They are too ostentatious for the beach or hiking through the foothills of the Himalayas. In fact they can prove a positive safety hazard. The wise traveller of the 21st century carries as few valuables as possible. The best solution for getting out of a tricky situation is not reserved for girls alone. The unisex answer to trouble is neither jewellery nor violence.
Phrase books are excellent in everyday survival situations.
But when you wish to communicate clearly, there is nothing to beat a dictionary. And dictionaries today are far from the grey listings of yesteryear which could baffle all but academics. Even the smallest pocket dictionary holds a phenomenal amount of easily accessible information. The dictionary I use has a clear colour layout. There is a keyword feature to explain the possible differences in translation for essential vocabulary.