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If surfboy #5 had offered his services in this way, maybe a) the girls wouldn't have had their stuff nicked, and b) he would have made some new friends and might even have got lucky with one of the girls later ;-)
I ended up putting all my can't lose stuff in a plastic bag (Passport, credit cards, cash, camera memory card, mobile, tim tams), going for a walk in the jungle beyond the beach and burying the lot under a tree.
The ground was still sandy and it only took a few seconds to scrape a hole big enough. And there was enough undergrowth around so no-one could see what I was doing.
Bit of a pain in the arse, but in hindsight quite funny and a good yarn.
Just gotta hope no-one take a pee by the same tree!
When surfing it was a bit tricky as in the open so people could see what you were doing...just had to put the surfboard down and pretending you were fiddling with leash! Also very much needed to have a good reference point to find them again. No digging holes where the tides come in lol
Now have you seen Koh Samui ? It's all f...ing coconut palms, it's one freaking huge coconut plantation. Look up Koh Samui in Wickipedia and there's a picture of a bloody coconut palm !
Problem was, this bloke was always either half pissed or half stoned and couldn't always remember under which one of 2 squillion coconut palms his stash was buried. And I reckon at least half of it is still there to this day.
Any other suggestions ?? Maybe some beach side hotel that would have some paying locker (even if I'm not a client??).
Dive shops are used to looking after very expensive camera equipment and one i've been to on a beachfront in Egypt had lockers. You'll undoubtedly get hassled to go diving but if you're paying for the locker then they might ease off. Just tell them you've got epilepsy or something and they'll back off trying to take you underwater!
If you're taking a $1,000 camera, you're obviously not desperately short of cash .... it would be a false economy to stay in a crappy beach hut. Much better to choose a more secure hotel, with solid doors with real locks, and perhaps even an in-room safe. Leave the camera hidden in your room, or in the safe, if you go to the beach for a swim.
Some of those cheap huts are so flimsy that even my grandmother could kick her way in if she wanted to. Paying that extra $20-30 for a room would probably be money well spent.
I am not overly worried about leaving it in the guesthouse where I'll stay (although they are about 15-20$/night guesthouse), I have an insurance for my camera.
I am just thinking about the practical part of "where am I going to put it if I go swimming", specially when I'll be in Ao Nang (at GLUR hostel): if I go to Railay beach or on a day trip to an island so no acces to my hostel), and will want to bring my camera... not just going to leave it on the beach..
urchin79, The dive shop is a good idea, thanks!!
:-)
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16
Ask another tourist on the beach if they don't mind looking after your stuff while you swim. Usually, they will be happy to, and you can return the favor if they are also alone.If surfboy #5 had offered his services in this way, maybe a) the girls wouldn't have had their stuff nicked, and b) he would have made some new friends and might even have got lucky with one of the girls later ;-)
18
Had the same problem in Goa last year. Normally I wasn't too worried about losing stuff (thought it wouldn't happen to me), but 2 other people staying in the same beach hut place had their rooms rolled on consecutive days.I ended up putting all my can't lose stuff in a plastic bag (Passport, credit cards, cash, camera memory card, mobile, tim tams), going for a walk in the jungle beyond the beach and burying the lot under a tree.
The ground was still sandy and it only took a few seconds to scrape a hole big enough. And there was enough undergrowth around so no-one could see what I was doing.
Bit of a pain in the arse, but in hindsight quite funny and a good yarn.
20
Yeah a pain but amusing too, reminds me of squirrels hiding their nuts lolJust gotta hope no-one take a pee by the same tree!
When surfing it was a bit tricky as in the open so people could see what you were doing...just had to put the surfboard down and pretending you were fiddling with leash! Also very much needed to have a good reference point to find them again. No digging holes where the tides come in lol
21
I actually got the idea from a bloke on Koh Samui in the 1980's. Back then I didn't have anything worth losing (apart from my virginity, or so I thought), anyway this guy would buy hashish off the local dealer and go bury it under a coconut palm in the jungle.Now have you seen Koh Samui ? It's all f...ing coconut palms, it's one freaking huge coconut plantation. Look up Koh Samui in Wickipedia and there's a picture of a bloody coconut palm !
Problem was, this bloke was always either half pissed or half stoned and couldn't always remember under which one of 2 squillion coconut palms his stash was buried. And I reckon at least half of it is still there to this day.
23
Hum.. some good tricks for small things.. but I don' t think I would ask an other random tourist to check a camera that is worth more than 1000$... I like to do photography when I travel, so I wouldn't want to bring a cheap waterproof camera; and I can't put it in a case.Any other suggestions ?? Maybe some beach side hotel that would have some paying locker (even if I'm not a client??).
24
Hotels that have safes at reception always seem quite small compared to bigish ones in the rooms. if one had a swimming pool facility you might be able to get away asking to use it and the lockers.Dive shops are used to looking after very expensive camera equipment and one i've been to on a beachfront in Egypt had lockers. You'll undoubtedly get hassled to go diving but if you're paying for the locker then they might ease off. Just tell them you've got epilepsy or something and they'll back off trying to take you underwater!
25
I don' t think I would ask an other random tourist to check a camera that is worth more than 1000$If you're taking a $1,000 camera, you're obviously not desperately short of cash .... it would be a false economy to stay in a crappy beach hut. Much better to choose a more secure hotel, with solid doors with real locks, and perhaps even an in-room safe. Leave the camera hidden in your room, or in the safe, if you go to the beach for a swim.
Some of those cheap huts are so flimsy that even my grandmother could kick her way in if she wanted to. Paying that extra $20-30 for a room would probably be money well spent.
27
I don't want to get into an argument, but it's not because I do have an expensive camera that I have tons of money neither... Some people spend their money differently (I don't own an iPhone, an iPad, etc..). it was a big investment for something I really enjoy doing. ;-)I am not overly worried about leaving it in the guesthouse where I'll stay (although they are about 15-20$/night guesthouse), I have an insurance for my camera.
I am just thinking about the practical part of "where am I going to put it if I go swimming", specially when I'll be in Ao Nang (at GLUR hostel): if I go to Railay beach or on a day trip to an island so no acces to my hostel), and will want to bring my camera... not just going to leave it on the beach..
urchin79, The dive shop is a good idea, thanks!!
:-)
29
I have to say in some situations I think if you give someone your trust, especially if it's fairly high stakes and it comes as a bit of a surprise then it creates a good feeling. "I'm looked upon as trustworthy". Quite often that person will try to do their best to oblige to/or beyond the expectation. I'm rambling on a bit here but generally yes generally most people have the basic honesty not to run off with a possession and the good side can be brought out of nearly anyone. Problem is worrying that for a period of time it might be a bit of a burden eg swimming in the sea for a while! I've only ever asked someone to look after something just for a few mins say while going to get a drink or something. (And I have had the exact above whereby they were surprised I asked them and I came back to find them guarding my bag as if it were made of gold lol)
