Taking Care of Belongings Travelling Solo

sudzindia

Ok reading a thread about padlocks and what not has got me worried. I am travelling solo. Got some questions.

Primarily I am carrying a backpack which cannot be locked.

As I am travelling budget, if I am in a room which does not have an attached bathroom, what do you do with ur valuables (Cash, travellrs cheque, camera etc), while you go for a shower. Can u leave it in ur room and just lock the room without having some hotel dude rummaging through my stuff?

On long train journeys, if i need to go the loo and am away for 5-10 mins, what do i do with bulky backpack? Remember it doesnt hv a locking thing. Is tehre any use of securing it anywhere with a chain, if someone can easily open ur bag or even just cut my strap of bag and cart it off, leaving my wonderful chain for me?

Help! Travelling alone means more security issues i guess, when u cant hv someone to look out4 u...

amarama

Safty in numbers. At some point everyone makes mistakes. No exceptions. Never ever ever leave your money apart from your body. For the shower get a water proff bag and shower with it around your neck. Dont get far from it. You dont want to learn this the hard way. At night make sure it is close to your body as well. I could tell you some stories that would have you afraid to sleep. Like people having the bottom of there sleeping bags cut and the such. Enjoy your travels, I have found it much more rewarding to travel with a partner.. Ggood luck

sudzindia

Ok now im a biiit freaked out. What about on trains. Can i leave my bulkypackpack there if i need to use the loo (will carry my valuables with me, of course)?

Hmm mebe i should be looking for a travel partner...

alaskabob

I've seen a type of wire mesh that fits over rucksacs/backpacks etc in a few outdoors/camping equipment stores. It comes in different sizes but I remember thinking that it was quite heavy.
I think it's called a 'pacsafe' but I can't be certain. Hopefully someone else knows what I'm thinking of.
I also seem to recall thinking that it was reasonably expensive for what it was.
If someone really wanted to take your backpack, all they needed was a small wirecutters; but then, I guess it would be easier to simply move on and take the unguarded and unsecured bag...
Hope someone can point you in the right direction... Good luck

guerik

I had a backpack that couldn't be locked and ended up buying a new one because of it, it's really a pain in the butt.
Getting a travel partner is a bit extreme though - is it the sort with a drawstring top under a flap that folds over? (Like a hiking backpack rather than a travel pack)
I had that sort and would just tie the folding over part on securely with it's straps, to deter anyone. Shove your bag right under the seat and use a chain to secure it underneath. If someone was really intent on stealing your stuff they could do it, but at least you'd know your bag had been tampered with before you got off the train.

I would always take my little daypack with the real valuables with me to the bathroom though, easy enough to put it on your front and still be able to "use the facilities".

pkibbee

I travel solo all over the world. Its not always possible to find a companion on all the legs of your trip. I sleep with my money in a pouch under my pajamas and take a small wooden door jamb in my suitcase to use in hotels so that anyone opening my door at night will at least make some noise. My money, tickets, etc., is always on my person and I have never had a problem. But I am also about to take an overnight train in Rajasthan so we'll see how that goes.

sudzindia

alaskabob, cant afford that contraption. haha..i wouldnt know where to get it here anyway...thanks guerik and pkibbee for ur advice...will see how it goes.

Any experiences with dorms anyone here? What do u do about ur safety issues if u stay at any dorms in India?

traceyam

Why can't your backpack be locked? At the very least you can usually lock the zipper pulls together with a small luggage padlock. Nothing is foolproof but the idea is to make it more difficult to get into or steal than the next guy's.

If your backpack's zipper pulls can't be locked, buy one that can. There are also packs made with wire in the straps so they can't be easily cut. I travelled solo all over India this way and was fine. If you don't have a suitable pack, you'll need to get one before you go.

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Darmabum

I generally get a single room, generally travel 2nd class on trains, and in five trips to India I've never had a problem. On my first trip (in '82) I took a big chain and lock, and soon passed it on to someone else who thought they'd need it. On another trip I took one of those wire-mesh-things, it too was passed on to someone else. For day trips I carry a day pack/waist/lumbar bag. I carry cash and passport in my pants pocket. Think good thoughts; be careful, but don't let it consume you; don't take anything you're not prepared to lose. Have fun. Scott

Eldaras

Darmabum: this is the best suggestion by far don't take anything you're not prepared to lose
My backpack doesn't lock and doesn´t has zippers, but i'm going to make some kind of "cover bag" with a strong fabric and i'll add some of those metal circles (i don't recall the name in english) so i can pass a chain to lock it.
I will be something like the bag in this image: http://www.hidalgo.nl/assets/images/Sailorbag1.gif
My idea i to put my backpack in that "sailor bag" when i'm traveling (on a plane or train) and when leaving it in the hotel/room.

TimMakins

Yes, that works well. I saw lots of people doing that in South America - great for the top of buses. You can also make 4 holes in the side for your main rucksack straps, so it can be carried like a rucksack.

Let no one forget, this is still not secure, and can easily be slashed with a knife, but it will discourage the casual thief, and make him/her move on to someone else's bag. Get a 1m length of thin chain as well, and a combination lock (not an Indian one !)

You should still travel with a moneybelt for large notes, TCs, credit cards and passport. Return air-ticket too, if you have a paper one.

Tim in Ireland

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PeakXV

On the money belt topic, does anyone have a contact/url for an ankle money strap/belt? Had one and lost it in a house move. I find them just as safe and a little more comfy.

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Don't go to India ~ Pre-trip Warnings & Misconceptions?

dani

Rooms in budget hotels usually are locked with a padlock. The hotel staffers will probably have duplicate keys. Just bring your own padlock, and your room will be more or less save.

About backpacks and train travel, me I also don't know what I'll do. My backpack isn't lockable. Even if it was, most backpacks are easily opened with a knife. So only pack your backpack with clothes, moskito net and such (all the stuff you can easily buy again in India) and keep all the valuables in a daypack which you take on your berth / to the loo / whereever..

thirdreel

The thing is, the lower your travel budget, the more moxie it will take. If you have lots of moxie, you'll just say, "Eh, doesn't really matter to me if my bag gets stolen. I'll be fine one way or another." If you have lots of moxie, you'll ask someone else to look after your bag, then won't worry about it.

So if you can't afford a lockable backpack, and can't afford single hotel rooms, you've opted for a style of travel that will call for lots of moxie. You can't really afford to worry here--you need to enjoy your trip, and not waste your energy on worrying. If you can't keep from worrying, then buy a lockable bag.

Of course, it's great advice from Eldaras: don't take anything you can't afford to lose. That way, you have less to worry about.

dani

thirdreel, you're right, if you have to sleep in dormitories, it's no use to bring a padlock for the room
But then, if you travel really low budget, your valuables will probably easily fit in a daypack. If the backpack with your clothes get stolen, you only had to replace the pack and the clothes. And clothes are cheap in India.
And if you are really really poor, one would probably know that from the style of your clothes and from the look of the backpack, so nobody would want to steal your pack