Well I guess a blog should cover all the ups and downs of a journey – and this week has been a tough one for the Adventurers!

Thursday night proved a lesson that it is always safer to get a tuk-tuk home! Maybe I was just tired of trying to give directions to our accommodation (HINT: never book a place with ‘secret’ in the name!) as none of the tuk-tuk drivers have heard of it. Either way the decision was made to walk home late at night.

As such a ‘lady of the night’ quickly found me! She must have been annoyed that I was not interested in heading down random alleyways for “some fun” and obviously decided to earn her keep by lifting my wallet. One arm trying to pull me to a secluded place while the other tried to locate my wallet. Now, I happen to deliberately wear jeans with quite deep pockets to combat pick pockets, and thankfully felt her move.

Even though I caught her in the act – wallet in hand – she still fought like a wildcat to retain my wallet. Some force was required to restrain her on the ground and pry the wallet from her hand. I assume she was trying to deposit the wallet on her person where it would be very hard for me to retrieve without crossing a few lines. Anyhow, I got the now battered wallet back, and released her.

I am not yet fluent in Cambodian, but I doubt that my lessons will be covering whatever she was shouting at me. So dusted off, wallet in hand I headed off home without further incident.

Having had a young child attempt similar in Phnom Penh in daylight last year (he drew blood trying to get my hand out of my wallet pocket) – it is always a reminder that foreigners are seen as easy targets and worth the risk. Who would attack a child or woman? And most foreigners carry too much money on them.

Even a friend of ours from Thailand had his bag stolen by a motorbike rider as he crossed a road in Phnom Penh. I read this is becoming a favoured tactic recently.

So my hints for travel safety – deep pockets, light wallet, I only take necessary cash and one card, split your cash and have emergency money well hidden, travel in groups at night or get transport, trust no one in physical contact with you and watch for the accomplice who is probably nearby and don’t be afraid to make noise if in trouble. Walk towards oncoming traffic, it makes it much harder for ride-by theft.

I don’t consider these as scary things, just simple precautions. Eventually something may well get stolen so minimise the impact before the event.

Adventurer!