Would you worry about the terrorism threat for travel?

[ilovedolphins]

Would you travel outside of the United States with the terrorism threat in August?

[Miss Tequila]

I'm travelling to brazil for work in August. I won't be changing that because of the new terror alert. I think it is always a risk, which is why I don't complain about security checks at the airport.

[Deleted]

Yes I would still travel.

[swamp]

Depends on where in going. Saudi Arabia, probably I'd worry. Carribean, not so much.

[Deleted]

There are always going to be threats. Living your life in fear is how you let the terrorists win.

I would be prudent with my travel destinations; I'm certainly no thrill seeker wanting to see action in Syria, as an example. But I'm working with my friend in Nairobi on our Mt. Kenya trek. I'm not going to cancel that trip unless there's a direct threat in Nairobi or it becomes too expensive.

[Deleted]

If you let fear of terrorism control your travel plans, the terrorists have won. I'm not scheduling a vacation in Beirut anytime soon, but I've got a bigger chance of being killed in my car on the way to church than being killed or injured in a terrorist attack.

[Tiny]

I'm dated in this - but doesn't the US Government (and sometimes foreign governments) post "Travel Warnings' more or less on a daily basis?  I worked for an international company back in the 80's and while I never got to travel outside the US many of my coworkers did - as well as coworkers from foreign countries coming and working at the "global offices' for projects/training/whatever.    I remember there being a weekly update to the 'Travel Warnings' and then sometimes 'Special Alerts' posted at the office for the travelers....     

I've already got the mentality that it's potentially 'dangerous' to travel ( just like it is getting into a car OR my daily trip thru a 'death trap' commuter train station to get to work) so the current "threat notice" that made the news doesn't bother me much - if I had a trip planned I'd still be going.  Any plans I had made to any of the places with active political upheaval going on would have been changed/modified back when the upheaveal started.  

If I was travel outside the US now I'd still go...  But if I had a visit to the US Embassy in the country I was visiting on my list of things to do... well, I might be flexible on doing that part of the trip.  

When I first saw the "threat" reported in the news - I wondered why it even was 'news'.... It seems to have appeared and vanished in an eye blink.    

[simser]

I'm actually out of the country right now. I have to admit this is the most concerned I've ever been about traveling (even though I'm in very pro US country) so I have an escape plan if need be. I really don't think I'll use it, but I have the address of coworkers of coworkers (we have a factory of my company in the city I'm in) that I will get to if everything goes to hell. But it would have to get really really bad (like 9/11 no planes moving) to get there. Usually I just let the state department know when I'm traveling to places like Argentina, or Thailand. But then again I'm not in the Mideast, Africa or any place where they are not US allies.

[Tennesseer]

I would not be worried.  Most folks aren't travelling (as tourists) to the countries listed in the State Department warnings for the month of August (Middle East and North Africa).

As a tourist, I would automatically avoid hot spot countries.  As a business person I may not have that option.  If you're a tourist, consider trip cancellation insurance.

Simply be aware of your surroundings.  Avoid crowded areas if at all possible.  Don't draw attention to yourself (your dress and speech). 

An act of terrorism can happen anywhere, even at your local mall, if someone is determined to cause death and destruction.

[milee]

Sure, I'd travel to most places.  Not Middle East or North Africa, though.  A few of my friends were going to regattas in Oman.  When they were planning them a year ago, I told them I had no interest in going to a country like that as a woman.

I loved Africa very much and can't wait to go back, but traveling there in many of the areas, it is impossible to be low profile unless you have dark skin (which I do not.) You simply do not and cannot blend.  Bonny, I'm glad you're planning your trip with a friend that lives in the area, because I'm not sure how safe I'd feel in Nairobi.  Not necessarily just from the terrorism threat, but also from some of the kidnappings that seem to have been spreading a little out from Somalia.  Wealthy white tourists are easy marks and very, very visible.  Be safe. 

[Deleted]

Aug 3, 2013 13:17:59 GMT -5 Tiny said:

I'm dated in this - but doesn't the US Government (and sometimes foreign governments) post "Travel Warnings' more or less on a daily basis?  I worked for an international company back in the 80's and while I never got to travel outside the US many of my coworkers did - as well as coworkers from foreign countries coming and working at the "global offices' for projects/training/whatever.    I remember there being a weekly update to the 'Travel Warnings' and then sometimes 'Special Alerts' posted at the office for the travelers....     

