Safety Dance!

Good news, friends!  My laptop's battery just died from its four-year life span!  A fresh, somewhat-generic-bootleg battery is now feeding my laptop as I type.

Additionally, I've FINALLY received confirmation from the company in India about my stay.  They've given me the okay, and have started looking for my accommodations.  Wait, what did you say, Mahantesh?

"We'll start looking for a room for you to stay in, with your own bed, possibly within the company's facilities.  We have a campus, did you know that?  Maybe we can find you a private shower, bedroom, and sink.  You know, just so you're as comfortable as possible while you stay with us."

I wonder how long I can cross my fingers before paralysis or arthitis settles in.

On to other things!  As of recently, some dear friends of mine - and parents, as well - have expressed concerns on the actual safety portion of my trip.  For instance, apparently it is a REALLY BAD IDEA to wear a safety pouch, regardless of its flesh-tone polyester/silk fabric and waist-hugging fit..  Growing curious about such guidelines and their accuracy, I've decided to reference The Rough Guide to First Time Travel Around The World.  Below are the most interesting ones, and my thoughts on them:

HOW TO AVOID BEING ROBBED:


[]  "With just a backpack and no carry-on bag, you have both your hand free and can remain mobile for a quick getaway or to give pursuit, so robbing you looks like more of a challenge."

[]  "... consider disguising your pack in developing countries... Plastic rice bags are easy to find, dirt cheap, decrease the perceived value of the pack's contents, and make great rain covers... cut two slits for your shoulder straps, then sew or use duct tape to fasten."

AVOIDING DANGEROUS AREAS:


[]  "No matter where you are, get in the habit of checking over your shoulder and across the street every now and then."

[]  "Otherwise, walk with confidence.  When you're in an area you're not sure of, resist the temptation to pull out your map on the street corner.  Walk purposefully, even if lost, and duck inside a coffee shop or store to study the map or ask directions."

[]  "Also, get in the habit of avoiding the tables near doors or bordering sidewalks in cafes...  Keep your bag under your table while you eat, with the strap around your leg.  If you need to use the toilet, take your bag along."

[]  "Take a few extra precautions in trains and bus terminals, where many pickpockets lurk...  walk around the perimeter of the station instead of crossing it to so you can keep a wall on one side and your eyes on anyone approaching."

ACCOMMODATION SAFETY:


[]  "... treat your passport pouch like your spleen: sleep with it (or put it in your pillow case) and take it along when you shower - you can hang the pouch on the hook, just under your towel inside the shower stall."

HOW TO AVOID SEXUAL HARASSMENT:


[]  "Dress conservatively... Shorts, short skirts and tight-fitting clothes are likely to denote you as promiscuous.  While you're at it, pick up a cheap, simple ring.  You'll need a story to go with it - something about your husband coming to meet you in a day or two."

-  The Rough Guide to First Time Around the World

In a nutshell:  I'm going to have to run like hell with my backpack hidden in a rice bag while sporadically checking over my shoulder and across the street confidently against a train station wall.  My passport, as an internal organ, can filter red blood cells but also must hang on the wall while I shower, along with my clothes designed by Laura Ingalls Wilder while I wait for my husband to return to me.

OR:  Handle things the way my mom says to: "Neber, eber, EBER trust anyone.  Not da neighborrs, not da kids, not da workers.  NO ONE.  Oh, and put on your Pacebook eberyday 'Mom, I'm okay.'  Okay?"

Great.

[Jmags]