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Stuart is currently in Paris, France

Monday, June 30, 2014

[Travels with Stuart] Disaster Averted in Paris – Whew!



As a writer, speaker and America's International Travel Expert®,  I'm on the go a lot and I'm always looking for items that make my travels simpler. I like to pack light and wear clothes that are multi-purpose and require minimal care. For our two-month stay in Paris, France, I decided to bring a pair of jeans. By the way, did you know that the jean material denim is named after a fabric that was first made in the city of Nîmes, France – “De Nîmes” became “denim.” I normally don’t wear jeans when I’m traveling, but I figured they might come in handy for the two months, especially around the apartment.

We’d been in Paris for a week when I went to the airport to meet our daughter. I wore jeans that day, taking a break from the pants I had been wearing. We’d caught the shuttle from the terminal to the train, rode the train to Gare du Nod, and as I stepped on to the Metro, a man stepped in front of me and then stopped. As he did that, I was pushed back and that’s when it happened. I felt my wallet being taken from the back pocket of my jeans. I turned around and yelled in English – much to the astonishment of all the French on the Metro – “HEY! Give me back my wallet.” The accomplice looked dumfounded. “What, me?” was the look on his face as he held the out-of-place overcoat closed. I pulled open the coat and he dropped my wallet. I picked it up, quickly checked it (nothing taken), and I pushed him out the still-open door. “You, too,” I told the first man who quickly hopped off.

Well, that was a wake-up call that didn’t need to happen. An important part of my apparel for this trip is a set of clothing from Clothing Arts (www.clothingarts.com). I had been wearing their Pick-Proof PantsTM, almost every day before that incident, and they’re about the only thing I’ve worn since (we’ve now been here over five weeks, with three more to go).

I’m mostly wearing the Adventure Traveler Pants with their double- and triple-protection pockets. I save the Business Pants for when we go out in the evening, and the shorts have seen some wear on the few really warm days. I don’t need to worry if my wallet is safe, or the credit cards, or the cash that is in a separate holder. It’s all safe and secure behind zippers and buttons.
 
The Business Pants (www.clothingarts.com/pickpocket_proof_pants_business_traveler) don’t have the same flaps and buttons as the Adventure pants; their clean lines are perfect for the dressier look while still keeping all your items secure. They look great with both short sleeve and long sleeve shirts, and no one will know they’re not “regular” slacks.

I felt a bit foolish having my wallet taken, even if only for a few seconds, because I knew better. I’d warned people about the busy places where the slightest distraction provides an opportunity for thieves. Now that I wear the Pick-Proof PantsTM from Clothing Arts, I’m much more comfortable knowing that I don’t even have to think about keeping my items secure. Not only are the shorts and pants durable and secure, they’re also ideal for travel because they hang dry overnight (quite handy when your apartment doesn’t have a clothes dryer and it’s raining outside).

You can take this as a hearty recommendation from America's International Travel Expert® that the Pick-Proof PantsTM from Clothing Arts at www.clothingarts.com (both for men and women) are the ideal travel item for comfort, style, and safety!

Stuart Gustafson
(currently in Paris, France)
p.s. The photos were taken on different days, and, yes, I do have more than one shirt with me -- pure coincidence that I was wearing this easy-to-care-for shirt that I ought at REI (I have a reddish one also).

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