Dormitories in hostels are usually safe places for young people to stay the night. It could be, though, that you do not relish the idea of spending the night with a dozen people you have never met before.
I stayed in a hostel two weeks ago and it was a bit weird, six people to a room and no one really spoke.
What a way to meet them! Anyway, most of the time we travelers look out for each other and unsavory incidents are rare. Travelers are often students on a low budget, and there is usually a sense of camaraderie amongst them.
Occasionally, however, there are a few bad apples and minor offenses such as theft can occur. So, even in seemingly friendly surroundings, it is a good idea to safeguard your belongings.
You will get a good advance idea of the hostel if you read reviews written by those who have been before. If any issues are mentioned, find another hostel. If the hostel is in an area known to be a bit unsafe, then perhaps you should consider looking for another place to stay.
Here are few tips on how you can keep your belongings safe and sound during your trip.
Many hostels you will stay in have lockers available to rent. Have a padlock and at least two keys with you. Often, padlocks are available to rent from the hostel reception. If the lockers are a bit small to keep all of your luggage inside, then pack only your valuables such as your laptop, e-reader, tablet, camera, passport, and money. It is good to have a place to keep these things while you are sightseeing.
If lockers are not available, then it would be wise to lock your backpack securely. The backpacks which can be zipped up can be padlocked. You will, of course, then have to carry your valuable goods with you in a daypack. While a bag with your valuables in will be heavy, it is better than returning to find you will no longer have to worry about carrying them anywhere ever again!
Keeping some of your smaller valuables inside the pillowcase as you sleep will help give you peace of mind. Presuming you don’t sleep too heavily, no one would dare to lift them from under your head!
If you are going to be carrying a lot of valuable tech items, it’s a good plan not to draw too much attention to yourself. Do not sit anywhere with your belongings on display. This may give the impression that you are a worthy target. Another tip is to make the articles appear battered and old. Stick duct tape and stickers to your goods so that they look worn and of low value.
However, if you feel that the above measures are not sufficient to safeguard your goods, you may want to consider buying a Pacsafe. This is a backpack protector. It is, though, rather heavy and cumbersome.
It basically consists of a metal mesh which you can lock to your bed in your dorm. You will need to weigh up whether the expense and the other factors are worth the purchase. It is very secure, and you will be very unlikely to find your things pilfered if you have one of these. On the other hand, you will be advertising that you have valuables to lift.
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