Robert, isn't it a bit dangerous to travel in these countries of Latin America ? Do you feel safe, all the time ?
Yes I feel safe all the time. Do I recognize the potential dangers? Of course I do. I don’t head down to night clubs or wander dark streets in the middle of the night. I don’t advertise my gear by having a big camera and lens on a strap around my neck - sitting on my belly. I’m not going to be curious if there is some gang or police action going on in the streets, and feel I need to capture it. If I’m heading into what is considered a more likely area to be robbed like a market or major city, I take less equipment of lesser value and am willing to take that loss if it happens. I have a small amount of money that I am willing to turn over to a mugger (have never had anyone take me up on it).
All I can say is that I have been shooting in these supposedly dangerous environments on an almost daily basis, since January 2008 when Anne & I started this lifestyle. We have been in major cities and headed out on buses to remote areas, all over the countries of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador as well as parts of Honduras and Mexico. We live with the locals (not in protected gated communities) - and travel with the locals in theirs buses, pickup trucks, tuctucs and walking.
Right from the start we created a plan of action for traveling, that would make us less vulnerable to any losses of money or gear. It has held up and been a protection for us. We have never once been threatened or had anything stolen. I think we are both very Street smart and aware of what is going on around us. The biggest danger to my equipment are extreme heat, dust, sand, salt, water and the few times I’ve tripped and fallen and smashed my gear into the streets ?
WHERE I WOULD BE A LOT NERVOUS? Wandering around streets or areas I didn’t know, in major cities in the USA and even Canada.
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