Pelajaran dari Kazakhstan- cara aman backpacking

Senin, 8 Agustus 2011 lalu, teman baik saya dari Switzerland, Sven Huber, mengirim sebuah email ke saya. Setelah basa-basi sebentar menanyakan kabar, dia baru bercerita, dia mendapatkan serangan dari sekelompok pemuda berandalan saat camping dengan travelmate-nya, Chris Roach dari Australia. Dia tidak cerita banyak, namun copy berita di koran terbitan Almaty, Kazakhstan, membuat saya ngeri juga. 

Ini nukilan berita di koran setempat yang dikirim Sven ke saya:

Almaty, Kazakhstan – World cyclists Chris Roach (Australia) and Sven Huber (Switzerland) were assaulted by a gang of teenage youths early on Monday morning while cycling in Southern Kazakhstan.

The pair were woken by local youths who approached the encampment around midnight. The youths began hurling stones from a nearby river at the tents and bicycles. When confronted, the youths fled but later returned with larger rocks, glass bottles, pieces of Iron and animal bones which became a deluge of flying objects falling around the two cyclists.

After a large rock struck Chris on the head, causing serious bleeding, the youths were chased away a second time while Sven ran to the nearby village to seek help. While alone, the youths returned for a third time bombarding the camp demanding money while blood was streaming from Chris's wound. It was only after the ambulance arrived that the youths fled.

Chris was taken to the emergency department in a nearby town where he received six stitches in the head and treatment for minor cuts and bruises. Sven comments “I have no idea what provoked the senseless attack. I was shocked that the youths continued throwing the objects even after they could see Chris was injured.”.

Chris comments how unfortunate the event was “... it is a real shame that it happened in Kazakhstan where the people have been so overwhelmingly hospitable. The local doctor and ambulance driver were apologising profusely on behalf of their small village.”

Earlier that same morning Chris and Sven were were invited for traditional curd, rice soup and freshly baked bread in a neighbouring village by an old lady with a family of six. Despite the incident Chris reflects, “Kazakhstan is a beautiful country with a remarkable diversity of landscapes and peoples... it really is where the east meets the west!”

Chris is now resting with friends in Almaty and after a brief stop to determine the extent of the injuries, Chris expects to continue his world cycling expedition to Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran before arriving in Europe by the end of the year.

With a miniscule budget of $5 USD/day Chris relies on the generosity of others to help him on his way. Chris remarks “The world is a beautiful place full of warm and generous people - something we so easily forget.” ...overwhelmingly there are more positive experiences than negative.” Throughout the Expedition Chris is raising money for Oxfam Australia, an international organisation, working to reduce poverty and injustice. 

Bagaimana bila itu terjadi dengan kita? saat kita backpacking di negeri entah di mana dan diserang gerombolan (bukan lagi seseorang?

Kesalahan/kelengahan teman saya adalah, mereka berada di wilayah yang jauh dari lingkungan penduduk dan tidak memperkirakan akan terjadi serangan tersebut. Berikut ada sedikit tips saya soal bagaimana supaya backpacking kita aman:

•  Jangan lengah, meskipun di depan Anda terbentang pemandangan super indah dan Anda terpesona, sibuk dengan menikmati keindahan itu. Waspada orang sekitar Anda, tetap pasang mata di barang-barang bawaan Anda.
•  Bila Anda backpacking di luar negeri, jangan pernah lepaskan paspor dari tangan, jangan ditinggal di hotel. Simpan barang berharga di tempat yg melekat di tubuh.
•  Simpan uang di wallet belt. Bentuknya seperti dompet, tipis, tetapi cara menggunakannya seperti menggunakan ikat pinggang. Melekat di perut dan anticopet. Bisa di beli di kompleks pertokoan bandara.
• Jangan menyimpan uang di satu tempat, pisah beberapa bagian. Satu hilang, masih akan memiliki backup.
• Waspadai orang-orang baru yang tiba-tiba baik dengan Anda. Do not trust strangers too easily !
• Yang cewek utamanya, inget pesan Ibu hehehe. Jangan keluyuran malam sendirian. Ini sebenarnya juga disarankan buat cowok juga, tetapi memang risikonya lebih besar cewek.
• Buat cewek, disarankan membawa Pepper Spray, atau semprotan merica, yang efeknya bisa membuat pandangan terganggu dan sesak napas bila kita semprotkan ke orang yang niatnya jahat. Ini bisa dibeli di Indonesia, toko online, harganya sekitar Rp 250.000.
• Di wilayah-wilayah dan kasus tertentu, terlihat menonjol sebagai turis juga mengundang orang jahat. Cara mengakalinya adalah, blend in dengan lingkungan.
•  Yang membawa perhiasan atau barang berharga, bisa di simpan di safe deposit box yang ada di hostel atau hotel sebagai bagian dari fasilitas. Biasanya gratis.
•  Catat emergency number seperti nomor polisi, rumah sakit, ambulance, dan lain sebagainya sesuai dengan kebutuhan.

Itu setidaknya beberapa hal yang bisa kita persiapkan dan lakukan untuk mengantisipasi kejahatan yang mungkin terjadi pada kita saat backpacking. Ingat, destinasi indah tidak akan membawa kemanfaatan apapun bila kita tidak aman. Selamat berpetualang !

Regards,

A