Our first mistake
Posted on 09 September 2008 by Natalie
It’s true. We made our first backpacking mistake. Justin and I are beginning our budget travel adventure in Rome arriving on Wednesday, October 1st. Back in late March we sent a few emails to The Colors Hotel in Rome and made reservations for 3 nights. We booked two beds in a room with 6 beds total. Yes, this means that up to 4 absolute strangers will be sleeping nearby. Not a big deal…this is part of budget travel.
Two days ago, it occurred to me that I should see if The Colors Hotel will allow Justin and I to use an “extra” locker for our little suitcase. You see, with my brothers wedding happening in Italy
Basically, The Colors Hotel emailed me and informed me that there are no lockers. This was our first mistake. We found an awesome place to stay. [NOTE: I am still excited to stay at The Colors Hotel.] However, our mistake was that we never asked about lockers, we assumed. Now we have no place to lock our little suitcase or our 2 backpacks filled with all of our nomad backpacking stuff. Is it safe to leave it in the room we are sharing with 4 strangers? Has anyone stayed at The Colors Hotel in Rome? Do you think Rome is safe? Should we pay extra money for the private double room, at The Colors Hotel? I love how bright and colorful it looks, but dare I ask for another accommodation recommendation?
Justin and I made our first mistake, what do you think we should do?
Three current solutions I have explored:
1. Ship our stuff to the castle – DHL will charge us $327.46 for a 30lb package from Detroit, MI to Perugia, Italy
2. Store it at the Rome Train Station (they got rid of lockers after 9.11 and now have a type of luggage check in) I calculated the cost of storing our luggage (which is charged on a per hour bsis), the shuttle from the airport to the train station and a cab ride from the train station to The Colors Hotel – $101.25 total – we will leave Rome on Saturday, October 4th and take the train to Perugia for my big bro to tie the knot. So technically, it’s not completely inconvenient.
3. Get a private room with a double bed instead of the 6-person dorm room experience. We would pay an additional $183 total (an extra $61 a night).
Those are the 3 solutions I could think of. What do you think?
Will it be safe for Justin and I to just leave all our stuff in the room we are sharing with 4 complete strangers? Maybe it will be? It just makes me nervous because it’s so close to my brothers wedding date and we will just be beginning our travels. I would like to avoid having anything (or everything) stolen.
We made our first mistake. Now what?
THE FOLLOW UP:
We stayed at the Colors Hotel & Hostel in Rome and everything worked out perfectly fine. No problems! Super safe, clean, and in a great location. Although their are no lockers or any methods of securing your belongings, the front desk was attended 24 hours a day.
However, we still brought locks with us, all around the world!
Hi,
There are these backpack security nets made out of sturdy interlocking metal which are available. Pac-Safe. That’s one company. These things lock up bags pretty tight. A few of those and it should be safe to leave your bags, not in your room, but in the communal storage place. All hotels/hostels have a place for people to leave their bags while they are out. I’ve seen people leave surfboards, hiking shoes and other stuff.
Europe has tons of thefts in Hostels, and many hostels have inadequate lockers. You need to be able to lock up your bags at the zipper pulls. You then buy two dog chains, the smallest possible and weave around the bunks or something sturdy and lock again.
If you bag has a lot of zipper, I would say you purchased the wrong travel bag.
The pacsafe will not stop theft, they work ok on a train in India when you are sleeping, but the majority of traveler dump them. There are huge holde in between the mesh whereby anyone can reach in an open the bag and pull out items.
Here is a link, with a video showing how to convert hiking bag to a traveler bag.
Andy of HoboTraveler.com on year 11 of perpetual travel, presently on the way to Taiwan.
Good luck with the Nomad life, hope you do not get robbed.
How to make backpack locable
Forget about shipping the package, the person that receives it will have to pay duty tax. That price is way to expensive.
Most hotels have pack rooms, if not, the desk is always OK watching the bag for the traveler. I wouldn’t worry about it to much. Wait until you get there, believe me in the moment you will figure out the situation.
Bring the proper locks with you, that is important.
Most people will not steal clothes, although people will steal cameras, laptops, money. I have a handy compact wire lock that I can lock my pack with, I bought from E-bags.com, although in the middle east I have not worried about people stealing from me.
I hope we cross paths, there is a chance we could, I will be in Eastern Europe Spring of 09.
Well, at least you realized this before you got there!! Now you have the opportunity to find a solution now rather than worrying about it while you’re there. I haven’t stayed in a hostel…yet, but I bet Shawn is right and a solution will present itself once you’re there. The cables and locks are a good idea though.
Just to add, if your at a hotel/hostel, and they don’t provide security for your valuables and they have a sign saying that are not responsible for any theft I would leave the place.
Most other travelers in hostels will not steal from another traveler, I am referring to non-valuables.
