Travelling with money & passport?

[Gemajams]

Hi,

What is the safest way to travel with your passport and money for the duration of the
trip? Looking for ideas?

Thanks Gem

 

[Mark Lee]

I carried a travel wallet similar to this. My passport fit inside the one I had. There are a bunch of different kinds, sizes, etc on the market.
It stayed on me all day. everyday except in the shower and when it rained I put it in a ziplock bag inside of my pack, but as soon as possible it was back on my person. I even slept with it on me. While I showered it stayed in a ziplock hanging within sight or reach.

 

[mspath]

For helpful tips/links re carrying valuables on the camino see this earlier Forum thread.
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...ck-security-do-i-need-locks-and-a-mesh.17000/

 

[cher99840]

Hi,

What is the safest way to travel with your passport and money for the duration of the
trip? Looking for ideas?

Thanks Gem

I did the same as @Mark Lee , except mine was around my waist and there was room for a ziplock to protect my passport so I didn't take it off in the rain. Went into shower with me (it was the first thing that I put back on before leaving shower) and I slept with it on my person.

It is good to practice whatever system you decide upon before leaving home so that it becomes routine. Establishing routines that work for me are as important as gear testing the equipment.

 

[Gemajams]

I carried a travel wallet similar to this. My passport fit inside the one I had. There are a bunch of different kinds, sizes, etc on the market.
It stayed on me all day. everyday except in the shower and when it rained I put it in a ziplock bag inside of my pack, but as soon as possible it was back on my person. I even slept with it on me. While I showered it stayed in a ziplock hanging within sight or reach.
View attachment 31504

Thank you Mark

 

[Gemajams]

For helpful tips/links re carrying valuables on the camino see this earlier Forum thread.
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...ck-security-do-i-need-locks-and-a-mesh.17000/

Thank you mspath

 

[whariwharangi]

Keep your passport in its own ziploc to keep it dry.

Keep other documents like credencial in a ziploc too.

Keep cash in a ziploc. Its very discouraging to dry money, particularly when its glued together.

Keep documents and money on your person. If you carry it in your pack (which is reasonable whilst walking but not while on Metro etc), take it out of your pack every time the pack comes off your back.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Think about splitting the money and documents you carry: cash for the day in one pocket, perhaps with an old credit card to please a theif, and the rest well stashed away.

In albergues I try to get a bed against a wall and at night will attach the pounch in which I keep my eye glasses, passports and cash attached to the bed, wall side, and keep it by my head.

For the shower I have a super thick ziplock type bag where documents and cash go, and hook it on a sucction cup which I afix to the shower wall. If shower stall has hooks inside, then I just but everything is a ripstop nylon back and hook it up to one of the hooks.

 

[Gemajams]

Keep your passport in its own ziploc to keep it dry.

Keep other documents like credencial in a ziploc too.

Keep cash in a ziploc. Its very discouraging to dry money, particularly when its glued together.

Keep documents and money on your person. If you carry it in your pack (which is reasonable whilst walking but not while on Metro etc), take it out of your pack every time the pack comes off your back.

Thank you good info whariwharangi

 

[Gemajams]

Think about splitting the money and documents you carry: cash for the day in one pocket, perhaps with an old credit card to please a theif, and the rest well stashed away.

In albergues I try to get a bed against a wall and at night will attach the pounch in which I keep my eye glasses, passports and cash attached to the bed, wall side, and keep it by my head.

For the shower I have a super thick ziplock type bag where documents and cash go, and hook it on a sucction cup which I afix to the shower wall. If shower stall has hooks inside, then I just but everything is a ripstop nylon back and hook it up to one of the hooks.

Thank you Anemone (i have one in my reef tank!) good info!

 

[Gemajams]

I did the same as @Mark Lee , except mine was around my waist and there was room for a ziplock to protect my passport so I didn't take it off in the rain. Went into shower with me (it was the first thing that I put back on before leaving shower) and I slept with it on my person.

It is good to practice whatever system you decide upon before leaving home so that it becomes routine. Establishing routines that work for me are as important as gear testing the equipment.

