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How does risk of crime effect your travel plans?
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Just watched a documentary about kidnapping and they were saying how often it happens but you never know about it most of the time cos companies don't want it to be known their employees were kidnapped (and that they paid the ransom) or people and their families just want to try and forget about it.
They said in Columbia at any one time there are 3,000 people being held hostage for on average 12 months each.
Certainly for myself if I'm traveling on my own I'll take it all into consideration - would love to go places like Brazil, etc but wouldn't feel too safe going on my own.
Also I'll look at times when say the plane lands and how to get home from the airport or to the final destination.
They said in Columbia at any one time there are 3,000 people being held hostage for on average 12 months each.
Certainly for myself if I'm traveling on my own I'll take it all into consideration - would love to go places like Brazil, etc but wouldn't feel too safe going on my own.
Also I'll look at times when say the plane lands and how to get home from the airport or to the final destination.
Post edited by JustV on
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I suppose it depends on whether you're visiting the main tourist resorts or not. I wouldn't just start walking around Rio or Abuja without knowing where I was going and what I was doing, but then you could probably say the same about LA or Glasgow. I wouldn't let something like that stop me from visiting a country, because tbh, you could go on a trip of Baghdad or Israel, and the odds are still way against you coming to any harm. But you can shoot me before I'd be willing to get behind the wheel of a car in India.
I'll be travelling on my own at the start of next year, but most of my time will be spent in Thailand which is relatively safe and used to tourism, although I may be visiting Burma and Cambodia. I'm not worried though to be honest.
I'd also like to visit Egypt on my way back from Asia, and again I'm really not worried, despite it being an Arab country. The worst I think that could happen is a bit of pick pocketing.
I would love to visit Colombia but that's a definate no no, considering most of the country isn't even under Government control.
The worst thing that has happened to me on holiday, was in the Republic of Ireland. We were visiting family that we have in Kerry and decided to do a bit of camping near the lakes of Killarney and our tent got slashed. We thought this might have been due to the 'GB' sticker on our car, but it could have been random.
My friend had his wallet stolen in Barcelona by professional pickpockets
Actually, the places I've been close to getting into trouble have been at smaller remote places for some reason. Not where you'd expect it to happen.
Ohh and i'd definately go again - but I obviously wouldn't go and hang out in a FARC stronghold....
Nope nothing was taken, but there were several slashes in the tent. This is why we suspected that it might be because we were British.
I've heard loads of bad stuff about pickpockets in Barcalona, my English teacher at college was pick pocketed in Barcalona and tried chasing the thief down some narrow alleys lol, needless to say he never got his stuff back.
So yeah...risk of crime doesn't really affect my travel plans that much.
Seeing places like that would put me off quite a bit from considering visiting them. Although I'm sure the touristy parts would be quite different. But it did remind me of the few hours we spent in Mexico just over the boarder.
Didn't look nice at all.
South Africa has a shockingly high murder and crime rate, but as long as you dont hang out in the Cape Flats or some of the other townships its really quite safe.
I've always wanted to go to Kingston and Jamaica in general.
The fact it doesn't even cross your mind seems scary to me .. some places for example are safe most of the time but become unstable during elections.
If you're saying you consider it but it doesn't put you off that's one thing but to not even consider it .. hmm .. :chin:
My country kicks fucking ass.
As other members have posted, it's a beautiful place!!! (Wyetry u roxxorz)
And it's not most of the country, it's around 30% of the national territorry, that's under control of the TERRORIST factions(there are 3, let me inform you all, each one with different ideals, that's why it's so fucking hard for the gov't to cut a deal with the fuckers), but it's mostly deep into rural areas, away from the cities. AND, in the cities, it's just like any other city, if you're a foreigner, piss ass drunk, alone in a downtown alley, it is natural that you'll get mugged at the least.
The best thing you can do if you're concerned about your safety, is: Check on the internet for youth hostels funded by international hostelling organizations(Hostelling International www.hihostels.com is great), and depending on the neighbourhood, ask the owners of the hostel which places can you go walking, which are far enough to take a cab, etc... The area known as La Candelaria is quite safe all along, and that's where most backpackers stay. Many museums are a couple of blocks away, every time i go to museums I find loads of europeans around.
Now drugs... stay away from that shit I've been living all my life here(20 years in dec.) and never snorted an ounce of coke that's just fucked up.
So please, bear in mind that the bad rep colombia has doesn't make it a bad place as a whole. It's a wonderful place, and here goes again: ANYONE who plans to visit colombia let me know, I'll show you around bogota with all it's museums, pubs and restaurants and I assure you you'll be fascinated.
lots of love andy
EDIT: when it comes to risk of crime effecting my travel plans, I don't mind that much anywhere...