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Do not carry cash with you in South America!
Hey guys, I was just robbed of $500 US in Buenos Aires. I had $1000 U.S. from the deposit for selling my motorcycle in Paraguay. Unfortunately I decided to keep the money with me rather than paying 5% for Western Union.
I was keeping $700 US in my money belt which was inside my bag and resting in the corner of my girlfriends apartment. The apartment is in a nicer area of Buenos Aires and I did not suspect any of my gf`s friends to be thieves. I checked the money today and $500 was missing with $200 left behind. Pretty sure it was an inside job. The doorman to the apartment is a likely suspect because he knew I sold my motorcycle, had a key to the apartment, and knocked on the door 2 times yesterday to ask where my gf was. Do not trust any situation in South America! When you least expect it you will get robbed here. 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.) |
What is it with you?
Stop "dissing" South America at every available opportunity. Did you survive your rather chaotic ride through SA? Yes! And to who do you owe your success to?
We have a phrase in Colombia for the act of providing so much opportunity to be taken advantage of; it's called "giving papaya" and if you give as much papaya in the US as you give in SA, then you are heading for a downfall. By the way, I think you should be having a serious discussion with your girlfriend. |
south america
hola gatogato,
everytime I come to the HUBB I see a new thread of yours, accidents, difficulties selling the bike, corrupt police and so on. you know, if you are always negative, of course you will always attract negative situations. your are on my favourite continent, and believe me, I have seen a bit of the world. please stop telling everybody in every of your posts how dangerous South America is. I spend two years, and 80.000km on the bike in South America. Two of the best years of my life. And I did not have any problems that I did not cause myself. Even when the police in Brazil handcuffed me, I was about to beat up a young stupid car driver. BsAs is one of my favourite places, so dont be stupid and leave your money somewhere in a corner and than complain. Saludos Mika from Finnland |
I have had far more positive than negative experiences in South America. I would do the trip over in a heartbeat.
The message of this post is ¨Do not get careless with your money in South America¨ and not that South America is a place not worth visiting. |
It sounds like you attract the trouble you complain about - maybe you aren't cut out for this?
Just an observation. No offence meant Tom?c? |
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Should read Do not get careless with your money ANYWHERE. after reading one of your previous threads about riding through a village at 'breakneck' speed I get the impression you consider yourself as some kind of Indiana Jones but without the brains. |
Pratt indeed
Please stop... You are a embarrassment. Many of us have travelled on bikes through SA and have had good and bad experiences, That is why we travel. Its called life. However, you live in a fantasy world, which, to be frank, we don't care about. I'm sure they stole your money so you would have to go home and leave them alone. I would have done to. One person wrote, "i bet you are an American". I know you are!
To all the "fantastic" Americans traveling out there, we judge you not. To anyone heading to SA on a bike, i envy you. It is most likely going to be one the most wonderful experiences of your lives. Please don't listen to this complete MUPPET. |
Hello?
Wake up and smell the coffee brother - it was your "girl friend". You seem painfully naive - but it's not your fault your from Des Moines.
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Just to wear a MONEY BELT is a sign of an inexperienced traveller. For me, it is weakness. Weakness smells - it makes you a target.
Why wouldn't you just carry the $$ in your pant's front pocket - just like at home? Always carrying a nice sum of cash in your pocket (min. US$ 1.000) is an advice many "success gurus" will give to you. It will give you a healthier attitude towards money - about MAKING MORE money, and not about LOSING LESS money. Money does have a smell - a smell of strength. Believe me, it works! And a side-effect: If you really get robbed, you'd be happy to give away some $$ (give 200$ from the right pocket first). Or you may need to seriously pay your way out of big trouble - at a border, in an accident, ....$ For the tough traveller, there is still a lot of things, credit cards can't buy. Giving away a lot of cash could make your life a lot easier - and longer. My advice: ALWAYS carry cash with you. |
Gato next time when you feel the urge for travelling... stay home, subscribe on the Discovery channel and stop messing up the HUBB.
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Hey Gato
You wouldnt want to meet these guys on a dark night would you? These are the type who would pass without stopping if they saw a biker broken down by the side of the road. You've survived so far....well done! I see on your website that you're asking for money for your bike trips - can you send me some money for mine? Thanks. Your posts are extremely skilfully done - are you a dryfly fisherman by any chance? |
Hey Gatogato
Just read your ride report.Liked that..well done. Bill Bryson says your home town is the most boring place in the world.You better start saving for your next trip.:scooter: |
Be careful
If i have had to carry cash, i have always used money belt that sits on my waist.
I try and put this on under my cloth. iIt is best to keep your cash as close to you as possible. I think the man was not happy in his life who theft your money,and will not be happy in future. But in my opinion, you should be having a serious discussion with your girlfriend. :oops2: |
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Because everyone from Cali is a brain surgeon, What a twat. |
Hey give the guy a break, I'm sure it came out wrong. I screw up a lot, I've been mugged 5 times in my life and had it all, had knives drawn, I've even had brick thrown at my head and my face kicked to a mess. I only ever had myself to blame for those situations... is the conclusion I gather in retrospect.
Anyhow the point this guy is trying to make is don't make the same mistake he made. Ignore all the other details of the porter or the girlfriend or the fact he's in South America. Imprudence = will catch you off guard. I was reading one of the great blogs on here and winced at the story of a few bikers, and a couple of bikers who had their rucksacks taken whilst in a cafe in africa (not sure which country... but not important). They had their wallets, passports, carnets ... well frankly everything taken. The restaurateur said it was their own fault for not being more diligent. What more can be said? Be paranoid, until you get home. |
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 |
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. |
I like that...
XT girl,
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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 |
What a crap. How do you want to pay for your beers?. 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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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.. |
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!
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Rest is bad...everyone is a potential thief...no trace of civilization...corruption... underdeveloped minds ... Next time ... stay home ... :) |
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. |
royal jewels
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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' ". :rolleyes3:
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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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I got a puncture last week in Australia, my advise is to
be very careful here people, it's a dangerous place, keep your wits about you always, maybe you shouldn't come here altogether, You might get a puncture too. FFS. |
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My point being that memories are long, often enough. I'm just glad Al Gore didn't think to invent the internet when I was young and prone to bragging of my own irresponsible behaviors, disrespectful attitudes and vacuous ideation. Hope that appeases your curiosity. Mark |
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This is an old post 2008 from a hubb advertiser he was young and inexperienced when he posted this. At the time he lost for him at the time a lot of money and posted in the heat of the moment.
Can we cut him a little slack? |
closing thread
As this thread is no longer serving any purpose I am going to close it. Only because this is the "Travel Hints and Tips" Forum.
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