I've been reading about money safety and different ways to separate items in case of theft, and I will do that. It seems the theme is don't leave anything valuable in your pack - when you put it on a bus it could get picked through, stolen. So I am keeping passport and cards and cash all on me.
However, I love photography, and I plan on taking lots of wonderful photos of the region. Obviously it would preferable not to leave it in the pack for above reasons. So should that also be kept on my person without exception at all times as well? I plan on being careful by not putting my pack down and turning away, I'm pretty good at that, always check where my stuff is. But if I put my pack on top of a bus or something, it could be out of my sight for awhile - and targeted.
It is a fairly new nice digital. Any experiences from others regarding carrying/packing cameras?
i carry an upper end nikon and have never had a problem. however, i keep it with me and wouldn't consider putting it on top of a bus. if you take the same precautions you would take in any large city, you'll be fine. please share some of your pix when you get back......don
I always carry a small daypack as well that I take on the bus with me, and my camera stays in there. I keep it by my feet. It's tempting to put it in the overhead rack but I've met people who have had their bags nicked from there too. Especially on long journeys you may be asleep or just not paying attention looking out the window and listening to music. It's very easy for someone to pick up your bag and walk off with it.
same here. We take the bus from the Pacific side of Costa Rica all the way to the Panama border on the Caribbean side. We always carry a smaller pack that we carry in our laps during the trip. A more common place for you to get your pack lifted is if you are on a big enough bus that it has an overhead rack above the seats. We never put anything up there. Definitely have that extra day pack and keep it in your lap.
I find that a fanny pack that I wear where my dominant hand can rest on it is fine for camera and odds and ends. As for overhead racks, they are fine if you are NOT going to doze off and you either leave some part of it hanging over so that you can see your pack is still there or you leave it clearly visible across from you. If you may doze, leave it locked and cable locked to something solid up there.
nonetheless, ALWAYS BACK YOUR PHOTOS UP AS YOU GO, you never know whats going to happen sometimes and losing just a camera as opposed to hundreds of memories doesnt even compare. get them burned on a cd or better yet find an internet hosting site.
I use the same pack system as Mayaphile. A fanny pack for camera, ID, etc. and a small backpack that I keep on the overhead bus rack "across from me" where I can see it. I don't dose off on bus rides. It seems that everytime I read about a pack being stolen from an overhead rack the owner "just dosed off for a short while". If the bus isn't crowded I keep the pack on the seat next to me or on the floor between my feet.
Although I know that a lot of people burn CD's or download there photos to a web hosting site I have not had good luck with computer equipment at internet cafes and such. The less I have to mess with computers when I'm on vacation the better. I just bring several extra memory cards.
I've never tried putting my photos on the web as I go either but I travelled with some girls that were doing it and they spent HOURS in internet cafes.
I agree with #6- I try to have more smaller memory cards rather than one big one, in case one gets lost or corrupted. Or burning CDs would work.
The lock and cable is a good idea - I leave in 12 hours so I hope they sell that stuff in London or Miami airports!
I bought a bright and sharp looking North Face day pack - but now that just seems stupid. Better to buy some cheap Maya shoulder bag or something for a daypack, as people have mentioned on this site. So camera is now on me at all times. Thanks for the advice.
I will reiterate....do not put your stuff in over head racks on the buses. It's great that mesacrow doesn't dose off on buses........that is no gaurantee. It only takes a couple of seconds of being distracted or looking the other way. A friend of ours put his pack above him on the rack. he did not dose off. someone simply reached from a couple of feet behind him, casually took the pack from the rack while he was talking to someone sitting next to him. The theif simply walked to the back of the bus and got off at the next stop.......pack gone, travelers cheques gone, passport gone. don't take the chance or advice of someone that flippantly says "I don't dose off on buses". That is just foolish.
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