THE Canadian government suggests carrying a money belt or a neck pouch to avoid pickpockets and purse snatchers.
Good advice, but I had to look up what a neck pouch is.
I have a trip to Greece and Germany coming up soon, so I’ve been doing research into travel advisories and collecting advice.
I’ve read a fair bit recently on women travelling solo, which is not to say it’s suddenly trendy – women have been quietly getting by on their own for eons – but more a result of the social media feedback loop that presents you with items you’ve previously shown interest in.
One of the movies I enjoyed the most recently was Wild, re-creating Cheryl Strayed’s hike along the Pacific Coast Trail from California to Washington state.
It was an inspiring story about how the journey was not only physical but also spiritual. But I worried for her throughout the film, when I saw the size of her backpack and then feared for her safety when she realized she packed the wrong fuel for her burner.
Then there was the long trek alone in the wilderness with the odd hiker or hunter who crossed her path. Again, I feared for her safety because that’s what we’re conditioned to do.
But the series of articles I’ve come across in the last few weeks is making me question whether this level of fear is valid.
Most of my travelling has been done in the wilds (more or less) of B.C. Yet I don’t feel that much safer heading out on my own in the backcountry – and not because I’m afraid of bears or of getting lost. As Krista Langlois says in an article in Adventure Journal, I know how to read a map, thanks. What holds me back are the same fears I felt for the movie version of Cheryl Strayed.
Mary Beth Bond has published 12 books on travelling, many of them about women on their own. She also operates www.gutsytraveler.com and from an interview in the New York Times advises that any woman who has lived in an urban environment will likely have the instincts to stay safe travelling. She might have meant the United States. But the advice that resonated with me: don’t let fear keep you at home.
The Canadian government offers some comprehensive travel information on its website, with the caveat that although behaviours are permitted in Canada it doesn’t mean they are permitted in other parts of the world, particularly for women.
Advice such as make copies of your documents. Pack light. Know the location of the nearest Canadian Embassy “in case you run into trouble.” Yeah, that’s not ominous at all.
Also don’t look like a tourist. Having said that, I’ve wandered around Seattle waving a map while trying to navigate public transit and people were surprisingly helpful and not at all like criminals.
I’m going to Greece and I’m being smart about it. I’ll following the advice, recognizing that dressing conservatively to maintain my safety is more important than making a statement about feminism.
As for the neck pouch? It’s a small, thin wallet you wear around your neck. I hope I can find one that matches my shoes.
editor@nanaimobulletin.com