What do you carry on vacation overseas?

[dghboy315]

i'm going to vietnam for 3 weeks during Xmas. i'm traveling w/ my extended family and just visting the tourist spots. any suggestions on emergency stuff to bring?

for self-defense, i was thinking about a collapsable baton, or maybe even a fixed knife. i already have a scorpion streamlight, benchmade mini-grip knife, and pepper spray, but vietnam is still a communist country with a lot of corruption and crime. what else should i bring?


thanks all,

 

[mfree]

Carry whatever's legal, carry your brain, and carry some cash in a throwaway wallet.

 

[Gandalf]

I wouldn't take a chance on taking ANY kind of weapon overseas. Most countries don't pussyfoot around with foreigners breaking their laws.

 

[Evil_Ed]

Buy a really solid heavy duty cane for your "trick knee," it makes a wonderful club in a pinch. There was some site posted here a while back that had a place that made canes specifically for use in martial arts that looked like regular walking canes only made out of decent hard woods. Do a search for them and I am sure you will find some nice ones.

 

[HiWayMan]

Discussed this recently with friends that travel to the UK alot. A couple of rolls of coins in a sock can be devestating to a cranium. This can also be airplane compliant. You shouldn't be questioned about an extra pair of socks on your person, and the quarters are for the vending machines at the terminals, If the coins are a no go most flights serve soft drinks, juice or water in bottles. A full container of beverage in a sock can pack one hell of a wallop.

 

[firesafety3]

I see you're from Maryland, but dress like you're from Texas. Cowboy boots can pack a wallop with a kick or slide it off and swing it. It works.

And don't underestimate a thick leather belt with a heavy buckle. It can be stripped quickly if the need is there. Just don't lose your britches in the process.

Be aware of your surroundings and have a great trip.

 

[waynzwld]

From their website...

"Banned material

Vietnam has strict laws on bringing anti-government literature, pornography, firearms and weapons into the country. CDs and tapes are often retained for screening, but will be returned after a few days. It is illegal to remove antiques from Vietnam. When buying handicrafts, especially those that look old, ask the retailer for a receipt and declaration that the item may be exported"

a small pocket knife (in your checked luggage until you get there) is about all that is allowed most anywhere. The belt or coins-in-sock would probably be ok when in country. Just pack the belt in your check in luggage, or you will get secondary searches at the airports.

 

[steveno]

I would take a lot of money as you might have to buy yourself out of trouble. I think that if I had to worry that much about what I can and can't carry in a country legally I would stay the hell out of that country

 

[Jim K]

One weapon that is legal everywhere is a magazine. Not a container for firearm cartridges, but a plain old reading type magazine. Get one that is fairly tall (like the old Life size magazines) and wrap it tightly, spine inward. It can deal a hefty smack or can kill if driven into the solar plexus or throat. It can also disable a man if driven into the groin. All in all, a person who knows how to use a magazine has a pretty deadly short range weapon. And in the U.S. it is protected by the First Amendment - not even the Washington Post will demand confiscation of all magazines.

Jim

 

[another okie]

I don't claim to know what Vietnam's definition of a weapon is, but I have traveled in communist countries, and I think you would be foolish to carry a knife, a baton, or pepper spray. In fact, I doubt you'll be able to get any of those into the country and you might find yourself arrested. A flashlight is basically all I take abroad, unless I'm going to a country where I know a pocket knife is legal.

 

[dghboy315]

great advice guys, thanks

i love the coins in sock idea and the rolled up magazine.

 

[P95Carry]

I'll second the coins-in-sock deal .... excellent and MOST useful!!

I feel I am ''going away'' and so gonna be nekkid, even if I step out of the PA state line .. I am all but surrounded on all sides by unfriendly carry states. If I have to go (literally HAVE to go) to UK, then I feel about as nekkid as the day I was born!! Nasty!

 

[F4GIB]

You have a bad knee from football or skiing, right?

Carry one of these. All they need is a rubdown with furniture oil. And, they are allowed everywhere if you need the support.

STANDARD COMBAT CANE
The shaft is round, or slightly squared, then sanded to a smooth finish. Complete with a large crook and an angled horn, this cane has been designed for training and the street. (Click on photo to left.)
Regular $49.95
WEB SPECIAL $35.95
http://www.canemaster.com/full_dim.html

Bath size bar of soap can be substituted for the roll of quarters. Ivory works fine. Everyone needs a change of clothing (including socks) in their carry-on.

 

[SteelyDan]

Took a cruise last year, and went to several Caribbean countries/jurisdictions. I researched the issue ahead of time, and was a little surprised to see how strict their laws were. Even wearing camo clothes was illegal in one or two places. Plus, the cruise line had its own set of rules, which were enforced with metal detectors. In the end, I took a Leatherman and a small Swiss Army knife (in the checked baggage) along with a 2 D MagLite. When going into towns, I only took the little Swiss Army knife and didn't carry any change, hoping that would help to improve the odds with the metal detectors (it wasn't clear if you could have a SAK or not). Didn't have any problems. If the rules had clearly prohibited any kind of knife, I probably would have complied and improvised. Maybe a steak knife from the first night's dinner would have disappeared until the last day of the trip, who knows...

 

[Texshooter]

Sun screen & Trojans.

 

[g56]

A hard wood cane is a good weapon, can travel on airplanes, if they ask just tell them you have a bad knee or arthritis.

