Security When Backpacking
Going backpacking, whether for a fortnight or a year, presents a security challenge that really shouldn’t be taken too lightly. One of the biggest problems comes with taking everything you need for the trip around in one or two bags, which carries particular risks on an extended trip. Additionally, many of the places you will probably stay will not have the security of your standard hotel. Rooms in Third World countries may not have the security of those in the West, while you may often find yourself sharing accommodation with strangers. If you're planning a backpacking trip here's some tips on how to stay secure.
Take a lock
If you move into shared accommodation, which would be very likely if you stay in a hostel, then you should take a small padlock. It's usually not necessary to lock everything you have away, but you should certainly lock valuable items such as your passport away; you won't need to take travel documents out with you, as that presents an unnecessary risk. If your accommodation does not provide lockers, then they should provide a safe to put these in.
Where should I put my backpack?
If you can't fit all of your belongings into a locker, then it's important to make sure your backpack is behind a locked door if you are away from it. That means just keeping it in the dormitory if you're in shared accommodation or in your locked room if you have that option. It is particularly important not to leave your backpack unattended for any length of time in poorer countries, such as in Africa or Southeast Asia. One simple lapse of security could end with the majority of your stuff going missing – it's just not worth it.
In Transit
If you're on an extended trip, then you will probably be travelling around a lot. This means you will often have to put your baggage in the hold of buses and not keep it with you, which can be hazardous. It's fairly uncommon, but bags can be stolen from under the hold of buses, particularly at stop offs. For transit, it's important to put all of your valuables in a separate bag to what you will be putting in the hold (normally your backpack). Things to be classed as valuables would be: phone, MP3 player, camera, laptop, passport, cash and travel documents. The rest of your bag shouldn't be quite so expensive to replace if it went missing.
Travel Insurance
Getting a travel insurance policy when going backpacking is essential. That's not only to cover things that may go missing either; it's vital that one is in place so you can get proper treatment should you get injured or become ill. Get a comprehensive policy that will cover you for everything that you could potentially be doing for the full duration of your trip – take a look at Go Travel Insurance for reasonably affordable comprehensive travel insurance. If you’re worried about losing items then it may be worth getting a policy with no excess but these are often much more expensive. Of course, you may deem the added peace of mind to be worth it, particularly if you don't have the cash to replace things while you are travelling.