Community Chat

[Pink123]

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@lynnie61 wrote:

@Pink123   I am so, so sorry to hear this.   What a nightmare.  I’m sad to see some of the responses.  Geez.  Easy to say when it is not them.  Please take care.  I’m sorry you lost a wonderful 3 week vacation.   Thanks for these reminders.  It could happen to ANY of us.  Glad you are home safe.  ❤️

I have not traveled internationally very many times.  Beside the Caribbean for several vacations, I went to Brazil twice for work.  I wanted to kiss the ground when I returned.  It was work with almost no time for anything fun.  Visited Europe also, again for work.  I think I’m good for domestic travel only at this point in my life.  I’m trying to decide if I want to even renew my passport which expires in two years. 

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Thanks @lynnie61  so much for your response.  I just want people to beware of what can happen and to stay safe. That was my message.

My boyfriend arrived home safe a few hours ago and we just go home from dinner.

Please renew your passport.  I'm one of a few who this happened to. I just wanted a reminder to everyone here to be alert and stay safe while traveling abroad.

It's a good discussion with some really nice replies here as how to prepare yourself.

[Drythe]

@Pink123 

Sorry this happened to you.  I have been fortunate to do a good deal of international traveling, and I do understand.

One thing is that it isn’t just Spain, it’s everywhere.  Someone tried to roust my 6’5” DH in the Netherlands, my friend had her opera length pearls stolen right out of her bag in Italy, pickpockets were SO bad once when I was in the Louvre that the guards evacuated the entire building and closed for the day, and in Hungary someone tried to lift my wallet off of the dinner table w/o realizing the strap was still around my neck.

So my tips -

NEVER dress to impress, including name brands, good jewelry, tennis shoes, or electronics.  Wear older clothing without labels, put a cheap cover over nice electronics.  This is not a time to impress, it will only call attention to you, and will bring nothing good.  No slogans on T shirts. If you are going someplace nice for dinner, wear a simple dress, and scarf for accent, plain, un-identifiable shoes, watch, etc.  I have a close copy of my wedding band with paste stones which I wear with a plain Timex.  Always call a cab YOURSELF if you are going out at night, or a distance from town.  Check the company’s reputation, and get the name of the driver, and verify the cost.  When the cab arrives, check name, and fair again.

Never take anything that you would care about losing unless it is an absolute necessity, carry your passport, and Dr. license, and COVID records in a bag around your neck, under your shirt.

Have someone else carry a xerox copy of these items just in case.

Carry a small bit of walking around money, and international travelers checks in the currency of the country.  Keep a list of the #s, and again, have someone else carry a copy too.  They can be cancelled by phone, and reissued quickly.  You already have heard about credit cards.

I am not saying you should be slovenly, clean, unlabeled clothing, shoes, bags, and watches will help you keep a low profile.  Don’t display your electronics in public, make those FaceTime, and long calls from your room.

Set your phone and traveling companion’s phone with GPS tracking, also set phone so you can disable it with a code.  Ditto with IPad if you carry one.

I know this sounds hard, there are beautiful places to go and things to see, but conditions are harsh in many of them, and travelers are easy marks.  

I’m glad you will be able to replace most things.  Good trip insurance is a blessing. Hope you are able to try again.

[LuvSoCal]

@Pink123  Oh, my gosh...I remember you telling us about your upcoming trip to Europe.  What a horrible experience for you!  So very sorry things turned out as they did especially after having such a difficult couple of years regarding your health.

I hope you're able to replace your stolen documents/credit cards, etc. with relative ease.

As a side note, I ordered the Secura cleanser you recommended and am very pleased with it.

[Pink123]

@LuvSoCal   Thank you for your kind words and I'm so happy you are pleased with the Secura!  I took it with me.  I'll probably use it forever as I find it easier than soap on my sensitive skin.  A real gem and inexpensive too.

[Pink123]

I wanted to give those interested an update today.

I still have not got a phone, trying with passport and their system is down but that's ok.

I called my Doctor and told them the situation.  He called in the medications to the pharmacy.  

I called the pharmacy before I went.  They NEEDED the police report from Madrid and thank God we went and got the full report.  It listed all the medications that were stolen.

the pharmacy told me to bring the police report and my passport to discuss.  What he wanted to see is the list of medications that were stolen and they were all there.

