Crime on the Road

Crime and Travel

I’m currently following a single woman (on Twitter!) who has traveled the world all by herself. Having never been a woman, I never realized until recently how creepy guys in ALL countries can be toward a woman traveling alone. That being said, I have observed the behavior of folks toward me and my group when we’re traveling domestically and overseas.

On a flight out of Newark back home to LA, I “lost” an Apple iTouch.  I wanted to blame the TSA, but it could have “disappeared” in the airport shuttle.

A friend purchased some marijuana at the marina in Cabo San Lucas. A young guy took the money, went around the corner and came back with a wad of newspaper and thrust it at her like “here’s your purchase. Now get out of here.” She checked her “purchase” when we got back to the car, but there was nothing in the wad of newspaper. “I’ve never had this problem before,” she pouted.

In Bangkok, we bought tickets to ride the skytrain, the mass transit alternative to getting around the city. In our hurry to catch the next train, a friend threw a wad of Thai baht at the cashier and ran for the train. She left her booth and chased him down to give him his change!

One night in Bangkok, a driver offered to take me to a bar outside of town in the middle of nowhere that was not observing the queen’s birthday and thus was open when others weren’t. We pulled up front and he said, “I’ll be right here waiting for you, boss!” Twenty minutes later when the bar closed, there were no lingering taxies and he was nowhere to be found. I didn’t know where I was. I struck out on a lonely road toward the lights of Bangkok in the distance, not even sure I was headed in the right direction. Behind me, I heard the whine of an approaching tuk-tuk, a vehicle part motorcycle, part rickshaw that is the common form of transport for tourists in the city. I flagged him down. He didn’t speak English, but he understood the name of my hotel. It turned out I had only an American quarter on me, but I promised him I would hire him to be my exclusive driver for the rest of my trip. I insisted on getting his number when he dropped me off at the hotel and promptly lost it!

A single guy traveling in our group decided to avail himself of a local woman at the same Bangkok hotel. At first he was stopped by hotel security. “We don’t allow locals in here,” he said. After a bribe of about five dollars, the security guard took her ID. “You get this back when you leave the hotel,” he told her. Later on that evening, they parted ways. The security guard called his room to make sure he still had all his possessions and was okay before he allowed her to leave. Now that’s service!

People on holiday behave differently than they would at home. My wife and I were in Amsterdam when an inebriated young man staggered into the coffee shop and fell on the floor. We helped him up, but he was incoherent. “Don’t worry,” the proprietor assured us. “This happens all the time. We’ll get him back to his hotel.”

Once in the Bahamas and another time in Edinbrough we stumbled on drug deals in progress, and were promptly shooed off. It may seem like we live a charmed life, but on the whole, I think people are basically decent. Please don’t burst my bubble.

Scottish food? Hmm...

Former quaint little fishing village, Portpatrick remains true to its origins and was an epicurean highlight of our trip to Scotland. Though the country is only about the size of Massachusetts and possesses an awesome transit system, there's a lot of rural settings you'll miss if you don't rent a car. The vehicles in Scotland are remarkably frugal on petrol in most cases and you'll get to test drive something they've never heard of back in the States! Driving on the left side can be challenging, but fun. Keep in mind that whoever rides shotgun is the lookout for the drop-off the driver can't see. My co-pilot kept disturbing me with a panicked, "Close! Too close!" so I was forced to slow down a bit. Also, you don't look under the hood; you glance beneath the bonnet and put your stuff in the boot.

Portpatrick, which hugs the west coast of Scotland, is picturesque as you can see and has its own lighthouse with souvenirs available on the ground floor.  (Just to confuse us, in the UK the first floor is called the ground floor and the second is the first!) The four of us had an excellent seafood meal, caught locally, served up at the Waterfront Hotel and Bistro and easily the best meal we had all week.

The day before, one of us had ordered a chicken and mayo sandwich at a deli in Ayrshire. The chap behind the counter buttered the bread, slathered on the mayo and put a smidgen of chicken on top. Yuck!

The Scots have a reputation for pinching a farthing or two, so feel free to let your frugal flag fly! If you're going to buy a sweater, know that they're not cheap(er) unless they're made with less material.

