How Not to Look Like a Tourist

You're going to look like a visitor. You don't know the street, you didn't grow up with the accent, and the sun hat gives it away. Locals see visitors all day and mostly don't care.

The look worth losing is a different one: distracted, unsure, and carrying everything in plain sight. A pickpocket has an easier day with someone who isn't paying attention, and so does the driver quoting a fare.

That's me in the photo at the top. I won't say everything that's in the RFID pouch hanging under my shirt, but it's all a lot harder to get to than anything in my pockets...even my front pocket.

This picks up where Nine Things to Know About Keeping Your Stuff Safe on a Trip left off, once you step outside.

1. Do your figuring before you walk out the door

Nothing says "new here" like stopping dead on a sidewalk, turning the phone sideways, and spinning in a slow circle. Every time you stop to figure something out in public, the people around you can see it.

What to do: look at the route over breakfast or in the stateroom before you head down the gangway. Know your first two turns. If you get turned around later, step into a shop or café to check the map instead of doing it at the corner.

2. Your phone is the easiest thing to lift

A phone held loosely at the curb, or set on an outdoor café table, takes a second to grab. Some thieves on bikes and scooters specialize in exactly that.

What to do: keep it in a front pocket or a zipped bag when you're not using it. That's the spot for the thing you reach for all day; what you don't need till evening goes somewhere harder to get to. Take your photo, then put it away. At a sidewalk table, keep it in your lap or your bag, not by the plate.

3. Carry your bag where you can feel it

A backpack in a crowd is a bag you can't see. A purse hanging open off one shoulder isn't much better.

What to do: wear a crossbody bag in front of you with the zipper closed. In a packed market or on a crowded tram, swing a backpack around to your chest. Spread things out: a little cash in one pocket, the card in another, the rest back in the safe.

4. Tuck the lanyard away in port

On a cruise ship the keycard on a lanyard is practical, and everyone wears one. Walk into town wearing it and you've told every vendor three things: you came off the ship, you have money to spend, and you have to be back aboard by a fixed time. A clock you can't move gives a seller a reason to hurry you.

What to do: once you're off the ship, get the card out of sight. You still need it to get back aboard, so keep it secure. Ashore, I clip my ship card and ID to a badge reel on a carabiner tucked into my front pocket, and in a crowd I walk with my hand in that pocket. The ship's logo hat can stay in the stateroom too.

5. Dress a notch closer to the locals

You don't need a costume. A few things just stand out more than they need to: brand-new white sneakers, a big camera on your chest all day, matching group T-shirts, and jewelry you'd hate to lose.

What to do: look at what people your age wear on the street there and lean that way. Darker, plainer, a bit dressier than resort wear fits in a lot of European cities. Leave the good watch home.

6. Keep your cash out of sight

Counting cash on the street, or pulling a fat fold of bills out to pay for a $3 coffee, shows everyone nearby what you're carrying and where you keep it.

What to do: keep a small amount of local cash in small bills where you can reach it, for the day's coffee and tips. Keep the rest somewhere harder to get to, like a security pouch worn under your shirt. Use ATMs inside banks or shops, and do it in daylight.

7. Be polite, and keep walking

The friendly stranger with a bracelet to tie on your wrist, a petition to sign, a "free" photo with a costumed character, or a sudden offer to help with the ticket machine is usually leading up to a request for money. Pickpockets also use this kind of distraction in busy tourist areas.

What to do: a smile, a "no, thank you" in the local language, and steady feet. You don't owe anyone a conversation. If you do need help, pick who to ask yourself: a shop clerk, a hotel desk, a station employee in uniform.

Learn five words

Hello, please, thank you, excuse me, and goodbye. Five words won't fool anyone into thinking you live there. They change how people treat you, and someone who's polite and paying attention is a poor target.

The point is to keep your attention on the trip, so the street, the market, and the café table get to be what you came for.