Interesting problem, and one I’m sure many of you can relate to.
Wherever you’re headed, honesty is the best policy: Talk about the getaway before you book — the activities, the route, the degree of difficulty, the inclines and the hills — so together you can design a holiday that everyone will enjoy.
Encourage the most fit of your group to do their hiking, biking and weight-lifting in the morning, working out early to get it ticked off their list. Then, they likely won’t mind coasting along with the others for the rest of the day.
You can also plan to visit attractions that offer both long and short tour-route options, or those that include trains or trolleys if some would rather ride along. For example, bring everyone to the base of the fortress, and those who want to climb to the top of the tower can, and the rest can linger with the tour guide or hit the gift shop.
Build in air-conditioning stops along the way to perk everyone up if the humidity or heat is dragging you down. As well, keep luncheon light to stave off the need to nap. Limit your excursion to four hours max.
How to pickpocket-proof your vacation
- Carry your wallet in a front pocket, with the opening facing down. This feels bulky and looks weird, but who cares?
- Be alert in busy areas. Pickpockets target train stations, bus stops, crowded street corners and people stopped to watch street performances.
- Turn backpacks into frontpacks — not for the whole day, just when you’re encountering the crowds.
- Go with a cross-body handbag, holding it under your arm with the flap facing inward. Ask yourself: Do I even need a bag? Maybe you can just stash bills and cards into secure pockets.
- Be wary of strangers trying to divert your attention. Have your wits about you if someone tries to speak to you or brush up against you. My phone was once stolen by three people working together — one to touch my shoulder to say my bag was open (it wasn’t), a second to stealthily open my bag and steal the phone, and a third to further distract us, ironically warning me about the dangers of pickpockets in the area!
- Speaking of phones, consider using your old one as a “burner,” with an inexpensive SIM card.
- Report pickpocketing incidents to the police — they want to know. Authorities can only patrol areas where they know crimes are being committed.
- Snatch-and-grabs are considered violent crimes. Just let them take what they want.