Thank you cher99840

 

[Saint Mike II]

As always some great advice. One other "tip" - photocopy/scan your info page of your passport; scan your credit & debit cards and then email these to yourself (( run 3 email accounts - one (on Outlook at home base) & two travelling accounts (gmail)). I give them some ordinary code names so that if the account is hacked (thankfully it hasn't) the hacker would need to go through every single email to see it there was anything special.
Apart from the shower the only other time my passport is taken off is in bed - and then its down the bottom of the liner. You just have to get used too these foreign objects in bed with you.
The other big tip - vigilance - keep your eyes open, both on the Camino trail and in cafes/bars and especially in the albergues. Buen Camino

 

[Gemajams]

As always some great advice. One other "tip" - photocopy/scan your info page of your passport; scan your credit & debit cards and then email these to yourself (( run 3 email accounts - one (on Outlook at home base) & two travelling accounts (gmail)). I give them some ordinary code names so that if the account is hacked (thankfully it hasn't) the hacker would need to go through every single email to see it there was anything special.
Apart from the shower the only other time my passport is taken off is in bed - and then its down the bottom of the liner. You just have to get used too these foreign objects in bed with you.
The other big tip - vigilance - keep your eyes open, both on the Camino trail and in cafes/bars and especially in the albergues. Buen Camino

Thanks for the info Saint Mike!

 

[nycwalking]

When I was a hospitalera in Ponferrada, a German pilgrim left his fanny pack on bedpost, then went for a shower. Needless to say, upon shower return, his pack with ID, money, pilgrim's passport was gone. Follow aforementioned advice and keep passport, money, and credit cards with you at all times.
Buen camino.

 

[Karen2017]

Can I just quickly ask what everyone done with all the extra
paperwork, insurance letter, flight documents etc. I usually end up with a big wallet of stuff when we book holidays and I am not sure where something of that size can be safely stowed. ( ps I usually carry hubby's paperwork as well).

 

[C clearly]

Can I just quickly ask what everyone done with all the extra
paperwork, insurance letter, flight documents etc. I usually end up with a big wallet of stuff when we book holidays and I am not sure where something of that size can be safely stowed. ( ps I usually carry hubby's paperwork as well).

First thing you should do is minimize it! You shouldn't need much. Maybe you can you take photos and email them to yourself. If you need/want to take paper, reduce them when you scan or copy them, print on both sides, and take only what you really need. That is easier to take care of, as well - you don't want a large wad of papers that gets mixed up or easily lost. I use a plastic sheet protector rather than a fancy wallet or folder, to keep them dry.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Can I just quickly ask what everyone done with all the extra
paperwork, insurance letter, flight documents etc. I usually end up with a big wallet of stuff when we book holidays and I am not sure where something of that size can be safely stowed. ( ps I usually carry hubby's paperwork as well).

Insurance letter? I just have a card from the insurance company, the size of a credit card. As for flight documents, also none of those these days, just a confirmation code and a download to a smart phone. And because I don't trust technology and electronics, I print a flight confirmation at home and make ot tiny, tiny, tiny, with a photocopier.

Also, the picture that appears when my phone is turned on, before the password is entered, is a photo of a piece of paper with name, email addy, emergency contact information and nationality, in case the phone gets lost or I have an accident and cannot answer questions. If you have special meds, illness or allergies, add that as well.

 

[Saint Mike II]

Can I just quickly ask what everyone done with all the extra
paperwork, insurance letter, flight documents etc. I usually end up with a big wallet of stuff when we book holidays and I am not sure where something of that size can be safely stowed. ( ps I usually carry hubby's paperwork as well).

Hola - I scan the first page of the insurance policy and email that to my gmail account; similarly with any hotel vouchers, my airline flight details are already on my gmail account - but as I am a frequent flier (on Emirates) I only need by passport for them to retrieve all my flights. But I do agree you often end up with what feels like a small tree in terms of pages printed.

 

[Mark Lee]

Can I just quickly ask what everyone done with all the extra
paperwork, insurance letter, flight documents etc. I usually end up with a big wallet of stuff when we book holidays and I am not sure where something of that size can be safely stowed. ( ps I usually carry hubby's paperwork as well).

All I ever had extra like that were flight itineraries, bus boarding passes or on a couple of occasions reservation vouchers for albergues/pensiones. Just a few sheets of paper. All I do is fold them up and stick them in a zip-lock bag and they go in my pack. As I use them, I throw them away. I don't see them as being really important stuff like passports and credit cards. If I lose any of them, I can always retrieve a copy from an email folder. You can even download copies of them to your phone/device and are able to view them without internet service.