As to those so called "Combat Canes" Forget those, go to your local Farm and Ranch store and buy a Stockman's Cane, a nice hard wood cane for $9.95, the only hitch is that they don't come with a nice rubber tip, I noticed the Combat Canes don't either, go to the drug store or WalMart and get a rubber cane tip, a cane without a non slip rubber tip might not qualify as a legitimate cane, if you have a genuine physical problem your cane would have a rubber tip.

A quick look at the Combat Cane allows a comparison to the Stockman's Cane, I have a Stockman's Cane and it looks to me that they are buying Stockman's Canes, renaming them Combat Canes and bumping the price up a lot!

What is a cane good for? You can do almost anything with a cane that you can with a night stick, the old night sticks were made out of hard wood after all.

BTW A nice metal ball point pen makes a pretty darn good weapon also.

 

[Gendoki]

Just an idle thought here. Why would you want to have a cane when that just makes it look like you have a bad knee? doesnt that make you more of a target being that you look unable to defend yourself? if you do something like that use a walking stcik then you dont have to look like you have a bad leg and can still use it to beat people.

 

[g56]

They won't let you take a walking stick on an airplane, a cane can go with you and stay in your possession.

I found out about the Stockman's Cane at a seminar on terrorism.

 

[TABING]

Evil Ed is right on. I work in the middle east and travel around a lot here and in politically correct Europe. I ALWAYS carry my Canemaster cane. Nobody has ever questioned me or given me any grief. (Sometimes I get to board early with it) This is an awesome weapon, like carrying a Louisville slugger. this my recommendation. I would also take a Surefire flashlight, which produces a blinding light, and can also be useful when the electricy goes out, as it often does in third world ragedy assed countries. YOU ABSOLUTELY DO NOT WANT TO BE CARRYING ANY WEAPON THAT MIGHT BE ILLEGAL IN ANY COUNTRY! Laws can be very arbitrary in any country outside of the USA, especially in a place like Vietnam. I think Canemaster's website has info on fighting and defensive techniques.
Bon Voyage!

 

[dghboy315]

personally, the only problem with a cane is that i'm 28 and you don't see many 28 year olds w/ canes. plus, i will probably be travelling w/ my family who always makes me carry their carry-on and extra bags. can't have a cane and be carrying all that stuff.

 

[Runnion]

Ah, improvisation is beautiful...Soap socks work, but in the military academy where I went to high school, we used padlocks and laces from our combat boots. They pack a slightly more powerful punch, and no one is going to have a problem with a nice hefty luggage lock, and shoelaces are rather innocuous as well. Speaking from painful experience, they work well.

 

[jaxfl]

dghboy315---Weapon is not needed!!!!!

dghboy315,

I have been back to Vietnam 3 times in the last 4 years. Do not take a weapon... you do not want to spend time in a Vietnamess jail. Besides that you will most likely not even need one. The folks are friendly and the as long as you treat them nicely they have no bone to pick with you. If you feel you need a weapon after you get there, there are 1000's of them there and a friend could get you one. BUT again the rules for weapons, drugs and such are very hard if you are not from that country. If you want a "CANE" that have beautiful canes there that are much less than here. Additionally, if you really are worried you can hire a body gaurd from the locals for less than $5 a day that will show you around, protect you, translate for you and fight for you if needed. Again my recommendation is to relax, see the country and enjoy the people. The flight is long 27+ hours normally and you will be to tired to screw with the customs inspector when you get there anyway. Just go have fun...

 

[tuna]

Never thought about the canes, great idea. I usually try to find something "non weapony" that will fit the bill in a pinch. Example: instead of dealing with any questions about a billy club in my car, I've got a large crescent wrench that would be in the trunk anyway. A wrench in the car can be explained away real easy. Flashlight are another easily explainable item, especially if you go with a normal looking one instead of the ones designed as head crushers. Small screwdrivers pack a wallop, and don't take up much space. Why are you carrying a screwdriver, you needed one a while ago and forgot it was in your pocket.

 

[19112XS]

I'll second the padlock. A friend faced down some toughs in Spain with a bungee cord/padlock improvisation.

 

[50 Freak]

Interesting question. I actually just got back from a backpacking trip from South East Asia this morning. Traveling is nice but damn was it good when the plane landed back in the good ole USA.

One of my stops was Hanoi, not the same as Saigon. Let me tell you it was a ????hole. Both the wifee and I hated it with a passion. Anyways, one night we started talking to another backpacker at a cafe and he told me how he went to a karoke bar with some friends. Well he ended up the only one left after the night had gone by. To make a long story short. He said they tried to charge him for crap he never ate or drank (they had hid nicely wrapped used food packaging under the table). So when he wanted to leave he found out he and his friends had ate something like 5 bags of beefjerky and other crap that he doesn't ever remember seeing. Too make a long story short. He said he was cornered by three guys demanding that he pay his "bill". And upon refusal of paying for stuff he and his friends never ate or drank, it became a tense situation with them refusing to let him leave. He said it was a good thing he was larger than all of them as he felt they would have attacked him if not for the fact he was larger.

This got me thinking, I usually carry a little spyderco delica in my check in luggage but never carried it on person when I traveled unless going to someplace super rural. But after hearing this story, I'm going to make it a point to carry it on my person. Another interesting point is that he said he wanted to call the police but one didn't know the number and second he didn't even know how to let them know where he was.

Lessons I learned from this story, don't pick friends that would leave you with the bill. Don't go unarmed, and last know where you are and know how to contact the police or help if you need them. Good lessons, well worth the beer I paid to get this story.

End of story, the guy obviously was okay, if he was able to tell me the story a few nights later. But he said, he ended up paying a pretty penny as he was worried about taking on three guys and didn't know how many more were there. Good choice if you ask me.