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16 Jul 2008
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be paranoid??!
man, we travelled extensively in sth america, carried cash (anything between lots and bugger all) wherever and whenever necessary without resorting to paranoia. went where we felt like going.
all you need to do is use your noggin. that's your head. paranoia is bad for you and those around you.
cheers,
andy
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16 Jul 2008
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Reap what you sow...
When I was in Istanbul, I gave my wallet (with all my money) and documents to a stranger at the door, to look after (you are not allowed to take things with you into the building)
Only after he was out of sight, did I have a moment of doubt - he was still there, smiling, with all my stuff, when I got back 10 minutes later.
When I was in Zimbabwe, I paid a group of street boys the equivalent of £1 to look after ALL my and my brother's things, including helmets, bags, etc.
We got delayed, and only got back hours later. They were still there. And so was all our stuff.
In Mozambique, I gave our passports to a complete stranger, with money for visas, because he said he could help us.
He disappeared into the crowds. I waited, and waited... and started to think how stupid I was - when he returned, with our passports, and all our stamps and permits sorted.
In Johannesburg, I lost my wallet with a weeks worth of wages in cash, in a flea market.
It never occured to me that it was stolen, I knew I had LOST it... and when I went back, to retrace my steps - one of the stall owners had my wallet, with all the money still in it...
A black man had picked it up, and given it to him, asking him to ring the phone number in the wallet to try and return it to its owner.
I can go on for several pages, accepting lifts from strangers on my own, giving money to people to look after, lost money returned etc. etc. etc.... and then...
In Botswana, we kept our camera equipment in a trailer, LOCKED UP with THREE padlocks, inside secured PELI cases and we never let it out of our sight. We were completely paranoid about security.
At the border, in a blink of an eye - in the time it took to sort our passports out, in full view of guards / public... someone had jimmied the locks, and stolen the peli cases. £20,000 worth of kit.
In London, we kept our new 125cc locked up, in a residence only, gated parking area, under a bike cover. We were completely paranoid about security. Got stolen within a few weeks of owning it.
The only time EVER I got money stolen from me whilst I was travelling, was when I was completely paranoid about security... I had it in a LOCKED money belt, inside my rucksack, and I SLEPT ON TOP OF MY RUCKSACK... £400 stolen. Whilst I was sleeping, someone slit the bag open, right under my head.
My experience may be unique -- but I believe, you reap what you sow.
Perhaps paranoia has a smell... and opportunist can pick you out.
Perhaps trust, inspires trust, and fosters pride and kindness and compassion.
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16 Jul 2008
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Shropshire, Blighty
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I like that...
XT girl,
Quote:
Originally Posted by XT GIRL
Perhaps trust, inspires trust, and fosters pride and kindness and compassion.
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Nice post. So far my experience exactly.
__________________
How much does a man live, after all?
Does he live a thousand days, or one only?
For a week, or several centuries?
How long does a man spend dying?
What does it mean to say “forever”? - Pablo Neruda
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16 Jul 2008
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Do not carry cash with you in south America!
Hello,
Now a days handling cash while traveling is really quite risky. According to me it is particularly not only in SA but allover the world, people are facing same type of problem.Credit cards are better option for this.But hurting tourists like this, felts quite guilty about it and take immediate actions to stop this.
Thanks
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27 Aug 2008
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Bolivia
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What a crap. How do you want to pay for your  s?. Travelled three years in South America on a Guzzi. Had not one single problem. Try Amsterdam for a start, where I lived 20 years. Feel better in any other city in S.A.
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15 Dec 2008
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
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Emotions seem to be running high..
Give the guy a break, It takes alot of guts for someone from an American town like Des Moines to take a bike trip to SA, especially if they are blonde and have never been to a 3rd world country..My opinion he was just sharing his recent experience and had a temper..Shit happens..and I`m sure he learnt his lesson without other people calling him a jerk.. I suppose with this post he`s also learnt the lesson to not take all the bitter posters seriously..
I give him credit for riding all the way from the USA to Ushuaia and sharing his thoughts, millions of others would`nt have posted anything on a blog let alone undertaken such a challenging journey. Somewhere out there in Salt Lake City, Utah or Brighton, England is another middle class kid that wants to break away from the monotonous, mindless grind of daily life and maybe he`s learnt that vigilance is fundemental when travelling alone far from the security of your own home, even if its at your hot argentine's girlfriends house..
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15 Dec 2008
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Errr...we gave the guy a break, a 4 month one...until you brought it up. Piley-on. anyone? God, I hate middle-class kids; wherever they are from - yeah, even my nephew!
__________________
How much does a man live, after all?
Does he live a thousand days, or one only?
For a week, or several centuries?
How long does a man spend dying?
What does it mean to say “forever”? - Pablo Neruda
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15 Dec 2008
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Turkey
Posts: 337
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gatogato
Even the developed cites like Buenos Aires still have poor people who search through every ounce of trash to recycle things. There is no escaping the poverty down here!
(That being said, this could have happened in the U.S. too but I doubt it.)
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You are right..USA is the best...people full of love, streets without crime, no poverty... land of the divine people ...
