Backpackers may be unwittingly making themselves targets for muggers by carrying expensive personal effects such as mobile phones, laptops and iPods along with them.
According to a survey by the internet company Yahoo!, some 90 per cent of 18- to 35-year-old travellers will not consider leaving home without their mobile phones, 42 per cent set up a new email address before they travel abroad, and 20 per cent take along an iPod so they do not have to be without their favourite music while the travel.
The Daily Telegraph quotes a spokeswoman for GAP activity projects as saying: “We fear that young people travelling in developing countries may make themselves obvious targets for muggers. Another problem is that taking your iPod and laptop does not allow you to embrace the culture you are supposed to be visiting. We do advise all those who go abroad to keep in contact but so much technology can defeat the whole point of the trip.”
The survey also reportedly revealed that one in five travellers sends an email within a day of arriving at their destination, while 69 per cent send regular emails home. Amusingly, five per cent of respondents said they only send emails “to make their friends jealous”.
Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad
