Hi

Busy preparing for some travels and have some concerns about things being stolen off of the car, things like jacks, ladders, spare wheels, jerry cans etc.

Have seen many vehicles fully loaded with gear and was wandering if anyone has advice or experiences to share.

Cheers
Pete

Note: travels will be through Europe and Africa

I had a new tyre, jerry can, spare wheel with new tyre and sandladders attached to the outside of the car. Everything was padlocked but to be honost i don't think you really need it. Things go as follows in most places; you turn up somewhere, people gather around you, couple of guys offer to guard the car if you intend to go away to shop or whatever. You pick one and clearly agree with him the price. When you come back you pay him the price (a euro or so). Worked perfectly fine!

Also you will find that during the day in crowded places you don't have to worry about thievery and at night (in the dark) you have no business strolling around. Then you will find yourselves either in a safe hotel car park or camping. Then again, it is reassuring to know that your gear is not so easy to remove. We also had a steel safe in the car for valuable, camera's and laptop. That was worth having, for your peace of mind! During 1 year in Africa, nothing was stolen from us and no attempts were made, exept a young girl who tried to nick my Maglite. But I think she will still remember that as her parents punished her in front of us.

So in short; i don't think it is really necessary but its definately comfortable to have it. So yes, put padlocks on your gear!



cheers,
Noel
exploreafrica.web-log.nl

Thanks for the advice Noel. Although I have now been living in the UK for 6 years and feel relatively comfortable with security in general, I am originally from SA and grew up knowing that if my stuff was'nt locked up it would disappear before I knew it, mind you locks did'nt help much either!

I suppose I just need to start trusting that not everyone outhere is waiting to nik my stuff. Will lock everything up though, for peace of mind if nothing else.

Pete

Pete,

I agree with your opinion on SA. What I wrote before applies to almost all coutries except SA! SA is westernized and industialized with all associated problems. What I wrote applies to counties such as Mali, Niger, Burkina, Sudan, etc, the more traditional African area's where tribal structures are still present. E.g. in the Dogon in Mali we left an empty plastic bottle (very popular object) outside on the table during the night. People walking by, looking at it all the time but the next day it was still there until somebody came up to us and politely asked if he could have the bottle. This is more typical for rural Africa then the SA situation.

What was very interesting to notice is that almost all South Africans we met were afraid of the Africa outside SA but my opinion is that the further you get away from SA, the better it gets, safety wise! (except of course the known problem areas)

cheers,
Noel
exploreafrica.web-log.nl

Thanks Noel, that is good to hear, I'm glad that there are still places in the world where theft/crime is not a way of life, but then again I suppose it could happen anywhere.

I liked your website by the way, might be buying your DVD

Cheers
Pete

Reasonable safe, as long as the vehicle is moving at over 30kph - otherwise, not safe at all.

(which one is the "smartass" smiley)

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quastdog
Chiang Mai, Thailand

Incase you really wanted to know -

Later
Pete

I'm a travelling Saffa too and like to make absolutely sure that nothing is nickable! If I know I can steel it, somebody else probably can too

It's a bit nerve wracking knowing that I am travelling with my whole life in the car. I don't have anything that can really be locked down. But I am hoping that because it is in the car, and probably covered and out of sight, that that will be enough. I will be travelling around Australia.

I'm going to see if I can keep the car in sight most of the time (I travelled by bike previously and had soft panniers that didn't lock, so got used to keeping it close by).

Tricky.

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I use small chains and padlocks on just about everything. Bigger things like empty jerrycans on the rr=oofrack I run a multistrand towing cable (about 5mm) padlocked to the rr. I'ved drilled extra holes in the spare wheel carrier so that it fits a large mul-t-lok padlock (the type where the U part of the padlock is separate).

Underslung spare wheels are a problem as they can be hack-sawed off (amazing but it happens!) - a chain to the chassis and multilok sort that. Hi lift is bolted and padlocked to the bumper.

Saying all this - the only thing I have had knicked was a solar panel (at the front of the roofrack in the pic) - couldn't padlock that one! Some desperate fellow had that off in Zim.

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Enzo

i am a saffa too and on my second trip through africa. Never had a problem. No one even touches the cars. Think people stress too ouch. But saying that it only takes one bad mole. As for sa. One can only hope they dont take the chains too. But i still want to see what they will do with a hi lift.

Sell it!

I've been offered hot iPods in Lusaka, Leathermans in Vic Falls, Railway spanners and jacks in Hwange and just about everything under the sun in Jo'burg!

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Enzo

I wish i had seen the ipods. Just been through uganda zam zim tan kenya and alas i found none. Maybe they moved operations to Moz...next stop

Seriously i saw not a single item on the side of the road. Tan is now a serious no go area for contraband. Guys getting life for petty crime.

Wish JHB had that.

There is a half filled (with shops)shopping centre in Lusaka -with a PicknPay downstairs and some sort of bar/restaurant. It is actually next to quite a good mechanics w'shop: Motorworld I think.

Whilst waiting for my better half to finish Skyping her relos's, some chap in a suit approached me with an iPod full of porn inc. Paris Hilton - however could not get a good shuftie as the sun was too bright!

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Enzo

I really would have thought Africa was more dangerous then SA. See all the stuff I miss NOT travelling.

Can,t wait to get started ,plan to see some places.

With that said ,If you leave your keys in the car they will steal it in NZ

I like disposible trips,take all crap with you and just give it away or throw it away, kinda like mobile philantropy