Another Frugal tip: If you're from a more temperate climate like California, (like we are) and on a budget, (like we are), consider buying the heavy clothes you're going to need for a chillier, more humid climate at a second-hand store like Goodwill. You won't need them when you get home, so see they get donated to a local shelter and voila! You've got more room for souvenirs!

And, for goodness sake, try the haggis!

BAHAMAS - FREEPORT STYLE

Freeport is located on the island of Grand Bahama and, unlike its counterpart Nassau on the island of Providence, is as laid back as they come. We go to our timeshare, Ocean Reef Resort and Yacht Club, and hostess Esther greets us with a hug, a Bahama Mama, a local tropical drink swimming in rum, and a heart-felt "Welcome home!"

Ocean Reef is reflective of the rest of the island, not a sparkling jaw-dropping five-star accommodation, but a nice, homey atmosphere with two pools, a jacuzzi that has worked once out of the three times we've been there and major ongoing remodeling that seems to happen in fits and starts. There's an on-site restaurant that was closed for remodeling when we were there last year, but Esther at pool #2 served up some fat homemade cheeseburgers and real potato french fries. There are also workout facilities, tennis courts, and slips for visiting sailors from the mainland 50 miles to the north. A row of colorful three bedroom townhouses line the lagoon. The main building holds one and two bedroom apartments with spacious balconies/patios and some indoor jacuzzi tubs. Kitchens in each unit have all or most of the amenities a visitor is used to at home, and TVs in the living room and every bedroom are hooked up to satellite. DVD players, DVDs, and games are available in the office and a room on the second floor houses books and a desktop computer for use by guests. Sometimes the power goes out when a sudden rainstorm moves in, but the cooler air drops the temperature from a high of about 80 degrees Farenheit to a refreshing 65 to 70. The rain and far off thunder also provides a soothing respite from the sameness of blindingly bright sunny days.

Ocean Reef plays host to on-site diving instructors, a married couple who makes a trip out to the reefs and other surrounding dive points that include up-close encounters with sharks and the myriad sea creatures that inhabit the Caribbean. I tried diving for the very first (and only) time with them and was rescued immediately by an attentive deck hand when I ripped off my mask in a panic. My wife makes the trip with them every time and has nothing but nice things to say. Some prefer a more corporate, less mom-and-pop diving experience. Port Lucaya offers UNEXCO (Underwater Explorers Society) excursions with bigger diving parties.

We meet nice folks from Michigan, Minnesota and Canada mostly, snowbirds who come down in early October in order to hold off winter for a little bit longer.

We go for the Conch Festival in McLean's Town on Discovery Day. That's what they call Columbus Day in the Bahamas. We eat conch fritters, conch salad, conch chowder and all other things conch. Tourists are encouraged to participate in the conch cracking contest and they pretty much make a mess. Seasoned veterans tap the shell with the hammer/hatchet-type tool and wrench the mollusk or sea snail from its home in seconds. With all the Bahama Mamas and Bush Crack beer you can drink, and dancing in the heat and humidity to the local rake-and-scrape music, it's a good way to start a vacation.

On our first visit, I decided the country's motto should be, "Separate Them from Their Money." It's not entirely the fault of the citizens that everything is so expensive. I have come to realize that life on any island - whether it's Manhattan, Honolulu, Sydney, or Freeport - is going to cost more than the mainland because everything is shipped in. But a large box of Raisin Bran for $12? FRUGAL TOURIST TIP: Pack your suitcase with non-perishables and frozen steaks and chops smothered in ice packs. They'll keep till you get there.

There is a wide variety of activities to choose from. Any of the resorts will be happy to book visitors for an eco tour, kayaking to Peterson's Cay aka Gilligan's Island, deep sea fishing, shopping excursions to Port Lucaya, gambling in the casino, snorkeling, or scuba diving. Folks are friendly everywhere and so are the "wild" raccoons at Gold Rock Beach. There are caves, mangrove swamps and blowholes to explore. Everywhere one looks, turquoise water and white sand beaches stretch as far as the eye can see. Many of the beaches and coves are deserted and available for a swim, but some of the more exclusive resorts shoo away beachgoers who aren't staying there.

