Tourist? Where?!

So you want to avoid getting nicked? If you're really lucky, your trip could be a crime-free trip.

I always picture myself in Italy. I've read up on this country, and I've discovered that the most heinous petty theft crimes come from this place. It's infamous for that by all backpackers, I would say. Since I have never been to Italy (yet!), I'm going to note down some precautionary measures to take. Like they say, "Prevention is better than cure."

• Dressing Up
  Do a little research. What I did when I traveled within my region was to look up what locals wear during the season. When I went to Macau in December, I looked up Flickr for photos and albums tagged with 'Macau' and 'December 2009' in. Then I find pictures taken that include the locals (in the background, usually). From that, I learned that even though the Macanese tend to overdress, a normal jacket would suffice. I dressed like them, though a little more stylishly than most. For Europe, I did the same. Since I will be heading to London first, I researched on London in the summer (August). I found t-shirts and sandals and sometimes a cardigan. I found out, too, that even tank tops are doable! All in all, avoid having your map out every second. There are street signs, aren't there?
  
  
• So They Say
  It is not necessary to know a language to visit a place. As long as you're polite, you should do just fine. After all, you're in their country. Be respectful and never be too proud of where you're from. Of course, don't assume they speak English. How would you feel when a foreigner comes up to you in, say, Danish, and expect you to reply? I know I would feel slightly irked. Also, if you're loud, sarcastic, or extra witty, please refrain from making unnecessary comments to the people you seek help from. You might just be ignored. Make an effort; learning simple phrases like 'please' and 'thank you' won't hurt! [see Please and Thank You!]
  
  
• Art of Acting
  Never, ever appear lost. Even if you are, muster every ounce of confidence left in you and lift your head up and smile. Embrace everything around you. Take it over instead of letting it take over you. Of course, don't overdo with the smiling bit. What I would do is, I would take the first few hours of being there (even being in the airport is fine) to observe the local people. Observe those alone if you're a solo traveler, like me. Some countries, they are fast-paced. Some are just extremely relaxed. Go with the flow. From what I learned, people in Hong Kong are mostly fast-paced, especially in the train stations. When I slow down, I feel extremely out of place. I quickly appear lost. Be relaxed, look around like you know where you're going. If you should, ask for directions. Your best bet is to go into a store and ask the assistants. It's safer than asking a stranger who might try and lead you somewhere you don't want to go. Either that or try and spot signs and/or discretely follow people who look like tourists and you might just get where you want to be.
  
  
• Know Your Destination
  Read up on where you're going. It doesn't take much to take about 20 minutes to read through a guidebook from your library about the country, just brimming through the 'local customs' page. Of course, we have the internet. When I went to Thailand, I read online that you should always stay on track. I saw a few articles about tourists being drugged and raped. I'm not saying that every Thai person has bad intentions, but you should always be aware of the situation of each place you're visiting. There are many earthquakes around the world lately. Be aware of where you're visiting and the safety of the place. You should also read up on some local customs. If you're visiting churches, you should know that you must be considerately attired. No revealing of shoulders are allowed, and some even ban anything that's not shoes. The last thing you want is to be turned away! And that undoubtedly leads to your being a tourist.

At all costs, avoid looking like this fine couple here. :)