On my first trip to Mexico years ago, I remember my friends telling me that it was unsafe, full of drugs, hookers, bandits and that everyone would try to take my stuff at every turn. In Trinidad, the bandit copied the “Colombian” kidnapping habit, hence my Trini friends would tell me that they knew someone, who knew someone else who was kidnapped or murdered in Latin America, about how their favourite pastime ”is kidnapping tourists”. Of course, the media sensationalizes everything today and has a pesky habit of accentuating the negative aspects about different parts of the world.

It’s like when I go to US every other week to work. The average American client person thinks that Canada is cold all the time and that there are marauding polar bears everywhere and that we have rogue weekly avalanches  – I’ve never seen a Polar Bear outside of the zoo … but it is about what generalizations will spread.  As ridiculous as some of the assumptions people have about parts of the world, there are some very simple things we can do to ensure that we don’t become a part of other people’s stories.  Here are my quick tips to traveling safely in the Latin America or even in Trinidad – but they are applicable generally everywhere.

1. Take the taxi around – they’re cheap, especially if you can haggle!
   During the day, I am usually pretty confident about just walking around, however at night, taking a recognized taxi is always the safer approach. For instance, In Buenos Aires, I walked around as much as I could, especially since taxis are a chore but at night I always took a taxi. In Rio … I always took a taxi, even in the day… Rio is rough … ! In Morocco, I had the best tour of Fez ever for a couple dollars. Although it might seem like overkill at times, especially if your hostel or hotel is just blocks away, taxis generally are much safer than walking, above all at night.  We hear horror stories all the time about taxis taking people for all they have, but in reality this is a rarity.  If you want to be extra careful, have the bar call a certified taxi and make sure you are not alone. We all know the stories where drunk tourist decided to walk .. got robbed and lost hundreds of dollars/cameras/shoes etc … when they could have spent 2.50$ a person and gotten home safely.

   

2. Spread the money around … your body
   Simple and easy tip, yet I read travel forums and horror stories all the time about people being robbed of everything and their religion. Don’t keep all your money in one place. Do however keep “enough” money, in case you ever get robbed … hence walking with 20 pesos in Mexico per pocket is stupid … if you do get robbed, handing over only 20 pesos will get you beaten up plus robbed, and probably strip searched by your potential bandits.

   

3. Always keep a copy of your passport and never your actual passport
   When traveling to a foreign country, especially one where you don’t speak the language, never take your passport along with you. Have multiple photocopies and scan a high resolution copy and email it to yourself, in case you lose your copies.

   Repeat after me : Your passport is your life. Say it 100 times. Losing your passport in a foreign country, is akin to you being in a non fatal car crash. It’s serious, stays on your record if your embassy has to get involved and will absolutely RUIN your trip. Photocopies will quickly prove who you are, and get you back on the road quickly. Plus in some parts of Latin America, it is the law to at least have a photocopy.

   

4. Walk it, like you invented it
   Do you ever question a guy who said he invented something? Nope .. why? Cause he said so. When going to anywhere new, act like you’ve been there before and walk with confidence. This is a difficult trick to master for the inexperienced traveler – it only comes with experience and that certain “screw you” attitude that some people naturally have.If you stand around looking like a hyper-vigilant, paranoid tourist; then you will be treated like one. Do you see locals staring around? No .. cause they know what they are doing … even if you have no clue where you are going … you can always simply ask to get to somewhere interesting. I’ve done it enough times and it’s worked 100% of the time for me.   

   
   

5. Talk to the locals
   They know where to go and where not to go … simple, easy … now write that down <scribble> “Talk to locals .. check!”  The locals are hidden in this picture!

   

6. Don’t fall asleep on buses … unless …You’re at the back of the bus, by yourself.
   I’ve met too many people who lost their stuff on the bus. Food, bags, shopping … all gone with a little nap.   
   
7. Trust your insincts … if it doesn’t feel right, it isn’t right!
   

© rishiray for Rishi Sankar: Ah Trini Travelogue / Ah Trini Traveller, 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: argentina, brazil, chile, honduras, how to, latin america travel, mexico, travel, travel in latin american, travel safely in latin america

Nothing like a reminder of lovely places and sunrises as a pick me up in the morning.

© rishiray for Rishi Sankar: Ah Trini Travelogue / Ah Trini Traveller, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Tikal

seriously.. so while I wait here for this stupid bus that is late as hell…. im thinking, the weather has to be nice in Belize right? Since it just started raining here in Tikal. Ah well, after a lost day yesterday to bad tacos, alcohol and fatigue, Belize City and Caye Caulker should be a nice respite, although finding out that there is no Sheraton there makes me tingle in the worst places.

Anyway, time to sign off quickly, since the bus should be here any minute now.

© rishiray for Rishi Sankar: Ah Trini Travelogue / Ah Trini Traveller, 2008. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
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it’s now 5.49pm here in Flores, Guatemala.

I don’t know how backpackers do this anymore, I’m getting old, cranky and just won’t tolerate cheap ass shit no more. Seeing them in their scruffy, unshaven, bohemian selves makes me shiver …. since when do Europeans and Israelis think it is not cool to shower for days then get on a bus with a bunch of people. Like I just wanted to slap people all over my bus. I get the fact that students don’t have money and what not, but when ur a bunch of 30+ yr old people backpacking and arguing about sharing a room for 4 people,  when the room is 11$ USD  a head.. which makes the total cost per person of about …ummm , this math is hard… it will take a while to divide that much money… unmmmm…yeah about 2.75$ a head.. the fuckers.. i just wanted to slap them dotish.

So anyway, I woke up this morning about 5am to pack and catch the 6am bus from Palenque. It was about 400 Pesos.. so about 37 USD to get the bus, and the bus included the transport to the Yaxchilan and the river, then the 30 min river ride to Bethel, then the 4 hour bus transfer from Bethel to Flores. I think by the second time, you do a trip, you start being an expert, I think by the third time you show someone around an area, you are a defacto expert.

Flores is nice, small island in the middle of a huge lake and about 70 mins from Tikal, which is the largest Temple in the “Mayan” world. I use quotes around mayan, since a lot of things I have seen on this trip have made me reconsider a lot revisionist Catholic history. This trip has confirmed a lot of things, I have thought since I started temple hopping across the world. Palenque in particular, has such a mix of Egyptian, Hebrew, Hindu and Chinese elements, that it really does question the whole Columbus discovered the new world in the 1400′s and yada yada yada. Revisionist garbage, I think…now I kinda wish I did some type of history in university but no reason for me not to get the booklists for my own personal readings.

Anyway back to these blasted backpackers and all….someone needs to tell people that being stinky and unkempt is not a fashion statement and doesn’t make you a cool traveller. Anyway, after moving around for two hours to find a hotel in this place that has an Internet connection and reliable A/C, I am dead tired and need a good shower. But definitely getting here was part of the experience, who takes a boat with their 60lb backpack and 20 lb technology backpack…. now if only I could find a gym here tomorrow after Tikal, although I suspect that I will be so tired by noon, I wont want to go anywhere.

Oh yeah, forgot, I actually met a trini girl on my backpacking this morning, she was very nice… it is nice to meet trinis when I’m travelling and all… Simone got sick this morning on the way from Palenque to Yaxchilan… but she ended up with some medicine from some Frenchies. Anyway, time to grab some food… I dont know about walking around here and all…and shit I am so tired of fricking frijoles now, I never wanna see them ever again…..

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