 

[MaryLynn]

Can I just quickly ask what everyone done with all the extra
paperwork, insurance letter, flight documents etc. I usually end up with a big wallet of stuff when we book holidays and I am not sure where something of that size can be safely stowed. ( ps I usually carry hubby's paperwork as well).

I put all those kind of papers, unfolded, in a thin plastic file folder and it fits perfectly in the water bladder pocket in my backpack - I don't use a water bladder, so that pocket becomes my 'office.'

 

[trecile]

Hola - I scan the first page of the insurance policy and email that to my gmail account; similarly with any hotel vouchers, my airline flight details are already on my gmail account - but as I am a frequent flier (on Emirates) I only need by passport for them to retrieve all my flights. But I do agree you often end up with what feels like a small tree in terms of pages printed.

It's not just members of frequent flyer programs that only need a passport to retrieve flight information. I never carry paper documents.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Can I just quickly ask what everyone done with all the extra
paperwork, insurance letter, flight documents etc. I usually end up with a big wallet of stuff when we book holidays and I am not sure where something of that size can be safely stowed. ( ps I usually carry hubby's paperwork as well).

Hi Karen , we don't use a Insurance letter anymore for a long time now.
Now we have a plastic card , credit card type.
Wish you well , Peter.

 

[ranthr]

After beiing robbed on the way back from the camino some years ago I have sewn inside pockets to my trousers. Inside I keep extra creditcards, some money, personal information, copy of passport and creditcards. Like the idea of being identified if found unconcience or dead.

 

[MadonnaF]

Hi,

What is the safest way to travel with your passport and money for the duration of the
trip? Looking for ideas?

Thanks Gem

Hi there, thanks for posting this question, I was wondering the same thing, I'm hiking the Camino September 2017 from St. Jean as well, hopefully we'll meet along the way! Madonna

 

[Kbierstube]

You might consider the Buddy Pouch: https://www.therunningbuddy.com/

 

[HedaP]

Insurance letter? I just have a card from the insurance company, the size of a credit card. As for flight documents, also none of those these days, just a confirmation code and a download to a smart phone. And because I don't trust technology and electronics, I print a flight confirmation at home and make ot tiny, tiny, tiny, with a photocopier.

Also, the picture that appears when my phone is turned on, before the password is entered, is a photo of a piece of paper with name, email addy, emergency contact information and nationality, in case the phone gets lost or I have an accident and cannot answer questions. If you have special meds, illness or allergies, add that as well.

Thanks for the great advice about putting info on opening screen of mobile phone. Just done it and I've added the international emergency number 112 for my own benefit because in an emergency I doubt I'd remember it.

 

[Mike Trebert]

Albergue suggestions in other posts in this thread. Some extra thoughts:

I copied everything to my phone and backed it up. Also made a set of photocopies of passport, cards - left a set of photocopies and full itinerary at home in Sydney with my son. When in foreign cities or on flights, I wear a zipped 'Travel vest' which has all the pockets (zipped) on the inside - I always carry my passport on me (never in overhead bin), surprising how often you will need I.D., set of photocopies always left behind at accommodation. My wallet is tied to my belt with a thick shoelace, I use a Tatonka (German) wallet which has a metal loop securely built into it. I use a small urban photo gear backpack while in cities - it has one diagonal strap so in the subway or when I'm feeling nervous or sit down, I pull the small pack around to the front without having to take it off. It's always strapped to me when I sit down or am walking through crowds. In large jostling crowds, don't wear a backpack with zippers facing back behind you, wear it in front as in an art gallery. In busy markets in Manilla and Jakarta, I put my hand in my pocket over my wallet and wore my travel vest. In busy subways, DO NOT stand near the door, pickpockets work and wait there to make a quick getaway just as doors close. I always travel wearing a cheap $90 Swatch with a plastic band, it keeps time as well as my Tag, phone clocks are automatically synced to atomic clocks! Swatch does not shout "Please rob me."

If you have grey hair like me, try to not look indecisive or hesitant or slow and wander-y. If I'm lost or confused I 'pull over' and sit down in a quiet spot. American soldiers say "Always move purposefully" = try to look as though you know what you're doing! You will always look like a tourist, don't kid yourself. I'm always determined to never look like a victim. I almost got beat up one night while shooting photos in Paris. Learn how not to let that happen.

On Camino, I carried a small wallet/bag slung under my shoulder under my jacket which contained my Camino and travel passport.

