locking case???

[preacherman]

I need some help. As some of you know I am a youth minister and I travel frequently out of the country with large mission groups. This June I am leading a group of 105 people into Mexico to build an orphanage. So here is my question. I am looking for a locking case of some type that will be discrete, safe, and mobile to store 100+ passports and travel documents in. I am thinking maybe a nice large locking briefcase or something. I am having trouble coming up with ideas.

So if you had to store 100+ important documents in a safe place while traveling how would you do it?

Thanks for the help.

 

[TheRoadie]

You might consider a handgun/pistol safe. Unless you want to carry it out of the vehicle at nighttime. Are your vehicles safe when not traveling?

Some even build in cleanly:

 

[greybrick]

Go to a Mexican bank and rent safety deposit box.

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[TheGillz]

Last I heard you can't fit a Mexican Bank in your rig. But I just drive a Jeep.

 

[FourByLand]

Pelican Case

 

[greybrick]

Last I heard you can't fit a Mexican Bank in your rig. But I just drive a Jeep.

Scenario: all of the passports are safely locked in a vehicle strong box while tooling around town getting supplies and then the vehicle gets stolen. Or the strongbox is kept in the house during the day but who is going to keep an eye on it.

Mexican banks like in most other parts of the world have security boxes for rent for a nominal fee. A second choice is to rent a hotel security box often available at better hotels also for a nominal fee.

Another thing not often done is that everyone involved in the project should email photocopies of all of their documents to themselves so that if everything was lost in some event they could walk into any consular office and with a few keystrokes retrieve all of their supporting travel and identification information.

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[preacherman]

Thanks for the suggestions. Our hotel has a safe box they are going to keep the passports in when we arrive. I am really needing something for transit.

 

[TheRoadie]

or better yet:

 

[greybrick]

Thanks for the suggestions. Our hotel has a safe box they are going to keep the passports in when we arrive. I am really needing something for transit.

Purpose built vehicle strong box imo, just don't lose the vehicle.

Daylight travel is safer in that part of the country.

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[stevenmd]

I suggest NOT a Pelican or Storm case as it often implies wealth in less fortunate countries, thus making you a target.

Perhaps an old lockable military case but paint it so they don't think you are paramilitary or CIA (don't laugh, it happens).

 

[kjp1969]

I'd suggest low-profile- just pack them all in a backpack or messenger bag, and don't let it out of your sight. A big clunky box is just going to mean you leave it somewere so you don't have to carry it.

 

[greybrick]

I suggest NOT a Pelican or Storm case as it often implies wealth in less fortunate countries, thus making you a target.

Yup. Also travel with an older Mexican campesino gentleman with a big machete to help keep you out of troubles way.

A local guide of some community substance if that works to understand whats needed for road tripping in Mexico.

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[UK4X4]

Through the airports etc no real issue, just a bag, I use a maxpedition jumbo side sling thingy for my papers.

And my other handluggage is a pelican for when I get to destination, when traveling its in a small duffle / back pack

On arrival its locked to whatever is close with a stranded cable and padlock

So far, even with 7 years in venolandia, none of the maids could be assed to try and break it open.

Their more interested in the drunk dude leaving things around, than actually break into anything.

I carry colour scans of all documents on a usb mini drive, usually inside the lining of something...

 

[preacherman]

I carry colour scans of all documents on a usb mini drive, usually inside the lining of something...

now thats a neat idea....

 

[UK4X4]

Originally Posted by UK4X4
I carry colour scans of all documents on a usb mini drive, usually inside the lining of something...


"now thats a neat idea...."

:archaeolo



It takes a while to scan them all especially with a group, unless you have one of those cool e-mailing scan machines.

But can be encrypted if you wanted, small and efficient.