Traveling Securely (We Hope)

Anybody else get that wandering bug every so often? The yen to see new faces and new places and have a little adventure? I know we do—that urge to go walkabout, try new things, sample new foods, research local distilleries and breweries, and hang out with the natives.

Whether traveling locally or internationally, we always research the heck out of things before we head out. It makes good sense and even though we wing it pretty well, knowing what we’ve got to work with keeps us better prepared to deal with eventualities. We’ve got friends that have fully embraced the nomad lifestyle, ditching their fixed address for a house on wheels, and traveling the highways and byways of this great land. We’re not quite that committed; as much as we love to leave, coming back home is always a welcome sight.

We generally make our own travel arrangements, including overseas travel, and have had great luck finding Airbnbs, out-of-the-way hotels, a resort or two, a cruise, and occasionally less than commodious accommodations. They can be fun, too, depending on your sense of adventure. It takes a lot of time and research to do that, but we enjoy it and we always find just the right place, even before AI. But research is key to a smooth adventure, and today AI has become a great tool to help, to study, and to plan.

This spring we’ve booked our first real tour experience for an international jaunt, and we’re really looking forward to that. We spent a month in Italy a couple years back where we booked some outstanding stays well in advance, like a Lake Como lakeside, a Venice canal overlook in Cannaregio, and a Tuscan vineyard. For transportation, we either took the train, which was cheap and fantastic, or drove, which was both nerve-wracking and tricky—but an experience I wouldn’t have missed. Everyone there seems to channel Mario Andretti as they race along extremely narrow mountain roads. But at least they drive on the right side of the road. Most of the time.

This year’s trek is to a land where they all drive on the wrong side of the road, and the land is heavily populated with pubs and distilleries. And sheep. I decided we’d leave the driving to somebody else. For their safety as well as ours.

Sadly, driving isn’t the only challenge travelers face these days. I mean, sure, there are areas of the world where you’d have to be nuts to vacation right now. But even going to some areas within the U.K., that you wouldn’t have thought twice about just a few years ago, has got us in a cautionary preparatory mode. Areas of London have gained notoriety for knifings, robberies, and rampant pickpocketing, as well as immigrant-driven issues. Glasgow has also attained a rather dubious reputation for its increased violent crime, street gangs, homicides, and crimes of opportunity motivated by high unemployment and poverty. I think I’ll stick to the pubs.

As a result, the accoutrements of travel have changed as well and, if you’re making any travel plans, there are some precautions you should probably adopt for our changing world. For example, our suitcases will now boast the kind of tracker cards that provide coverage anywhere in the world. No more bulky Air Tags with expiring batteries, these slim, credit-card sized devices slip discreetly into an internal compartment hopefully making discovery unlikely. They allow easy tracking of your luggage so you can see if your bag made it on the same flight that you did, or if it decided to see the world on its own. Your wallet, your purse, your backpack, your spouse would probably benefit by sporting one of these tracking devices as well. They claim to last about 5 months and simply setting it on a contactless phone charger revitalizes it for another 5 months.

Speaking of credit card sized devices, we’ll also be equipped with the latest in RFID blocking cards, or Radio Frequency Identification cards. Acting as a miniature Faraday cage, these also fit unobtrusively into a credit card slot in your wallet and block passersby from scanning your wallet, accessing your credit card info and emptying your account before you make it to the next pub. Yeah, it’s a thing, and even in this country you should consider carrying one because it’s a growing scam here, as well.

We’re also cautioned not to carry a wallet or phone in our pocket. Seems the folks specializing in legerdemain have become more sophisticated since Fagin was instructing Oliver Twist a century ago (You’ve got to pick a pocket or two, lad). A cross-body pack with hidden zippers and a slash proof belt worn securely against your back or chest is recommended for valuables like your phone, wallet, passport, or camera—anything you don’t want lifted by ole nimble-fingers. While it may not be your most stylish fashion accessory, it will help prevent opportunity theft. Probably. Depending on how much time you spend in the pub.

Also highly advised: don’t wear your wedding ring or other ostentatious jewelry items unless you travel with a heavily armed bodyguard. Heck, you don’t want to get mugged over your fake Rolex, do ya? No doubt before we take off we’ll discover some other items necessary to maintain our safety. Oh yeah, I also hope this article isn’t published until we get back so I don’t get arrested for speaking out of turn. Speech crimes are apparently prosecuted with as much vigor as street crime in some enlightened areas.

If you’re traveling, be smart, be safe, and be aware of your surroundings. Good advice anywhere. If you need me, I’ll be in the pub.