• What's ticked?
• Accolades
• Contact us

c o l u m n s

• Cheap Charlie
• ChrisCrossings
• Err Travel
• Leocha
• Travel Notes
• Archives

Costa Rica Crimes
Err Travel · March 6, 2001

My wife and I wanted to see a rainforest before they had all been processed into Adirondack furniture for baby-boom executives in the Hamptons. We chose to visit Costa Rica for our rainforest "experience" because of, among other reasons, the reputation it enjoys as a fairly safe country - especially when compared to its neighbors.

Though the Ticos we came across were pleasant enough, we took measures-as we always do-to protect ourselves from crime during our couple of weeks touring the central mountains and western coast. Not all of our fellow travelers were as prudent. For instance…

On an evening hike through a portion of rainforest, Dave and Cheryl, fellow Californians, told my wife and me about their river guide, who had been robbed at gunpoint in San Jose the night before they began their rafting trip. The guide was unhurt but no less shaken-and light a couple hundred bucks.

Four days later, through the thin wall of the hotel in which we stayed near Manual Antonio, we couldn't help but hear our neighbor's teenage daughter tearfully recounting her version of what happened that afternoon. Apparently while the daughter was taking a cooling dip in the ocean, some thief had dipped into her rucksack-the rucksack she had left unattended on the beach-and had filched her pocketbook (gone were her credit cards and cash), her cell phone (we couldn't figure out why she had it either) and-ohmygawn!, worst of all!-her Revo designer sunglasses.

The following afternoon, we took an overpriced-junket out of Quepos harbor. As we clamored aboard the much-in-need-of-maintenance, way-too-crowded yawl, we were greeted by Michael, who was sporting a pretty significant laceration under his left eye and the beginnings of a handsome shiner. Thinking that there may be some special hazard of which we needed be aware while shlogging along the coast, I asked Michael what had been the cause of his mishap. He explained that his wound was not earned on the high seas but rather in the town following the previous night's New Year's celebration. As he made his way home in the early hours, he was jumped by a couple of locals who successfully made off with the few colones he was carrying. (Interestingly, what pissed off Michael the most was being mistaken for a tourist.)

Finally, on the flight back to the states, a young couple seated in front of us told us that passing through U.S. customs would be a breeze since they were coming home with no luggage. It had been stolen from the back seat of their rental car the previous day.

There you have it. Four incidents of crime I learned about while minding my own vacation. And the object lessons here are as obvious as the bruise on Michael's face:

(1) Avoid traveling alone, especially at night.
(2) Don't leave property unattended.
(3) Avoid traveling alone, especially at night. (Hum, there it is again.)
(4) Items left in a car are best secured in the trunk.

We can all use the misfortune of these travelers to remind ourselves of the necessity for caution when traveling. Keep those guards up.

Dr. Terry Riley is a psychologist and travel security authority. He is author of the popular book Travel Can Be Murder. Visit his site at http://www.appliedpsychology.com or e-mail him at terry@ticked.com.