Personal Security While On A Trip Abroad

Discussion in 'Travel' started by Nonya, Jul 2, 2017.

  1. Nonya

    Nonya Platinum IL'ite

    Messages:
    1,465
    Likes Received:
    2,179
    Trophy Points:
    283
    Gender:
    Female
    We read (never mind which country) travel advisories such as the one (in blue) below, and when one of our kids raised in the soft world of no-dangers goes over there, even with guides and so forth, we tend to worry. The same thoughts occur to me when one of my dears go over to the third world -- not Malaysia, but places like India, Ceylon, and a few others.

    Muggings and pick pocketing are very common. In XXX, take particular care in ‘La Carolina’ and ‘El Ejido’ parks, the districts of ‘La Mariscal’, ‘La Floresta’ and ‘La Marin’, the bus terminals and the old town including the main square and ‘El Panecillo’ hill. Avoid travelling to ‘El Panecillo’ hill on your own or by foot. Use one of the standard tours or reliable transport instead. In Guayaquil, be particularly careful in the Kennedy, Alborada, Urdesa and the Malecon Simon Bolivar districts and the bus terminal.
    Don’t wear expensive jewellery when walking around and watch your bags on public transport. Wear your rucksack on the front of your body. Where possible, don’t store anything under your seat or in the overhead storage on buses.

    Carry a colour copy of your passport, including the visa entry stamp page, and keep the original safe. Only take out as much money as you need.

    Take care of your belongings in restaurants or cafes and watch out for thieves. Criminals sometimes squirt liquids (ketchup, mustard, water, etc.) on you and then steal your bag while ‘helping’ to clean you up. Other methods of distraction include requests for assistance, staged fights and pushing or shoving. Don’t resist a robbery.

    Take care when withdrawing money from a bank or at an ATM.

    Incidents of attacks and serious sexual assault against foreign women have increased in the city of Montañita . All visitors, particularly women, should take extra care to find reputable and secure accommodation whether travelling alone or as a group. Avoid travelling after dark and be alert to the use of date rape and other drugs in drinks. If you feel unwell, seek urgent help from people you know.
    Criminals often use drugs to subdue victims. Home-made versions of the drug ‘scopolamine’ leave victims in a subdued, compliant state and cause amnesia. Be wary if you’re approached by a stranger offering you food, drinks, leaflets, perfume samples, telephone cards or cigarettes, no matter how friendly or well dressed they appear.

    I tend to insist on daily contact (skype, phone, email etc...) and depend on a lot of prayers. How do you all deal with somone going off to India -- with all the pollution, traffic accidents, pandemic diseases, and of course, politics and machinations of relatives ?
     
    Loading...

  2. Umanga

    Umanga Gold IL'ite

    Messages:
    498
    Likes Received:
    554
    Trophy Points:
    190
    Gender:
    Male
    Once we have escaped, we should not come back.

    Instead of "XXX", you could have just written "Ecuador". I don't think there are any Ecuadorians on this forum who shall take offence.

    :)
     
  3. Nonya

    Nonya Platinum IL'ite

    Messages:
    1,465
    Likes Received:
    2,179
    Trophy Points:
    283
    Gender:
    Female
    I would not worry if the member of the family goes to KL or Penang, but India is a dangerous destination to go to, especially for children raised in the first world. They do not have the savvy to deal with the clever people in India. And these kids have such a curiosity to find out about the origin of their ethnic identity.
     
  4. Umanga

    Umanga Gold IL'ite

    Messages:
    498
    Likes Received:
    554
    Trophy Points:
    190
    Gender:
    Male
    Yes, it is the curiosity that kills us. People who have spent too much time abroad get curious about their identity. They cannot even imagine the mess that exists in India. You can control them till they are 18, let them go when they start making their own money. Then, it's out of your hands.
     
