That's a line from "The Three Amigos", but in this case it's just a few tidbits on how you can learn from my mistakes, and from a few good ideas on how to keep out of trouble while traveling, or even simply walking down the street!
My first mistake was losing my passport in Cairo, Egypt.
I went for an early evening walk to Abou Tarek to have the best koshary in all of Egypt. As I prepared for the walk, I put on my favorite Duluth Trading Flex Fire Hose cargo pants. I put my wallet in my left cargo pocket, and my phone and my passport in my right cargo pocket. Big mistake!
As I neared the corner of Mahmoud Bassiouny and Champollion Road, I pulled my phone from my pocket to be sure I was going the right way. Little did I know that as I pulled my phone from my pocket, my passport came out with it, and it fell to the sidewalk. The amusing thing is that I have had that combination of phone and passport in that pocket several times before, and had remembered to make sure my passport stayed in my pocket. On this particular occasion, however, I did not.
Of course, I was halfway down Champollion Road before I decided to put my phone back in my pocket. That's when it hit me. "Where the fuck is my passport?" Now, I didn't freak out like Cameron from Ferris Bueller's Day Off, but close. I was plenty pissed at myself. I retraced my steps, but never found it.
Long story short, I got a police report (required for the next step), and went to the American embassy to apply for a replacement. I went back 2 weeks later, got my new passport, and my old one. Someone turned it in!
The right thing to do is one of two things: Ideally, you should make a copy of your passport and visa, and carry that around with you, leaving your passport in the safe in your hotel room. If you prefer to carry your passport, you should put it in a pocket by itself, and that pocket should be one that you would not normally frequent. With regard to my favorite cargo pants, I should have stored my passport in one of the hip pockets, and leave my phone and wallet in the normally frequented cargo pockets.
My second mistake was losing my glasses in Athens, Greece.
I went to the Acropolis to take some pictures. It was like 40° outside, and I was sweating profusely. I took a seat on the south wall to get a good shot of the reconstruction progress at The Parthenon.
Now, I can't see the screen on my phone to see what I'm photographing with my glasses on because they have very dark Transitions lenses. So, I turned my glasses up onto my forehead, leaned back to take a decent shot, and my glasses slipped right off my head and fell down onto the rock cliff below. An inaccessible area below The Parthenon, but above the trails leading to it. I'm nearsighted, so I watched as my glasses take flight for a bit, then came back and smacked into the wall, popping one of the lenses out, then both continuing to fall outta view.
Humorously, at the bottom, I could just make out someone's baseball cap, and a pair of Ray Bans.
What I did that was smart was that I brought with me on this trip is my prescription work safety glasses. They have Transition lenses as well, so outside they look like rockin' sunglasses. However, inside they look creepy pedophile glasses. Having a spare pair of glasses goes with the old mechanic's saying about buying tools: "It's better to have and not need, than to need and not have".
I got a new pair of street glasses in Italy, and got a strap for both pairs of glasses.
My third mistake is that I should've said "Facebook"!
When I arrived in Rome, Italy, I discovered that my favorite opera, Puccini's "Tosca", was playing at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma. It was the last of seven performances. The online box office was closed, but the theatre box office was open the day of the performance, and I was able to get a decent box.
As the show was about to begin, I felt as if I was gonna be in that box all by my lonesome. Just after I finished that thought, an angel appeared!
Actually, a young woman and an older gentleman came into the box. They made themselves comfortable, and we watched the first act. During the intermission, Giulia, her father, and I spoke quite a bit. We chatted about the troubles in Greece and the parallels with Italy's unseen troubles. We spoke about my trials in my journey. She read one of my humorous Facebook posts, and was entertained. Periodically, she used Facebook messenger as many of her friends were constantly communicating with her.
We watched the second act, and then talked more about life in Italy, places she has traveled to, my plans when I return home, etc. During the third act, I was weeping for Tosca, as she threw herself off of Castel Sant'Angelo. After the performance, I invited them to dinner. They declined, saying they were already late for a birthday party. She then asked, "Gimme your email. I'll write you about landmarks you should go and see". She had me type my email into her phone.
I never heard from her. First, I went through the many scenarios as to why. I mistyped my email. She really didn't want to write me. She accidentally erased my email. She dropped and broke her phone. She, her dad, or both of them became incapacitated, or deceased. Then I searched on Facebook for all the Giulia's living in Rome. Turns out, there's a shit load of them. The more I looked, the more I felt it was time to just let this one go.
I really shoulda said "Facebook"!
My fourth mistake is that I really should watch where I'm going when I'm walking in unfamiliar territory.
Istanbul, Turkey has so many wonderful sights, and I wanted to take in as many as I could. My third day in this ancient city, I decided to walk to the Galata Tower. It's about an hour's walk from my hotel. Nothing I'm not used to in all my other travels.
Along the way, I periodically look at my phone to be sure I'm going the right way. One instance, however, proved that I should either stop and look at my phone, or at the very least, look at the terrain ahead before taking my eyes off of it.
As I looked at my phone, I stepped on some uneven pavement and twisted my ankle. Some locals helped me to my feet, and one called for an ambulance. When I got to the hospital, they took X-rays, I got examined, and the doc said I have two severed ligaments.
On the bright (intelligent) side, my doc said my injury would have been worse had I not been wearing the 8 inch tall boots I purchased specifically for the trip. He then put a soft cast on me, gave me some crutches, and asked me to return in a week. When I returned, the soft cast was removed, more X-rays were taken, and I was told that I would heal in a few months. They put the brace that was in the soft cast back on and wrapped it with an ACE bandage. I been here two whole weeks, and I haven't seen anything in Istanbul but my swollen foot.
