Essay

The careful traveller

By Tan Ying Zhen

音声ダウンロード

"Be careful!"

When my friends knew I was travelling to Spain and France, that was the first thing most said. Almost everyone had a story to share about someone getting his bag slashed in Barcelona, or being forced to buy a sprig of rosemary from a gypsy in Granada, or getting pickpocketed on a Paris subway train.

My travel-mate and I wondered about the precautions we should take. He eventually settled on using a money belt. I put the majority of my money into a pouch, which I "hid" in a bigger purse.

At Granada, a charming Andalucian city which stole my heart, we met many gypsy women clutching sprigs of rosemary. We also saw them shoving the rosemary into tourists' hands. Usually the tourists ended up paying a few euros for the aromatic herb.

At the Louvre, I stood at the back of a crowd gathered in front of the Mona Lisa. Next to me, a Chinese tour guide cautioned his tour group to not move too close to the famous portrait. He said, "Pickpockets love to strike here, just as people are busy taking pictures! Look, those two are pickpockets! Please be careful even when you are taking pictures!" I tried to identify the two pickpockets he was talking about, but to no avail.

The owner of the apartment we were renting in Valencia gave us some useful advice. He had been pickpocketed twice, once in Paris, and once in Barcelona. Now, he has a chain attached to his wallet. The other end of the chain is clipped to his belt, so there's no way it can be taken without his knowledge. He ended his lesson by saying, "Just be alert. When strangers appear too friendly, just ignore them."

He wouldn't have approved of what we did in Paris. At the train station, my friend and I pored over a map to find the directions to our rental apartment. A lady approached us with a bright smile and asked, "Do you speak English?" After we explained our situation, she walked us to the block we were looking for.

My friend and I were overwhelmed by her kindness. We shared this story excitedly with our friends. To our surprise, they chided us.

"Don't be silly! You were just lucky. She probably thought you were staying with a friend. You did mention that someone would be meeting you downstairs, right?"

There's no way to tell if she really meant to do us harm. But I prefer to think of her as a good Samaritan. When in doubt, perhaps it is better to trust and keep faith, even if it means taking a risk. That's the spirit of travelling, isn't it?

慎重な旅行者

筆者がスペインとフランスに旅行に行くと聞くと、周囲は口をそろえて「気を付けて」と忠告した。すりなどの危険な目に遭わないように、という意味だ。しかし、そんな忠告を受けながらも筆者は・・・。

The Japan Times ST: November 29, 2013