advice on carrying stuff v. leaving it in a hostel

[kit1049]

hi im planning my first backpacking trip to europe this summer and im a little nervous about theft/losing things/etc.

when i check into a hostel is it safe to leave my giant pack and stuff or should i continue to lug it around? Also i know i need to have a money belt and all that jazz, but am i supposed to carry my passport too? can't i leave it at the hostel locked up with my other stuff (assuming its locked in a locker with my own lock).

has anyone ever had their locker broken into?

any tips to protect one's stuff while sleeping on a train?

any advice would be great. thanks!

[herrbert]

In most hostels it's safe to leave most things behind. But you can always be unlucky to get stuck with a roommate who turns out to be a thief. A locker will give you more security. You can check when you book a room that they have lockers. (not all places have lockers!)

It seems to me that the last thing you want to loose is you pasport, so I always take it with me. plus in most countries you are supposed to have an ID-card. (Pasport or drivers-license).

[Eagle]

kit1049, most certainly, the only option is to leave your large Pack in your Hostel or Hotel room!!! There's no way you want to be packing anything other than a Daypack around while you're sightseeing.

Most Hostels are quite safe, but as Herrbert pointed out there are no guarantees that you won't end up with a dishonest room mate. It's essential that you don't leave any valuables in your Backpack while you're out. Hostel facilities tend to differ somewhat, but most (if not all) offer some method to secure valuables, whether that means a Locker or leaving valuables with Hostel staff. I usually keep my Passport and Driver's License with me, as one of them will be required if renting Audioguides at many Museums and other facilities (I generally use the Driver's License for that, as it's more "expendable" than the Passport). If I'm going to be in a "high risk" area, I generally lock-up the Passport in the Hostel.

One important point to make regarding using "my own lock", as you mentioned. Make sure that you use a good quality, pick resistant Padlock! Try to find one that is a bit smaller in size, and some of the Hostel Lockers don't have large holes in the Hasp mechanism. Also, try to find one with "heel & toe" locking, preferably using ball bearings. If you have a Locksmith in your community, that would be the best place to get advice on those points. I use locks made by Abloy, but they may recommend Medeco or one of the other brands?

With regard to protecting your belongings when sleeping on a train, you didn't indicate whether you would be travelling solo? If you're on your own (which is the way I usually travel) you have to be a bit careful. If you plan on taking a short nap, it's a good idea to at least clip your main Pack to the roof rack. I usually use my Daypack as a sort of "pillow" which seems to help. Of course, if you're a "sound sleeper", you might have to limit yourself to day trains. I tend to have a close look at the others in the compartment to determine whether they might try to "nick" my bags. It's not a foolproof method, but it seems to work well for the most part, and so far I've been lucky to have really nice travelling companions on the trains.

If you plan on renting a Couchette, don't count on those being entirely safe. Keep your valuables with you at all times! From what I recall, there was a post here recently from someone who lost some valuables when they left the Couchette briefly to use the washroom. Of course when questioned, the others in the compartment were like Schultz on "Hogan's Heroes" -- "I know nothing".

A final reminder (you probably already know this)--DON'T access your Money Belt where others can see you!!! Keep enough in a safe pocket for day-to-day expenses, and if you need to get into the Money Belt use a washroom or something. I was speaking with someone in the travel business a week or so ago, and she was relating a story about some knucklehead that was accessing his Money Belt in public, and then complained later when he got robbed! Duh......

Hope that answers your questions. Happy travels!!!

[Libby]

I always left my gear at the hostel when I went out, only taking with me my most important things (money, passport, camera, etc.). I never had any problems. The only place I locked things up was in London, mostly because all the other people in the room were doing it.