  5. Shreema86

    Shreema86 Platinum IL'ite

    Messages:
    497
    Likes Received:
    1,107
    Trophy Points:
    248
    Gender:
    Female
    I had a first time trip planned to Mumbai ( was traveling alone but meeting a friend ) and just one day before the Mumbai Gangrape case happened . I was terrified to go.. I remember thinking the whole night before my flight whether to cancel it.. But I went ahead. Despite the change in weather , the chaos all around , I thoroughly enjoyed my trip, never felt unsafe. Example to illustrate that sometimes just reading about a place cannot give you a real idea about it. Certain cities will always have travel advisories that urge caution but if certain thumb rules are followed, like sticking to crowded places as much as possible, not to venture out in the dark into unknown places etc, by and large the person will be safe . Since I have been away from India for last few years , when I come to visit, My danger antenna is on high alert. If I am walking alone on a not so crowded road and I see a vehicle coming towards me, I immediately have my phone ready to call someone in case " something happens " . I don't know if this is irrational fear or not, but reading all the horror stories that happen, I think I have become rather paranoid . But I was not like that when I was actually staying there.
     
    Jey likes this.
  6. MNR

    MNR Gold IL'ite

    Messages:
    323
    Likes Received:
    363
    Trophy Points:
    123
    Gender:
    Female
    Could you please stop calling India a third world country. It was not , it is not , it will not be the one.

    India is not what you see in the news Only. It has its own merits and demerits. The corruption / robbery / racism not only in India. This is problem in every corner of the world. If not then whey do the so called developed countries need police force and law and order to keep things in check.
     
    Last edited: Jul 3, 2017
    Sunburst, Naari, Vedhavalli and 2 others like this.
  7. Ragini25

    Ragini25 Platinum IL'ite

    Messages:
    2,484
    Likes Received:
    4,119
    Trophy Points:
    283
    Gender:
    Female
    Personal security concerns (in any country) is appreciated and good to seek best practices. But can we stop putting down India in a condescending tone? I dont know if you have grown up in India or not, but its not how you just described in the OP. And its certainly not third world. An Umanga may espouse the Westerners better than Indians philosophy, but its in the minority.

    Besides, most importantly - kids are wiser than the worriers give credit for.
     
    Shanvy, Sunburst, Vedhavalli and 2 others like this.
  8. Ragini25

    Ragini25 Platinum IL'ite

    Messages:
    2,484
    Likes Received:
    4,119
    Trophy Points:
    283
    Gender:
    Female
    haha as usual when nonya doesnt like a post - or whn she considers it as a "favorite", she resorts to sarcasm plus sweet poison, clever :) quite amusing attempt at smiling assasin (with some betrayals thrown in , lol)
     
  9. Vedhavalli

    Vedhavalli Platinum IL'ite

    Messages:
    905
    Likes Received:
    1,364
    Trophy Points:
    263
    Gender:
    Female
    Few places in USA n Europe yes yes @Puttabbay
    My sister lives in France, almost daily chain snatched there. She herself saw 2 times!
    My cousin bro, while doing PG in Buffalo (Ny) was mugged, muggers took even his pant belt!
    In LA my friend's car was splashed with eggs an attempt to rob him.
    Another friend's house was robbed, in an hour when they went for pool in San Francisco!
    And in Malaysia, my friend got chain snatched on her first day...I have heard many stories on chain snatching incidents in KL.

    Pls don't have opinions unless you or your known ones faces, news channel do for trp

    I had my house in India locked for 5 months, with tv, fridge, washing machines, AC... motor bike ..nothing happened. Mind you no CCTV, no security.

    To me USA, Europe, and India same.
    At least in India the robbers won't carry guns. In USA everyone is armed!

    I like India better, we can shout and neighbors n other's in road would come.
    Never call India third world!..it's not as you imagine. Far safe than USA n Europe.
     
    Naari, Sunburst and Puttabbay like this.
  10. Naari

    Naari Platinum IL'ite

    Messages:
    1,200
    Likes Received:
    3,805
    Trophy Points:
    290
    Gender:
    Female
    Very true! I lived and worked in Mumbai before marriage & I can vouch for what a safe place it is for women. Late sitting work culture is common in corporates in India and never once have I had any bad experience returning home by local trains / autos even as late as 10.30 pm in the night. I guess, only those isolated, one off news stories are what make it to the newspapers/media and hence, there's almost a 'negative' reporting bias in these stories. Also, they are blown out of proportions at the media level to make it more saucy!

    I am glad you experienced first hand that there is little truth in these.
     
    Last edited: Jul 6, 2017

Share This Page