Health_Safety

People's main concern about backpacking also revolves around this issue of safety. People tend not to go because there are too many unknowns if you backpack. After having done the entire trip with few incidents, it would be easy for me to tell you how safe the whole continent is but in reality, it really depends.

But let me start off my saying what a friend of mine told me before I left. If you have the attitude that you will be robbed or that something bad will happen to you, then what's the point of going. Crime exists in every country, in ever city, so it's really a matter of luck and street smarts. The key is common sense. Why put yourself in a situation you don't want to be in in the first place. For instance, if you saw a dark alley in Rome, would you walk through it?

Pickpocket's:

Overall, I found that Europe may have more scams going on but it is nothing different from NY or LA. The most common crimes I found were pickpocketing. Because the crowds are so large in the metro lines, its very easy to have your wallet taken out from your pocket or bag. It takes them only a second to do it and often it feels as if its just another bump by someone. To deter this, I would suggest when inside metro lines, always be aware of who is around. Look at people as if you know what they are about to do to you, rather than having the lost and confused tourist that needs the comfort of a map look. Furthermore, if you are carrying a backpack, always carry it in front of you when entering and exiting the metro's. Thieves are so good that they can open your bag, take what they want and close it without you even realizing it.

Another thing to be aware of is gypsies. What happened to a few people I knew was that kids would come up to tourists and talk to them simply to distract the person. Before you know it, the kid would have either pickpocketed you or simply taken your bag and run. Another scam I was told about was when a mother with a baby would come up to a tourist and let them touch the child, while in the meantime the mothers hand would be stealing the tourists wallet. My advice is to remain aware of these people and make sure you look confident, even though you don't have the slightest clue on where you're going.

Trains:

Trains are often an easy place for people to be robbed. There's never really any security guards that are in the train and because the trains make so many stops, robbers can get on and off very easily. The worst time to travel would probably be night trains because there are less people that travel as well as less conductors that are on the train. I've heard of people getting held up in their compartments and ended up losing everything! It also appears that the trains in Eastern Europe aren't the safest trains to be taking at night.

My suggestion for this is, if you really need to take a night train then find a compartment with a family or decent looking people (well dressed). This takes away the chance that you will be robbed by someone inside your cart. The other thing you should do is find a compartment that has a lock on it. If it doesn't, then bring your own lock and lock up the door. Though the ticket conductor has to get in to check tickets, always make sure that its only him that goes through that door. When taking night trains, you usually end up falling asleep which is when thieves can take your bags without you knowing. Locking the door at least wakes you up when someone is trying to get in and out of the compartment.

Also be aware that train stations are probably not the safest places you want to be. For some strange reason, that's where the strangest people in the city like to hang around probably because it's open 24 hours. So when deciding on places to stay, try not have them near the stations. Of course, that's only my suggestion.

Single travellers:

There's always a higher chance that a single traveller will get robbed compared to 2 or more peole simply because there are safety in numbers. This is particularly true for single women. My suggestion would be that when you are going out at night, make sure you find people to go with and avoid those dark alleys. I want to stress how important it is to be confident when going places. The less you have of it, the easier it will be for the thief. But again, this shouldn't take away from your european experience. Just remember to be smart and use some common sense. Not everyone in Europe is there to rob you but it only takes that one time to make your trip a terrible one.

Contigency plan

Just in case something does happen, you want to make sure you have a plan so you don't have your trip ruined. A good thing to do is take a photocopy of all your important documents particularly your passport and travellers cheques and leave them at home with a family member or friend. If something were to happen, then you could easily have them send the information over rather than having the hassle of figuring out how to get another passport. Also keep a photocopy of your passport with you as well. This will also save time if a problem arose.

Finally, one last thing. It may seem like common sense but I will point this out because I witnessed it first hand. A money belt is meant to conceal your money and personal belongings underneath your clothes. It is NOT meant to be a pouch that is left outside for all to see. If you leave it out there like that, you're just asking to be robbed!