ローマに付いた初日、電車で空港から中央駅に着いた瞬間に携帯がすられてしまった。宿泊先に行くためバスの券を買うため携帯をバッグに入れ振り返ったほん
の15秒ほど。しかもその間中ずっとバッグの取っ手を持っていたにも関わらず。間違いなくプロの仕業。多分小柄なアジア人女性一人旅というオーラをバン
バン出していたので完全に狙われていた。数分呆然となってたけど、なんとか我を取り戻しローマ警察に報告。幸いｉＰａｄは無事だったのでマックに駆け込んでＷｉｆｉをつなぎ宿泊先に連絡。部屋に付いた頃はヘトヘトで泣きながらＲにメール＆母親に電話。今思うと恥ずかしいけど二人にずいぶん励ましたもらって助かりました。
すぐにジュネーブに引き返そうか迷った末チェックアウトの日までローマに残ることにしました。せっかくローマまで来たのだし、何もせずに帰ってしまうのは勿体無いし、何よりもこのまま返ってしまえば窃盗者の思うツボだ。この際ちゃんと楽しまないとね。
というわけでローマの旅はこんな災難から始まりました ；＾＾
海外20カ国目にして初めてのスリ。充分に気をつけていたもの、こういうハプニングも起こるので仕方がない。
Rome came with a shock.
I arrived at the airport and took the train to the main central station. As I needed to take the bus to my Airbnb room, I stopped by the corner shop to buy a bus ticket. I had my small carry-on suitcase and my Longchamps bag. I put the bag on top of the suitcase to hand over my money. I had my hand on both the suitcase and bag the whole time. That was all but about 10 seconds. When I turned around to put my wallet back into my bag and dig out my iPhone to double check the bus stop, my phone was gone. I panicked. Everything was on my phone. How did it disappear? I didn't interact or got into physical contact with anyone. But I was sure I didn't leave or drop my phone. It was stolen.
I hurriedly ran into a travel agency where they told me to report to the police. After getting all the paperwork done, I ran into a McDonalds where I knew had free wi-fi to contact my Airbnb host of the situation. I was shaking but I somehow found the bus stop and arrived at the little bed and breakfast.
As soon as I closed the door, I couldn't manage to do anything but to message R and call my mom crying to tell them about the situation. They both tried to comfort me for hours which I am greatly appreciative for. My host was very kind in trying to look for possible iPhone vendors and giving me tips on my rest of my stay here. But I was terrified. It's not that I was so attached to my iPhone; I had most of my data backed up and had my iPhone 5S for over a year, and it was breaking down because I've been overusing it. But it's just the fact that my phone disappeared over a matter of seconds was very eerie. Moreover, it was a targeted crime which made it even more scarier. I was a small Asian female traveler which made it a very easy target and that frightened me even more. What if other people also saw me as a target? That made me want to go home immediately and I started looking for flights back home.
My mother convinced me otherwise. There will not be that many chances to back to Rome again once school started. Why not take advantage of the situation? I was hesitant and stayed in my room for the rest of the day bundled up. R had sent me quotes and prayers to calm me down and tried to keep me motivated the entire night.
I awoke the next morning with a clear mind and have decided. I won't let those bad guys take away my super summer vacation that I have been having. They may have taken away my phone but not my integrity, dignity and, passion for traveling. I booked my tickets back to Geneva in 3 days - the date that I initially had planned to check out of my room. And then I headed off into the streets of Rome.
Please don't think that Rome is a terrible city or make you defer from going because of what had happened to me. It's truly an amazing city and it would be a shame to avoid it just for the fear of getting pickpocketed. True, there Rome has one of the highest rates for theft alongside Barcelona and Paris but it's still a very small number. I traveled to over 20 countries and this is the first time that this has happened to me, including developing and higher crime rate countries such as Nepal and India (in which I was very safe and nothing close to it happned). I was just at the wrong place and the wrong time. With that said, I have a few tips for caution and safety:
1. Always look confident and alert
The number one mistake I made was that I looked exhausted. Well, I was. I just finished an intense 6 week program and I was feeling a bit "liberated" and at the same time still a bit burned out. Obviously, professional thieves can sniff that out. Have your head up, don't look so tired, and be "look" very confident, pulling that off will definitely help
2. Don't look so much like a tourist
My dress code while I'm traveling is to look like a local student. I write down all my destinations and plans in a notebook or my iPhone and never take out guidebooks or maps out as it's a big giveaway that you're a tourist. I don't look around too much either, even if I'm lost. If I am lost, I run into a nearby cafe or go into a store and check my maps then. Or ask someone.
3. Don't look around while on trasnportation
Another give away is that tourists tend to nervously look around while on the bus or train. I understand as they're trying to check if they're on the right train, right stop etc. However, inside transportation is where theves are lurking as well. Just act as if you're riding the train to work or school. If you're not sure, just stand near the place where they have train/bus line map and take a quick glance to make sure
4. Choose your bag wisely
I always carry my big Longchanps bag when I'm traveling. It's light, fits a lot, and it's quite deep, making it hard for pickpocketters to get their hands into grab something out of my bag (when my iPhone was stolen, I made the mistake to put it right on top). I put my camera, wallet, and valuables at the bottom of the bag and then put a scarf over it to cover and hide them
5. When sitting down
When I sit down in a cafe or restaurant and I need to put my bag down, I strap the should strap around my foot. I then squeeze the bag between my feet. That was I can feel it when someone is reaching into the bag
6. Contacts
I've heard worst stories of people getting entire bags or luggage stolen. I always try to carry a business card or a small card with a few contacts in my pocket so if something happens I have a number in hand I can call or I know where to go. I had all my contacts inside my iPhone so it took me a while to find my Airbnb host contact online.
I'm sure you can find a lot of information on how to protect yourself on other travel sites but these are just some rules I follow by whenever I travel. Be careful out there but don't stop you from traveling!
