Safe Travels
So you've heard the bad news: Rome, like many European cities, has pick-pockets just waiting for innocent tourists to come by and steal their hard-earned money, beloved digital cameras and state-of-the-art cellphones. But before you change your travel plans remember that there are bad people everywhere, you just have to be smarter than them! And although some might sound silly, here are some personal tips.
1. Don't keep your wallet in the back pocket of your jeans. Duh!
2. Always keep your purse closed, or if you can't zip it up, always keep your hand/arm over it. And always keep it in front of you (this counts for backpacks too). Some pickpockets will try to slash the bottom of the bag with a pocket knife.
3. Don't stop to look at a map in the middle of the street. Enter a cafè, study the route, then head out!
4. When walking in an alley, always keep your bag on the wall side. Kids on scooters waiting to snatch your purse are always ready, specially in the city center.
5. Don't walk around with a camera hanging from your neck. You're a big red target, and if someone snatches it, you could get injured.
6. Don't wear flashy jewellery.
7. Beware of gypsies with kids in their arms - they are also highly trained in stealing!
And here are a few Italian words you might want to know and use:
AIUTO (ah-you-toe)- HELP
BASTA (sounds like pasta)- STOP
POLIZIA (poh-lee-siah) - POLICE
FERMO (fehr-moe) - STOP (running)
NO - well, that's easy.
Try to follow these basic hints, because after all, we all just want to have fun on vacation!