes very wrong. For those emergency situations, like:
- You got robbed and have no money.
- Someone stole your pack.
- A disaster happened and you lost your things, you get the idea.
But in that situation you probably still have your shoes or your hat, which means you also have 100 euros of emergency money available. The poor mans version of this is stuffing a 50 note in your sock. But it's the same thing. I do it on all trips I undertake, since you don't know what is going to happen. But if you lose everything for some reason and maybe need to get to your embassy (which is probably in Madrid), then you have a bail out package in place to get you there, get you some cheap food and water and probably a bunk for the night.
Thank you for these valuable tips. (In a few months I expect to be visiting a city which is supposedly rife with pickpockets.) I am also practicing saying out loud, “Back off,” useful I think if one senses one is being approached by someone with ill intent. This happened to me once and I want to be better prepared next time. I know it sounds terribly rude, but I still want to be prepared.Moneybelt strapped to leg while in the sleeping bag, rucksack I use a laptop security chain and put it through the bag and around the bunkbed frame/leg. I tend to clip things off carabiners a lot.
When you are in crowds, try to do a 360 degree turn every so often and see who is behind you, to the left and right of you, etc, especially when it's really overcrowded, like the area in front of the Cathedral in Santiago. If someone you don't know approaches you from the front and starts a conversation move to their side and turn 90 degrees so you know if someone is approaching from behind looking to pickpocket you. If a wall is available, rest against it while conversing, that will negate a lot of pickpocket vectors, creating less of a footprint for them to attack. Know your exits wherever you are, whether in an Albergue or outside the cathedral in Santiago or even on the path in a remote area.
Have the alert app on your phone and know how to use it. Beyond that use common sense and you will be fine. If you are out in the middle of nowhere and have poles, remove the rubber caps from them and maybe shorten them to minimal length to gain access to two very small spears, useful for savage looking dogs that get too close that seem to roam the isolated areas in the last 100km from Sarria (or randoms that might attempt other things).
Yes, we've preached that over and over and over and over and over. . .As many forum members and many guidebooks stated: get your valuables near your body. Every minute of your walk. Or let it look over by a known real trustworthy co-walker.
I had a hip-pack with my money, cards, ID, cellphone, charger and camera that I took even into the shower, hung it high or locked it away, if available. Nothing happened to it, but I experienced some "disappearing" valuables from fellow pilgrims while I was on the CF in 2019.
Hope that I'll get a good experience on my oncoming CP.
Thank you for these valuable tips. (In a few months I expect to be visiting a city which is supposedly rife with pickpockets.) I am also practicing saying out loud, “Back off,” useful I think if one senses one is being approached by someone with ill intent. This happened to me once and I want to be better prepared next time. I know it sounds terribly rude, but I still want to be prepared.
I kept all the valuables in a fanny pack and I literally never let it out of my sight. I put it in my sleep sack with me whenever I slept in a dorm and brought it into the shower stalls with me as well. Once I met people where we were sharing rooms and space day after day, we began to trust each other but again, we all kept our fanny pack/waist belts/ with us unless we could lock a door with only our things behind it.This is my first time doing the Camino, and as a solo traveller, I'll be traveling with money and a passport, neither of which I want to lose. How safe are the various accommodations regarding theft, or are people pretty honest with belongings.(I like to think fellow pilgrims are!) I'm not suggesting leaving things in the open, but if they're tucked securely in my pack, will it be safe overnight?
I like thinking the best of people, but I've been caught it before.
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