thanks for the replies all!! Some of your tips will be used, especailly the ones in the PMs.

BRD,
I understand you may have interpreted I put them all in one basket but I defintely do not see them that way... Just today I read in the paper Brazil has 50.000 murders a year (is the new paper right..??? any Brazillians here?) ... making it worse than a war zone. Im a european and lived in 5 european countries inc Spain so not totally unexperienced.

I agree with your post though.

As a footnote I learned last night that in the US every houur someone get shot in the US... so the danger is definetly not less in some oter countries..Then again depends where you travel in the US...