Rest is bad...everyone is a potential thief...no trace of civilization...corruption... underdeveloped minds ...
Next time ... stay home ... 
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6 Nov 2010
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: England but currently brisbane
Posts: 43
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SA gets such a bashing!!
Hey about to start a bike journey in SA. Had 5days in rio and all the guide books flood your brain with tales of robbery, knives and muggings. Dont get me wrong i know it happens there but it happens everywhere. Its the world we live in. Some people have money and others dont - and a few of these who dont will do anything to get it.
This could of and propably would of happened in your own back yard. Its life just pick yourself up and keep on going.
Im heading through SA for around 5 months and if something happens it will no doubt annoy me but thats life. So long as i am still beathing at the end of it i dont really care. If i loose 500US along the way just think of the priceless memories of the journey.
P.S was your girlfriend sporting a new Louis Vitton bag by any chance? ha ha.
__________________
Me and my suzuki EN125 will be travelling 20'000km through South America - who said life was dull!!!!!
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24 Nov 2010
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: surrey bc canada
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royal jewels
Quote:
Originally Posted by XT GIRL
When I was in Istanbul, I gave my wallet (with all my money) and documents to a stranger at the door, to look after (you are not allowed to take things with you into the building)
Only after he was out of sight, did I have a moment of doubt - he was still there, smiling, with all my stuff, when I got back 10 minutes later.
When I was in Zimbabwe, I paid a group of street boys the equivalent of £1 to look after ALL my and my brother's things, including helmets, bags, etc.
We got delayed, and only got back hours later. They were still there. And so was all our stuff.
In Mozambique, I gave our passports to a complete stranger, with money for visas, because he said he could help us.
He disappeared into the crowds. I waited, and waited... and started to think how stupid I was - when he returned, with our passports, and all our stamps and permits sorted.
In Johannesburg, I lost my wallet with a weeks worth of wages in cash, in a flea market.
It never occured to me that it was stolen, I knew I had LOST it... and when I went back, to retrace my steps - one of the stall owners had my wallet, with all the money still in it...
A black man had picked it up, and given it to him, asking him to ring the phone number in the wallet to try and return it to its owner.
I can go on for several pages, accepting lifts from strangers on my own, giving money to people to look after, lost money returned etc. etc. etc.... and then...
In Botswana, we kept our camera equipment in a trailer, LOCKED UP with THREE padlocks, inside secured PELI cases and we never let it out of our sight. We were completely paranoid about security.
At the border, in a blink of an eye - in the time it took to sort our passports out, in full view of guards / public... someone had jimmied the locks, and stolen the peli cases. £20,000 worth of kit.
In London, we kept our new 125cc locked up, in a residence only, gated parking area, under a bike cover. We were completely paranoid about security. Got stolen within a few weeks of owning it.
The only time EVER I got money stolen from me whilst I was travelling, was when I was completely paranoid about security... I had it in a LOCKED money belt, inside my rucksack, and I SLEPT ON TOP OF MY RUCKSACK... £400 stolen. Whilst I was sleeping, someone slit the bag open, right under my head.
My experience may be unique -- but I believe, you reap what you sow.
Perhaps paranoia has a smell... and opportunist can pick you out.
Perhaps trust, inspires trust, and fosters pride and kindness and compassion.
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reminds me of the story of some royal jewels that were sent in 2 ways Number one was fake. with all of security . the second was way was just by everyday mail. Guess which one got taken? The one with security. That was 120 years ago I think. Leaving cash in a strange land in a house is asking for trouble. Putting in a bank account would have left secure. there s tons of banks that you can access your cash anywhere in the world. Doorman, girlfriend or one of her friends. You left a small fortune by their standards laying around .  Bad things happen everywhere. In place such SA, cuba india etc woman will hock up with guys from europe, usa, canada just to be taken care of. For the dream of our lands they ll fake love letting lust cloud a the guys minds. A sugar daddy. From what I understand down SA way 1 buck a days is what some people live on.
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5 Feb 2011
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.....
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9 Feb 2011
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Join Date: Jan 2011
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Learn and move on
All part of life's rich tapestry gatogato. There's some good advice in this thread. Some of the criticism is a little over the top and some of it is well thought out and quite justified. $500 is an expensive lesson but the main thing is that losing your money didn't involve violence. Learn from it and move on. And maybe in future use the big head instead of the little head to do your thinking when dealing with pretty ladies. As we say in Ireland...."up there for thinkin' and down there for dancin' ". 
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10 Feb 2011
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Super Moderator
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Gatogato will never, ever forget this thread. Anytime he thinks he's put it behind him it will spontaneously revive, rear up and bellow its essence to the universe. Fortunately, notoriety is good for business.
I feel all sad and nostalgic about the thread involving the drunk guy. Any takers?
Mark
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10 Feb 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by markharf
Gatogato will never, ever forget this thread.
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Priceless. Or is it? 
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11 Feb 2011
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Ireland
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Quote:
Originally Posted by markharf
I feel all sad and nostalgic about the thread involving the drunk guy. Any takers?
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Mark, I'm intrigued.....what's the drunk guy thread....??? 
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