Cash or credit card?
Don’t be self-ripped That means: do your research. Besides knowing the tricks and scams prevalent in your destination, you should be up-to-date on currency….
Bob Arno in Swedish press
Way back on July 7, 2008, I wrote that the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet interviewed Bob Arno, and I promised a link when available. The…
How to cut down a tree; Requiem for a tree
t was a mesquite, 35 or so feet tall, graceful in an awkward way. Craving light, the poor thing crooked its trunk this way…
Nut salad
I got a nut salad in a place we worked recently. Better not name the place…
Thieves and witchdoctors
In Johannesburg for a string of corporate shows, we managed to find and talk to three pickpockets, one of whom claimed to be reformed….
Flying
It was a long series of flights to South Africa last week, for a three-day visit. We were upgraded to first class on the…
The tasteful tourist
Bob and I looked at each other in disbelief. Only we knew the incredible odds we’d just beaten. To stroll into Rome’s Termini, the…
Criminal on the loose
Why am I compelled to run outside every time I hear the police helicopter hovering over my house? If there’s a criminal on the…
Fooling a monkey
An entertainer friend of mine practiced magic as a kid. One day he went to Busch Gardens amusement park with his family. There he…
Anatomy of a victim
What is a perfect pickpocket victim? Let’s look at the anatomy of a pickpocket victim. I’m thinking of a couple I saw in Barcelona…
When courtesy is exhausting
Had to go to the Apple store in the mall last night, and it turned into a long visit while Bob sorted out some…
Thieves and caves
Lord and Lady Ball (yes, their real names), enjoyed a week in warm Palma de Mallorca, an annual retreat from the dreary London weather….
Bob Arno in the news
Bob Arno, the go-to guy on street scams, was on the NBC Weekend Today show on November 22. He was on Fox & Friends…
Mumbai
I feel like celebrating Mumbai, a city I love to visit. I’ve stayed in the Taj Mahal Hotel a couple of memorable times and…
Hoodwinked a success
The Hoodwinked show tour was a resounding success. I’d like to credit the director, Jim Millan, for his vision and clever construction of the…
Good pickpocket victim is a know-it-all
Over-confidence is the enemy of travelers in unfamiliar lands. The know-it-all risks loss and embarrassment. Henry started his story with the wistful remark we’ve…
Show of cons and scams
Hoodwinked opened Tuesday night at the gorgeous State Theater in Easton, PA. It was the first show of our five-city east coast tour and…
Paper interviews Bob Arno re Hoodwinked
Theatrical pickpockets, con men seek to entertain and educate in …˜Hoodwinked’ Article in today’s Schenectady Daily Gazette
The cozy-up steal
Sandy and Frances thought little of the gaggle of girls who flopped onto the bench they were resting on. There were more girls than…
Laptops lost in airports
As a very frequent flyer, I can understand that 12,000+ laptops are lost each week in U.S. airports. What’s shocking is that, according to…
Michael Pollan’s sun-food agenda
Last month in the New York Times, Michael Pollan wrote an open letter to the president-elect about the importance of revising our entire food…
The proliferation of Barcelona’s living statues
Adrian has been a living statue on Barcelona’s Ramblas for two years. He was a chef in Romania before, and part owner of a…
Choosing the right luggage for constant travelers
For very frequent travelers, the right luggage is vital. Bob and I have used aluminum Zero Halliburton luggage forever. It’s heavy and expensive. It…
Paper masala dosa
Why did we order two? Paper masala dosa is one of my favorite meals. I order them at every opportunity when I’m in India,…
Free U.S Gov. Travel Advice
I started talking about Consular Information Sheets here. Odd but possibly vital information can be found in the Consular Information Sheets regularly posted by…
Muscat souk
There was plenty of clowning around in Muscat last week. In the souk, Bob put a camera on a tripod and walked away from…
Travel is glamorous
Example of a journey that did not go smoothly. 1. Taxi was late picking us up at home. 2. Taxi reeked of cigarette. 3….
A false sense of security
To a pair of pickpockets in London, Lionel Skidmore looked like an easy target. The thieves mounted a bus, then immediately turned and got…
See Bob Arno live
Bob and I are proud to announce our mini East Coast tour this November. We’re excited to be doing a ticketed show, open to…
Retail loss prevention
The crotch-walk was demonstrated, just before a strip-tease, at the Virginia Retail Loss Prevention Conference last week. We do get to see some oddball…