I've already got the mentality that it's potentially 'dangerous' to travel ( just like it is getting into a car OR my daily trip thru a 'death trap' commuter train station to get to work) so the current "threat notice" that made the news doesn't bother me much - if I had a trip planned I'd still be going.  Any plans I had made to any of the places with active political upheaval going on would have been changed/modified back when the upheaveal started.  

If I was travel outside the US now I'd still go...  But if I had a visit to the US Embassy in the country I was visiting on my list of things to do... well, I might be flexible on doing that part of the trip.  

When I first saw the "threat" reported in the news - I wondered why it even was 'news'.... It seems to have appeared and vanished in an eye blink.    

As to why it is "news"----they like closed several US embassies and stuff

[sapphire12]

I wouldn't travel to any place where the US govt has closed the embassies and/or ordered residents out of the country.  However, I did go to Morocco one week after a bombing. My trip was fine.  I usually feel safer when overseas. I went to Egypt in 08. I felt quite safe. There were sharp shooters at every tourist spot. But, unlike here, most of the local people don't have access to guns. Now there is too much unrest in Egypt, so I would not plan on going there for the foreseeable future. It's unfortunate, but it goes in cycles.

[973beachbum]

For Europe, I think I would be more worried nothing will be open as all the Europeans will be on vacation also.

[Cookies Galore]

Just go on a vacation already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[hoops902]

I wouldn't be flying into Iraq or anything, but I wouldn't let it stop me from going somewhere that I would normally find safe.

[saveinla]

Don't worry about the threats - go ahead with your plans.

We flew to Kuwait & Dubai during the second Iraq war - a few weeks after it started. Plans had been made almost 5 months prior and I was not cancelling just because of the war .  Lots of people thought we were crazy.

[Deleted]

milee said:

Bonny, I'm glad you're planning your trip with a friend that lives in the area, because I'm not sure how safe I'd feel in Nairobi. Not necessarily just from the terrorism threat, but also from some of the kidnappings that seem to have been spreading a little out from Somalia. Wealthy white tourists are easy marks and very, very visible. Be safe.

Milee,

While I can't help being white, I never look wealthy.

My trip isn't until February and my friend's husband is part of the embassy attachment. But for the first time ever I think el cheapo will buy a flexible fare. I remember how concerned I was when we were planning our trip to Egypt in March 2009 when fighting in Gaza escalated. A couple of you guys talked me down and I'm really glad we went. It will be a long time before I go back to Egypt and the Egyptian Museum will never be the same after the looting that happened.

[ilovedolphins]

Aug 5, 2013 16:40:07 GMT -5 Cookies Galore said:

Just go on a vacation already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There's just so many places I want to go to it is hard to decide where to go first.

[milee]

Aug 5, 2013 19:11:19 GMT -5 @bonnap said:

milee said:

Bonny, I'm glad you're planning your trip with a friend that lives in the area, because I'm not sure how safe I'd feel in Nairobi. Not necessarily just from the terrorism threat, but also from some of the kidnappings that seem to have been spreading a little out from Somalia. Wealthy white tourists are easy marks and very, very visible. Be safe.

Milee,

While I can't help being white, I never look wealthy.

The problem is that in many of the areas in mid and northern Africa, if you are white, you are presumed to be wealthy.  Doesn't matter how you're dressed.  Google Jessica Buchanan for an example.  Again, Somalia, but borders Kenya and it's been spreading.  BTW, Jessica was an aid worker.  Not remotely wealthy and dressed like a local.  She and her husband are both aid workers, so they don't have 2 dimes to rub together.  The kidnappers asked for $45 million because after all, all white people are rich, right?

That being said, if your friend works for the embassy, she will know what's up and where you can go.   Go and enjoy it.  The only park in Kenya I visited was Serengeti, and it was gorgeous.  It sounds froo froo and expensive, but think about paying to stay at one of the nice tent camps in the park.  Sunrise and sunset are such good times to see the animals and the sounds are fantastic.  We were there during part of the Great Migration and at various times, herds of thousands of Wildebeast would just appear and stream around you. 

[Deleted]

Aug 3, 2013 11:51:46 GMT -5 @bonnap said:

There are always going to be threats. Living your life in fear is how you let the terrorists win.

I would be prudent with my travel destinations; I'm certainly no thrill seeker wanting to see action in Syria, as an example. But I'm working with my friend in Nairobi on our Mt. Kenya trek. I'm not going to cancel that trip unless there's a direct threat in Nairobi or it becomes too expensive.

If your going to Nairobi you should really pop over to Nigeria. I've heard the royal family over there is giving money away!

