BootsnAll Travel Community

I am looking for advice about the best way to secure possessions/luggage when moving from place to place (e.g., by bus) in Africa, particular Tanzania, Kenya, and Rwanda, but I imagine the advice would apply to all of Africa. I am traveling independently so might be needing to walk a short distance to or from a bus or simply need to wait at a bus or train station. I'm not asking about just carrying (or not carrying!) a camera walking around the city but about securing one's entire luggage. In particular, is a backpack best compared to something on wheels (plus small day pack)? What are the pros and cons of a backpack? It obviously identifies you as a tourist, but I'd be obvious as a tourist anyway.

Thoughts and knowledge from your experience much appreciated.

i don't think it matters, but a backpack may be easier.. wheels are good assuming there's going to be a lot of smooth pavement. which is a big assumption. when i travel, i have one big pack, and a much smaller day pack. the valuables go in my day pack, which sits in my lap on bus rides, while the larger pack goes wherever it goes.. crammed into the back, squished on top of something, etc. most busses probably won't have a nice little rack for you to lay your stuff on, so keep that in mind too. if i have to walk with my big pack (which isn't too big.. it's carry-on size), i just put the small daypack on so that the bag part is in front of me. i'd pick travel with a backpack over those suitcases with wheels any day. i guess one disadvantage is that for some backpacks, you have to unpack everything to get to the bottom. don't forget to bring a padlock with spare keys! my friend laces her key into her shoelace, which is a pretty nifty idea.