I got my medications and upon checkout showed my passport.  One thing off the list.

Bottom line, god forbid if anything happens you must write each of the medications that were stolen at the police station.

Hopefully get a phone tomorrow.

[shoesnbags]

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@Drythe wrote:

@Pink123 

Sorry this happened to you.  I have been fortunate to do a good deal of international traveling, and I do understand.

One thing is that it isn’t just Spain, it’s everywhere.  Someone tried to roust my 6’5” DH in the Netherlands, my friend had her opera length pearls stolen right out of her bag in Italy, pickpockets were SO bad once when I was in the Louvre that the guards evacuated the entire building and closed for the day, and in Hungary someone tried to lift my wallet off of the dinner table w/o realizing the strap was still around my neck.

So my tips -

NEVER dress to impress, including name brands, good jewelry, tennis shoes, or electronics.  Wear older clothing without labels, put a cheap cover over nice electronics.  This is not a time to impress, it will only call attention to you, and will bring nothing good.  No slogans on T shirts. If you are going someplace nice for dinner, wear a simple dress, and scarf for accent, plain, un-identifiable shoes, watch, etc.  I have a close copy of my wedding band with paste stones which I wear with a plain Timex.  Always call a cab YOURSELF if you are going out at night, or a distance from town.  Check the company’s reputation, and get the name of the driver, and verify the cost.  When the cab arrives, check name, and fair again.

Never take anything that you would care about losing unless it is an absolute necessity, carry your passport, and Dr. license, and COVID records in a bag around your neck, under your shirt.

Have someone else carry a xerox copy of these items just in case.

Carry a small bit of walking around money, and international travelers checks in the currency of the country.  Keep a list of the #s, and again, have someone else carry a copy too.  They can be cancelled by phone, and reissued quickly.  You already have heard about credit cards.

I am not saying you should be slovenly, clean, unlabeled clothing, shoes, bags, and watches will help you keep a low profile.  Don’t display your electronics in public, make those FaceTime, and long calls from your room.

Set your phone and traveling companion’s phone with GPS tracking, also set phone so you can disable it with a code.  Ditto with IPad if you carry one.

I know this sounds hard, there are beautiful places to go and things to see, but conditions are harsh in many of them, and travelers are easy marks.  

I’m glad you will be able to replace most things.  Good trip insurance is a blessing. Hope you are able to try again.

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@Drythe

All excellent advice! 

[Twins Mom]

@Pink123 

I so very much feel your pain.  Such a goid point about medications.  I get overcome with cautiousness when I travel to the point that I think I stick out because I have everything "clamped" to me.  One has so many important things to "scatter", " duplicate," hang on to, etc.  

When I traveled a few years ago with middle schoolers we were traveling with some high schoolers to Paris.  We had warned all about pickpocket ers, etc .  At an outdoor cafe three high school boys were approached by some youngsters doing tricks, etc.  Long story short, a news paper covered their phones and thieves made off with phones.   Apparently Russian mafia uses youngsters.  Students were so sad to have lost their phones and means of communication.  Lesson learned for all.  

But again, no matter how hard we try, crooks often are 1\2 step ahead.  Thank goodness you got back ok. I can't imagine how many hoops you had to juggle to accomplish that. I hope life gives you another special opportunity to see Europe again.

[Pink123]

@Twins Mom   Thank you for your kind post.  Yes I'm jumping through hoops. Got medications, getting new credit cards, except I can't get a phone.  Can you believe this?  I guess my passport is not good enough.  I want to purchase the phone in full.  Whats the big deal???  Think I will go buy a tracfone tommorow at Target so I can talk to my little family at least.  We sat 3 hours at Verizon with no success.  Crazy.  For alot of money.

[Twins Mom]

@Pink123 

Difficulty with getting phone?  Never thought about that!  

Again, I am sure crooks know how to get around that.

You are a stylish traveler wearing jeans.  I could not last "constricted" like that on a long trip.  I go with stretchy, flowy stuff.

[Twins Mom]

@Drythe 

You made some very important points.  I tend to avoid wearing my good jewelry any time I travel.  I don't trust myself in addition to thieves.  Not attracting attention as a traveler is big.

When I traveled last I purchased a cross body bag that has the "cut proof"  strap as well as zippers that lock.  I still did not strap to chair- I kept around neck.