Goa

Goa is the most likely place in all of India to get robbed. It’s about the only place that you really don’t want to leave any valuables in your room or house. The thieves here are incredibly inventive and are adept at opening windows and hooking your possessions with extendable fishing rods. They can also use these to slide bolts on the door.

Most Indian padlocks can be broken in about ten seconds of concerted effort and so don’t rely upon these to keep you safe. Ideally thieves will strike on party nights when no one’s home but they will also pry off tiles on the roof while you’re sleeping to drop down and make away with your camera.

What you really want to do is leave your passport and valuables with your landlord or in a safe at the local bank. The local Goans are generally very trustworthy and you can put your stuff in a money belt and padlock it shut like a seal of no entry. That way if you get stoned and forget how much is there you can’t accuse the poor old lady who’s doing you a favour in the first place.

Whatever you do don’t go to the trance parties and take drugs with all your worldly wealth strapped around your waist. $1000 is what the average Indian earns in a year so if you walk around with a bulging money belt in Goa you’re just asking for trouble.

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