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Getting ripped off.
Folks, one thing is certain. You will be ripped off in some shape manner or form. The scammers are better at it than you are at spotting them. They know how to exploit tiredness, disorientation, confusion, naivety. (This article is written with Europeans as a target group though it can equally apply to our cousins in USA and Canada.) In some countries, white skin and a business suit is an open invitation 'take me'.
TAXIS. What more ideal place for an unscrupulous practitioner of the art of ripping off? You have a virtual prisoner who needs to get to his destination - probably in the dark - certainly in unfamiliar territory. I hear stories of customers who have been driven round a very circuitous route to increase the mileage. In India is is very common for the meter to be 'broken'. However, even with a meter your fate is not risk-free. Meters can be set at various rates - e.g. night rate and you can be charged double for a journey. So you think you will complain? Try telling a very large Russian-only speaking taxi driver that he has set the meter on the wrong rate and you thought it would be less.
Advice - act really dumb and stupid. Ask the driver before you start out how much approx. the fare will be. Get him to write it down. He will then have to 'confess' what the price will be. He won't worry. Another sucker will come along soon.
MONEY. Change money in recognised institutions such as banks. Some hole in the wall change bureaus charge very high rates of commission. So long as they advertise it (in very small letters) they are covered. Ask first and compare. Excuse me 'how many sequeros do I get for $100)'. Money is confusing especially in restaurants. Use an unfamiliar currency and you can get seriously shortchanged. Frankly, credit cards are cheaper and convenient and - self employed people - you can claim expenses against tax.
Credit card skimming. Waiters or market traders disappear for some time with your card and record the details to be used elsewhere. This is going to be more difficult with the news encryption but it still happens. I only take one credit card and my AMEX. You can be really clever and take a debit card with only a few hundred xxxxxx. Then the thief cannot spend more than is on the card.
Car hire Well, its not actual robbery but when you arrive, strong pressure is put on you to upgrade. Sir, just for an extra $20 per day you can have an extra large...... sure. "The car I ordered is more than enough thank you. I do not have four large strapping passengers each with baggage. Myself, my friend and two suitcases will fit even into a compact car". Now, you don't say that - just ignore the clerk. He is only trying to earn a few extra bucks on his commission.
Losing things/being robbed Passport. There is only one 'thou shalt not' and that's do not lose your passport. Keep it in a bag close to you or in an inside pocket. If you lose it you will have the pleasure of sitting in a long line at the nearest British Embassy, maybe for hours or days, until you get the necessary piece of paper to allow you to return to your country. Weekends - forget it. Tickets - In this day of paperless travel, the problem is not quite so great but if you have been issued with a paper ticket then you need to show it. At worst you will have to purchase another one and claim the money back from the insurance. Oh, a word about insurance. If you travel often you should buy an annual policy, advertised widely on the net. There are some bargains but - there are no bargains really. With the cheaper ones you have to pay the first £50 or £100 and there are restrictions on maximum duration of any one journey. Carry your documents with you as you will not be admitted into hospital without checking your insurance. Don't even think of saying ' they are in the hotel' unless you have a keen friend who will go back and retrieve them.
Credit cards. Oh the sinking feeling to realise that your cards have all mysteriously disappeared. It is really handy to make a modest investment with one of those agencies that will cancel all your cards with one phone all. Not all companies give a free phone number from abroad.
I was at JFK in New York waiting for a bus and I saw a young girl just as she realised that she had had her bag stolen. She was in shock. "They took everything" she wailed. Believe me it just takes a few seconds. Your concentration needs to lapse only momentarily and the job is done. The poor girl walked round in circles asking if anyone saw anything. Yes ma'am but you did turn away from your bag to make a call on your mobile phone. New York is not the place to get sympathy.
Clever tip - before you leave, E-mail yourself details of your passport and credit card numbers and emergency numbers. If you need to obtain them, then the job is easy. Use one of the free clients such as www.mail2web.com to pick up your mail. It's dead easy. Internet connectivity in many countries is very good but public service outlets are few in USA. Try 24 hour copy shops.
Getting lost
First rule is 'do not panic'. That's unless you have a train to catch or an appointment. Do not drive faster and faster because you will become more and more lost, ditto when walking. If you find yourself in a strange city then why not find a cafe and have a cup of coffee. Let the emotions die down. Places will not move themselves around in 15 minutes. You will not get more lost that you are already. B R E A T H E.
Getting lost in the dark is not good. Try to avoid it if at all possible. If you have to arrive in the dark (very common on trips to not from USA) then use www.mapblast.com or one such and plan your route meticulously beforehand. An eight hour flight, two hour layover and two further hour's flying does not add to clear thinking. (See my comments on travel to USA). Beware of taking cabs as the distance may be great though it does not look so on the map.
Getting unlost. Tips:- If the sun is behind you then you are facing towards North. If the stream of traffic is left to right and it's the morning, then the city centre is to your right. Buy a street map and find out which intersection you are on. If you can find a subway or train station then so much the better. Bus stops often have maps or destinations. Look for 'centrum' or 'centre ville'. If you have a GPS and have logged in your destination then you are safe.
Getting help Now you have to be really clever here and seek out people whose profession is most likely to include English. Tobacconists are not a good idea. They have been selling at their kiosk for 30 years and are only aware of their immediate surroundings. Go for shop managers. They have to speak English to do deals. The younger the better. It is unusual to find a young person under 25 who does not have some command of English.
Calling home.
The last thing you want to do is to pump money into a phone box. You will pay a fortune - guaranteed. Coins are for mugs only. Most phones can take credit cards depending on the country. I have one calling card form USA and one from Europe. Punch in a code. In the USA or Canada, You can get calling cards from Albertsons or any of the giant supermarkets. They are cheap.
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