Before Leaving
Before you leave to start travelling with the children, make sure you scan all documentation ie, passports, tickets, insurance etc. and send a copy to yourself so that you have an electronic copy to hand in your mail box.
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Bags and Rucksacks
Your bags contain all you own so you need to make sure you keep them safe at all times. Lock all zips with padlocks, combination locks are probably better then key locks as you may lose the keys. Put a short metal chain around a metal part of your rucksack (such as the frame) to stop people slashing webbing and taking your bag.
Try to buy and extendable wire cord, suitable for locking bags, and use this to always lock your bags together especially in bus stations, airports and other public places. Make sure you lock them to a solid object for extra security. If you take your eyes off your bags for one minute they can be snatched. This may sound excessive, but when travelling with the children you can be distracted in an instant.
When in your room, make sure your bags are locked up while you are out of the room. You do not know who else is staying in your hostal and the beds are often made during the day when you are out. If you can use the wire cord, lock the bags to a solid object. You may find a metal chain such as a dogs lead helpful to lock all your bags together if your wire cord is not long enough.
When travelling with the children on the bus use the wire cord, and chain if needed, to lock your bags to a part of the bus structure to stop the opportunist theif.
The main thing about bag security is not to get attached to your possessions. Do not take anything you are not prepared to lose or get stolen.
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Personal Security
The real secret to personal security is to use your common sense.
If you were walking around a major city in your home country you would know instinctively where the safe and dangerous areas were. Use this instinct when travelling. Keep alert but do not feel that you have to plan your movements with military precision. IF YOU DO NOT FEEL SAFE TURN AROUND AND GO BACK.
Going out at night, again is your decision, if you are unsure whether it is safe, ask the hostal owner, there is nothing better than local knowledge. How does the area feel during the day? If you feel intimidated the chances are that it is not safe at night.
When travelling with the children, losing the children is probably one of your worst fears. It is a good idea to give travelling children a whistle, so if they do get lost they can blow on it to attract your attention in a busy street or market. Wrist leads may also be something you might wish to consider.
It may be worth one parent taking responsibility for one child for the day or the trip, so that you only have to worry about one child at a time and not the whole family.
Buy a universal door lock for your room, this will work on any hostal/hotel door and gives you the peace of mind that you are safe at night. Always check the locks on your room door, if they do not work satisfactorily, do not take the room.
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Security on Bues
Always put your bags on your lap. This can be uncomfortable and inconvenient, but to be honest it is the safest place. If you put your bag on the floor, put your leg through the straps. It is common to hear stories of people pulling your bag from under your seat and taking your belongings. DO NOT LET ANYONE TELL YOU WHERE TO PUT YOUR BAG. YOU PUT IT WHERE IT FEELS SAFE.
Do not put your bag in the storage area above your head.
When travelling with the children and getting off buses, and taxis, you should get the children to go and stand against a wall nearby and instruct them not to pester or distract you. This is probably the point at which you are most vunerable as children and bags can be everywhere.
If people are distracting you (locals), ignore them, sort all your bags out first. Control the situation. It is up to you in what order you get the bags, but make sure this has your total concentration. It may be worth discussion before arriving what everyone has to do so there is as little confusion as possible.
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