You won't find any locals in the casino; they're excluded by law from blowing their paychecks on gambling.

Wednesdays are Fish Fry nights, an event surely invented to entice tourists to spend more money on the fresh catch of the day. There's a cluster of restaurants on Smith's Point Beach where the fare includes red snapper, flounder, the local lobster and the ubiquitous conch. After dinner there's drinking and dancing to local music and hip hop where tourists and locals mingle. A walk on the beach in the moonlight can be very romantic.

At least one night during the visit, we'll go to Pier One, a restaurant located near the docks where all the cruise ships, tankers and supply ships drop anchor. The food is amazing and the sharks are fed off the balcony every hour to the delight and awe of tourists.

A great place for lunch is Zorba's Greek cuisine in Port Lucaya. My wife swears their conch chowder is the best on the island. If a tourist gets homesick for fast food, there's always KFC, Dominos and Burger King, among others.

There is a rumor that prices at the shops rise when the cruise ships are in port, but I have never noticed it firsthand. There may be less bargaining wiggle room, but vendors with their "darlin's" and "pretty ladies," make every transaction a warm experience. Many of the items are made locally though. as with any tourist spot, some are invariably made in Thailand or China. 

After a week on the island (or several islands if you fancy a ferry ride), visitors turn wistful. It's back to work, back to reality and the hustle and bustle of life back home (and sometimes an early blizzard). But the Bahamas have worked their magic: the kinks in your neck and back have melted away, your skin has a golden brown hue, and your mind is uncluttered. You're recharged and ready for what awaits back home.

Food in Thailand occasionally resembles its counterparts in the States by design. When that original ingredient Mama used to put in your Pad Thai can't be found in the US you make do with an herb that may or may not be from the same herbal family. We found a little hole-in-the-wall in Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand in an alleyway as you drive into town. The restaurant had no name, just signs that advertised Pad Thai as their only dish and the price: 20 baht (about 65 cents). It came heaped on a plate, mild enough for this farang (foreigner), but with table spices for the most adventurous in our group. Under harsh fluourescent light we wolfed down one or two plateloads and found that this traditional Northern Thai dish went well with a cold Singha beer. For a landmark to locate our find, look for the neon "Marijuana" sign just around the corner. I think the sign designated a bar, but we'll investigate on our next trip.

Thai One On!

It was Napoleon who said that an army travels on its stomach. Much the same can be said for the tourist. There’s also an old Thai proverb: “Adventure begins in the mouth.” That one’s not true. But it could be.

Don’t be fooled by the delicious Thai food you find at your local “Thai” restaurant. Sure, the folks who run the place might be Thai, but the food they set before you has been Americanized for our palates. I went to Thailand in search of the “real thing” and found it!

Our travels began in the seaside "resort" of Pattaya, just two hours drive from Bangkok. We were starving after our 16 hour flight and found a restaurant eager to serve us at 5 a.m. I don't know if it was because we were the only customers or we looked like rich farang (foreigners) with our native guide Sombat, but the service was topnotch. We just pointed at various noodles dishes on the menu, took the occasional suggestion from Sombat and had a delicious meal.

After two days of Thai food, we knew our friends we're looking for a brief repast from local victuals. We found a pub in Pattaya that catered to our decadent Western desire to have a burger. Sure, they have McDonald's in Thailand, but we wanted a half-pound gutbuster and we found it at the Sportsman.

In the city of Chiang Mai in northern Thailand there’s a back alley hole-in-the-wall that serves up a heaping plate of Chicken Pad Thai, and Pad Thai only, for 65 cents American. All the ingredients are fresh and locally grown, the bean sprouts crisp. Aromas hinted at spices that my tongue had never encountered.

“Adventure begins in the mouth.” I rode in a rickshaw through Sukothai, one of the former capitals of Thailand. While we waited for our party to gather at the end of ride, I perused a local cart full of insects, including piles of white worms, cockroaches as big as a man’s thumb, and black fierce looking scorpions. Just to show what a good sport I was, I grabbed the littlest worm I could find and popped it into my mouth. It tasted like a barbecued potato chip!

I have traveled to Thailand three times in the last five years on both business and pleasure and each time I find something new to delight my taste buds.