Take Care While Traveling Abroad

I almost got mugged this past weekend while sightseeing Brussels, Belgium. The interesting part is that I realized what had happened after the incident took place.

After having a nice dinner at Ixelles district in the south, I got a taxi back to near the city centre (where my hotel is located). I got off near Brussels du Nord station and started to walk through the underpass to the other side.

Two men entered from the other end. The lighting was not that bad, and there were a few cars going by alongside. Both men were acting drunk, they were talking loudly, and they were not walking straight. As we walked passed each other, the first guy kept on going, the second guy appeared to trip and started to fall in front of me. I grabbed his hand to prevent him from falling to the ground, then he suddenly turned around, and wrapped his leg around mine, and tried to trip me. Of course, I held my balance and started to move away, but he kept his leg locked onto mine. His free hand went for my back pant pocket, but nothing was there. As I tried to free my hand from his, he then tried to pry open my jacket right front pocket.

Since it was a new jacket, the front pockets were mostly sewn shut. His hand forced it open and obviously there was nothing there. Then I managed to free myself and shove him away. He then just resumed walking to the other end to meet up with his buddy. Then they just walked off laughing.

I didn't think of it until I got out the other end, then I suddenly realized what the guy was trying to do. I was lucky that I decided to bring just cash and two credit cards that night, and put them in my front pant pocket, and my ID was in my inner top pocket of my jacket. Then my mind went through the "what if's." What if his buddy helped him out, it would be 2 against one? What if the guy had a knife or gun in his hand? It could have been worse.

Next time, avoid underpasses at night, no matter how lighted it can be. Go if there's a group of people heading in the same direction. Otherwise, go through another way to your destination, or just flag down a taxi.

Mmm...better pack a taser too.