If you really want to be Nomad, please do not believe any advice saying that travelers do not steal and maybe you will survive. Never allow anyone on the planet the opportunity to cheat or steal from you and you will not learn to hate countries of other travelers. If you are naive, put on the rose colored glasses of 99 percent of the traveler, this word Nomad will be the same as the majority of the travelers, you will be just another “Tourist with Backpacks.”
I will finish my eleventh year of wondering the planet soon, hopefully one day you will look back on a funny question like this and have a chuckle. This is truly a first mistake, and understanding of travel from a novice point of view.
Most travelers will not admit they were ever robbed, people do not brag about what they feel is being stupid. Europe has organized robbery, they will come into a Hostel and rob every bag. I saw it in Brugge, Belgium and in Warsaw, Poland. There is a denial because all the Tourist with Backpacks do not want to accept or say anything bad about Europe.
Try to find true traveler to get advice, the number of long term travelers is increasing, or listen to Tourist with Backpacks and get robbed and go home, saying,
“I had a great time in Europe.”
Andy of HoboTraveler.com in Taipei, Taiwan.
We are glad you like our blog! http://www.soultravelers3.com Sorry, I can not really help here specifically, as we have very little experience with hostels (despite going on our 3rd year of an open ended world tour).
This is the first of many, many mistakes to come…ENJOY! Use your creativity and you will solve them all quite easily. It is really part of the fun.
We have not had any problem with robberies, but we have been extremely careful and we hear other stories of robbery all the time. Be aware and cautious in this area.
Since your mom is carrying it back, why can’t she carry it in for you and store it?
We had to solve taking a huge and heavy digital piano with us around the world (violin) and lessons on the go for our kidlet. If there is a will ,there is a way. We live large on 25K a year total for our family of 3. Easy with thought and prep!
I would pack as lite as possible. We often travel for months at a time with 1 tiny day pack each when we are away from our RV. Backpackers are usually amazed; we include homeschool supplies; books for our read-aholic.
Think light, simple, free and if you are going to laugh later at problems, remember to laugh in the midst of them. They can all be solved!
Travel mercies to you and hugs from Sweden ( at the moment)!
I agree with Range, getting one of those backpack locks is a good way to go. Personally, I lock up my laptop and camera and leave the clothes and pack on my bed. I see lots of people leave their packs behind for the day, without a lock. But if you have expensive gear, it’s not worth the risk. Especially if people at the hostel will have the opportunity to see you using it, you might tempt someone who otherwise would leave your stuff alone. Is it possible to have the staff lock it up for you behind the reception desk?
I agree with Christine, when I was hosteling in California, before I left the country, everyone would leave their clothes and bags, or pack on their bed, except in San Francisco and LA where they have lockers.
If someone steals my clothes then they must need them more then myself. I would be more than happy to buy new clothes.
Thank you all for your many thoughts and ideas regarding the subject of hostel security. You have given me a lot to think on. Clearly, the easiest way to prevent theft is to learn to think like a thief!
Hello!
It is relatively easy to get robbed in Rome, though it is rumored that it is even easier to get robbed in Napoli & Sicilia. Be super aware on the subway in Rome. The lockers were the way to go in my day…so I would vote on the train station solution together with some good locks.
While in Perugia, can you please eat some crostini for me? Please? This this the Rolls Royce of toast, and yes! It is that good (and easy to tell if it is veggie).
Wish I was going with you,
Sarah
Hello everyone,
Thank you for all of the advice, ideas, and experience that you have shared. I cannot begin to express just how valuable the information you have shared is. Not only Justin and I benefit, but other backpackers will as well.
As for “Our First Mistake”, my mom and grandma are coming to the rescue. My grandma and grandpa (Happy 82nd Birthday today!) will be bringing my dress and Justin’s suit to Italy for us. My mom and dad will be bringing my heels and Justin’s shoes.
Thanks for transporting our fancy wedding threads over to Italy for us! Philip and Amy will be happy to see us dressed up on their wedding day.
As for leaving our backpacks in hostels without lockers, we will plan on taking some of the theft deterrence measures. Thanks again for sharing!
You guys are incredible. And Sarah, I will be sure to have a crostini for you while in Perugia. While describing our adventures in Italy I may even share how delicious the crostini was. I wish you were going with us too!
I know this discussion is mostly dead, as the post is over two weeks old, but what did you guys decide on as far as theft-deterrent measures?
What are our theft-deterrent measures?
One Word: Ninjas!
@Natalie – …. what? I’m not going with you. What are you talking about?
@Paulie – By Ninjas, I believe Natalie means that we will be using security cables and locks to deter theft. I will take some pictures when we get the chance. Admittedly, it is not a perfect system. However, I believe it will present an effective theft deterrent.
@Natalie & @Justin – So you’re not going to be carrying around Katanas? That’s a real bummer! That would be a HUGE theft-deterrent for me. I’d be like, “Don’t rob the ninjas they’ll exact ruthless revenge! Look at their swords!” Locks and cables are always good too. Though locks and cables never stopped Shredder…