In my last week here, I'm gonna take some private tours and take in as much as I can in one week. I'll have to skip the Turkish Bath, however. Bummer.
I have one thought: I may purchase a smartwatch and use that to make momentary inquiries of my course.
As far as good ideas: While I was in Greece, visiting relatives of my father, I was taken to a certain market street and informed that 50 years ago, my mother's wallet was pick-pocketed. I had already learned a few things about how to prevent this.
One is to never keep your wallet in a back pocket of your pants. Always keep everything of value (wallet, phone, passport) in a front pocket of your pants or shirt.
Another thing that made sense to me is to try not to make yourself look like a tourist. Doing so makes your presence known to scammers and thieves.
Don't dress like a tourist. I saw a guy in Rome, a father with his family. He had sandals with calf high white socks, plaid shorts, a bright red t-shirt with big imprinted text that said "Keep Calm and I'm an American citizen!" (OK, that's an exaggeration, but you get the idea), cowboy hat and aviator sunglasses. This guy's clothes screamed "I'm a tourist! Come and rob me!" Don't pack like that.
Look on the internet to see what the indigenous people of the country or city you will visit are wearing. You don't have to wear a galabeya if you're traveling to Abu Dhabi. Pack clothes with little or no patterns. Try to stay away from short pants. Your legs aren't gonna get as hot as your pelvis or upper body when it's 40° or above. Importantly, don't wear clothes like polo shirts or jackets that have your company logo on them. Pack plain T-shirts of different colors.
Women, I can say from experience in places like Cairo and Rome, where you might want to visit a famous mosque or church, don't wear short-shorts and shirts with bare shoulders or clothes that reveal your tummy. These are holy places, and you will be denied entry. Wear long pants, or at the very least, skirts that fall below the knee. Short sleeves shirts are acceptable, but no tank tops, tube tops, shirts that reveal bra straps. Anything that reveals skin or undergarments in areas above the knee, tummy and above the upper arm is a big no-no.
If you must wear these clothes to beat the heat, bring along some coverings like a shawl and a sarong. These coverings are very respectful, and the guards at religious places may treat you with higher regard than a person who shows up dressed properly. Especially if you use a shawl large enough to cover your hair and upper body. Importantly, be sure these items are not translucent or lace, or one that is knitted and has gaps that would reveal that skin is exposed underneath. Single colored or lightly patterned is OK. Nothing flashy or overly floral, like something that would normally be worn in the Bahamas.
Always try to pack as light as possible when you go out touring. A small day pack should be enough to carry, and more importantly keep secure, most or what you will need. Camera, bottles of water, antibacterial wipes and/or wash, a jacket, etc. Fanny packs say "tourist". Shoulder slings are very cool. When using public transportation, or if you are anywhere that you must stand still in a crowd while wearing a pack, periodically change position to be sure that no one is covertly entering your bag. Don't rely on the general public to warn you of thieves.
Another way to conceal yourself as a tourist: Try not to use a tourist map to get around. Plan the route of where you want to go at your hotel on your smartphone, and use your smartphone to navigate. Leave the tourist map in the hotel. Also, try not to navigate out loud. If you find you're going the wrong way, keep it to yourself, and for God's sake, don't use any turn-by-turn feature unless you're using headphones. You don't need to announce to the block where you are going.
When taking tours, if an e-voucher is accepted, use your smartphone instead of a paper voucher. If you would rather use a paper voucher, keep it concealed until it is time to present it.
Keep your hands free whenever possible. Thieves know that items in your hands may be important enough to steal, and that some people may rather fight to protect their items than to allow the item to be taken. This can create a good opportunity for thieves to get more from you than they originally coveted. Keep everything of value concealed, in your pack or pockets, until they are needed.
When traversing bazaars, try not to make eye contact with others. Try to behave as if the entire market doesn't have what you want. Vendors are less likely to stop someone that they cannot connect eyes with.
Learn basic words that are native to the country you're in. Try to learn how to pronounce them correctly, like learning when and how to roll your "r"s. Learning how to say rhetorical phrases like "No, Thank you", and saying it properly can keep you from being stopped.
Another great idea is to say "No, Thank you" in a language that is different from the country you're in. In Cairo, say it in Russian. In Rome, say it in Arabic. Just don't say it in English, 'cause you're a tourist if you do. Vendors are less likely to try to sell something to someone they cannot communicate with. Of course, you may encounter a vendor that speaks the foreign language you just said "No, Thank you" in. In that case, fess up, and just reiterate that you're still not interested. Be stern with the "No", and polite with the "Thank you". If you continue to be badgered, simply walk away. Vendors usually don't want to scare off other potential customers by making public displays.
Sometimes, depending on the situation, you may be inclined to ask for help getting somewhere. Some may give you specific directions. Some may offer to guide you. Be wary of guides, as most will take a route that includes their shop. Also, if you decide to walk with them, stay on the main, well populated, roads. Don't let them lead you into alleyways or less populated streets.
Most scammers and thieves will try to stop someone for a reason. One guy stopped me in Cairo because he liked my shoes. Be polite to everyone that is polite to you. Try not to reveal to anyone where you are going. When the guy asked me where I was going, and I told 'im: "Kasr El Ainy Police Station", he said, "So sorry, I don't know".
My trip is far from over. If I think of anything else, I'll just edit this post.
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