Cash: On Camino, I never carried more than 200 Euros, sometimes went days with less than 50 Euros. Cash can be very useful: if I/you get mugged or robbed, let them have the cash, better than ending up in the hospital. I use my debit card every day, hardly ever use cash. I use it in cash machines all over the world. I have one credit card as backup, try not to use when travelling because of extra fees.

Assume that thieves are always watching (sad to have to assume the worst). One time we (family) left all (except me) our bags in the rental car while we stopped for lunch in Marseilles. Car was looted, I had all my valuables with me. Yes, I'm one of those guys. Detour to copshop was EXTREMELY tedious, we never got anything back, insurance claim took forever. Lots of videos on YouTube of pickpockets at work - they usually work in teams which include children. Victims always look as though they're asking for it, make silly mistakes.

I spent a month in Paris last year. There were groups of fully armed soldiers here and there. I saw a large swat team near the Eiffel Tower. I guess that kind of thing hurts the pickpocket industry!

But remember. Have fun out there.

Edit: P.S. - I've bought a laminated foil/paper envelope for my passport which prevents scanning. My wallet is foil-lined. Thieves stroll through crowds carrying scanners, steal credit card numbers and passport numbers.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

You might consider the Buddy Pouch: https://www.therunningbuddy.com/

Be wary of using a magnetised wallet near any kind of ticket that has a magnetic stripe on it.
Putting a railway ticket in the same shirt pocket as my Blackberry wiped all the information from the ticket and it wouldn't let me through the barriers.

 

[Gemajams]

Be wary of using a magnetised wallet near any kind of ticket that has a magnetic stripe on it.
Putting a railway ticket in the same shirt pocket as my Blackberry wiped all the information from the ticket and it wouldn't let me through the barriers.

Thank you

 

[Peregrinopaul]

I carried a travel wallet similar to this.

I even slept with it on me.[/QUOTE]

Ditto. That's the foolproof solution.

 

[Mike Trebert]

Be wary of using a magnetised wallet near any kind of ticket that has a magnetic stripe on it.
Putting a railway ticket in the same shirt pocket as my Blackberry wiped all the information from the ticket and it wouldn't let me through the barriers.

A foil-lined security pouch or an RFID-protected lining in a wallet or pocket, is not magnetised. (RFID = Radio-Frequency Identification.) Anti-RFID security linings guard against theft by scanner of credit card numbers and passport numbers. As I mentioned above, my travel wallet (I use it every day) is foil-lined, anti RFID, and it's no danger to magnetised tickets of cards.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

A foil-lined security pouch or an RFID-protected lining in a wallet or pocket, is not magnetised. (RFID = Radio-Frequency Identification.) Anti-RFID security linings guard against theft by scanner of credit card numbers and passport numbers. As I mentioned above, my travel wallet (I use it every day) is foil-lined, anti RFID, and it's no danger to magnetised tickets of cards.

Quite true but I was referring to the "Buddy Pouch" Kbeirstube brought up which IS magnetised and and will wipe the mag stripe on a ticket in an instant.

 

[alaskadiver]

RFID-lined anything is a waste of money unless you have an actual wireless card (the king you can leave in your wallet at checkout). The standard chip cards are a totally different technology and can't be "scanned". The American passport also has an RFID cover. There is a huge industry selling RFID crap to people who don't need it. Extra weight and cost.

 

[Mike Trebert]

RFID-lined anything is a waste of money unless you have an actual wireless card (the king you can leave in your wallet at checkout). The standard chip cards are a totally different technology and can't be "scanned". The American passport also has an RFID cover. There is a huge industry selling RFID crap to people who don't need it. Extra weight and cost.

Thanks, but the Australian passport doesn't yet have RFID shielding as far as I know. Good to hear that this crap is largely unnecessary.

 

[alaskadiver]

Thanks, but the Australian passport doesn't yet have RFID shielding as far as I know. Good to hear that this crap is largely unnecessary.

And you still have to watch out for pick pockets. It's always something.

 

[Mike Trebert]

Quite true but I was referring to the "Buddy Pouch" Kbeirstube brought up which IS magnetised and and will wipe the mag stripe on a ticket in an instant.

I realise that, I saw the Buddy Pouch online. I was trying to differentiate this product from RFID tech.

 

[Gemajams]

I even slept with it on me.

Ditto. That's the foolproof solution.[/QUOTE]
Thank you