[Idyllchat] Fanny pack in Paris and gypsies

[Lynanne Guynn]

I've heard true instances where people had their hand on the zipper of their fanny pack sitting on their stomach, when an unknown got their wallet, and they didn't know it until they went to buy something, and the wallet was gone.  Never underestimate these gypsies - they are professionals, and they teach their little children to be professionals also.  No matter how much you hate it, you need an under-the-clothing waist belt.  Still, never carry anything you can't afford to lose.  I have a TravelSmith long split skirt that advertised a hidden zippered pocket.  When it came, I looked for the hidden pocket.  Turned the garment inside-out, upside-down, everywhichway I could, but no pocket.  Before calling to complain about false advertising, I tried one more time to find that pocket.  Aha , there it was, nestled inside the deep right pocket, with one of those tiny concealed zippers.  I'm confident no professional - no matter how good - could have found it, and then if they had, they couldn't have removed whatever was in that pocket.
 
Lynanne 
Visit my Blog at www.lynanneg.blogspot.com


Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:18:22 -0500From: WSLAZYK at luc.eduTo: idyllchat at lists.untours.com; ShutterbugBill at verizon.netSubject: Re: [Idyllchat] Wearing a fanny pack in ParisCC: 

I have a number of "travel" garments from TravelSmith.  These garments have numerous pockets in different places.  Some of them have zippers and some of them are very, very deep. Others are accessed through slits where there are normally just seams.  These designs are supposed to thwart pickpockets.  
 
I keep items that I need readily in these security pockets when I travel and thus I feel my important 'stuff' is safer.  Whether that's true or not, I really can't say since I haven't traveled to any of the places notorious for pickpockets (e.g. Rome).  Maybe someone on this forum can say if such specially designed garments really prevent theft.
 
Walt Slazyk
Downers Grove, IL
 
p.s.  One technique I use when I go into the city (Chicago) is to fold my handkerchief over my wallet and put it in my left front pocket.  This pocket is supposedly harder for right-handed pickpockets to enter cleanly. And if they do, they grab your handkerchief instead of your wallet. 
>>> "Bill Kover" <ShutterbugBill at verizon.net> 3/28/2008 3:44 PM >>>
Eleanor hates wearing a money belt (or one that hanges from your neck under her blouse).  She wants to wear a zippered fanny pack when we're in Paris.
I am against it at least for carrying cash, credit cards/debit cards and passports.  We plan to use buses rather than the metro while in Paris.  
 
Can anyone who has been to Paris give me advise regarding the safety of wearing a fanny pack.  Maybe I should carry the passports and my credit cards in my neck (under-shirt) security pouch and leave Eleanor's copies of credit/debit card back in our apartment.  Does anyone have any alternative suggestions?
 
Any advise would be appreciated.
 
Bill Kover
Piscataway, New Jersey 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.dca.net/pipermail/idyllchat/attachments/20080328/28f53ac9/attachment.htm