[wvugurl26]

Unless it's on the State Department list of places US citizens should absolutely keep their butts out of I'd go. That being said I'm a federal government employee, I have to abide by certain travel restrictions they put out if I like my job and security clearance.

We are re-investigated every five years and we have to account for all international travel. Funnily enough international travel makes clearance take longer but I had my passport in two weeks from when I applied and I didn't expedite it.

[Deleted]

milee said,

The problem is that in many of the areas in mid and northern Africa, if you are white, you are presumed to be wealthy.

Yeah, I've certainly heard enough stories about Nigeria, that I take the threat seriously. Even the experience in Egypt where you are perceived as a walking wallet was uncomfortable and I was glad to have a big, former soccer player as guide.

if your friend works for the embassy, she will know what's up and where you can go. Go and enjoy it. The only park in Kenya I visited was Serengeti, and it was gorgeous. It sounds froo froo and expensive, but think about paying to stay at one of the nice tent camps in the park. Sunrise and sunset are such good times to see the animals and the sounds are fantastic. We were there during part of the Great Migration and at various times, herds of thousands of Wildebeast would just appear and stream around you.

Yes, the embassy connection is helpful. Plus the U.S. armed forces had them both take "evasive driving" lessons!

She's a petit blonde like you but her background is a Canadian farm girl. She's very practical and will give me good advice. Her DH is an American military pilot.

Your trip sounds wonderful. I've just started on the safari side and am amazed at all the choices; another week for a safari isn't long enough!

[milee]

A week for safari might be long enough, but I'd divide it between a couple of the parks - because at each park you'll see very different things - and also see if you can take some walking tours within the safari.  In most of the safaris, you're confined to your vehicle, which is safe and good plus allows you to cover huge amounts of ground so you see a wide range of things, but makes for a long day.  On the plus side, the animals are used to the vehicles and either ignore them or - if you're lucky - even use the vehicles for shade.  We had elephants walk past so close that we could have reached out the window and touched them.  There was a lion that took a nap in the shade of the Rover, so close you could smell her and see the specks of dried blood on her muzzle and see the flies buzzing around.  One of our friends was in a Rover that a male lion decided to "claim" by standing on the hood and peeing on it...  So you see very cool stuff but it's confining and at the end of the day, you feel like you do when you take an extended road trip and have been shut in a car for 10 hours... which you have.

We did a small walking safari at one of the preserves and although (thankfully) we didn't get as close to the lions or elephants, it was a wonderful way to see the details you can't see from a vehicle.  Anything from the texture of the doodie (which sounds bad but is really very interesting) to the small bugs, plants, birds, way the ground feels, way the area smells... plus it just felt good to walk around. 

Goes without saying, but your guide will make or break the experience for you.  We had both the good and the not-so-good, so I saw first hand how the right guide is key.  Especially for something like this where you're not going to do it often, the animals are sometimes hard to find, and you'll be with this person for hours at a time.

This is making me want to go back.  I loved Africa.  Have fun.

[Deleted]

Thanks for the good advice milee, especially getting out and doing some walking. It does sound like a lot of car time so the walking safari info is helpful.

[Deleted]

We just got back from Jordan today and I was SO relieved to get home! I don't usually get nervous about these things but I was really anxious this time. The warning came out on Sat, we were leaving Mon night. We just spent 18 days in Jordan and Israel (13 in Jordan and 5 in Israel) but flew in and out of Amman. 

DS3 (15) is traveling alone to the US later this week and obviously I'm worried about that too. I think you have to be reasonable (which obviously means different things to different people) and hope for the best.

I was hesitant about going to Jordan to begin with, but DS1 has been living / working there since Feb and he urged begged us to come visit. We had a fabulous trip and the people were absolutely lovely and welcoming. This said if the warning had come out before we had booked our trip rather than 60h before our return, I may well have decided not to go. Which would have been a shame, since we had some extraordinary experiences!

There are no easy answers ... look at what happened to that poor Italian tourist walking on the boardwalk in Venice CA. 

We also went to Egypt a few years ago (Nile cruise). I know nothing is guaranteed, however I don't think I would travel to a Middle Eastern country that did not have good relationship with the US. 

We also had very erratic internet access. When the warning came in by email, it urged us to sign up for the STEP program (US citizens abroad telling the gov about your location / travel plans). It was 60h before our departure and signing up was difficult because of the limited internet access (I tried). In retrospect, if I were going anywhere "iffy", I would sign up from home, before I left. 

[Phoenix84]

Well according to Kittensaver and a few others on my last international travel thread, you're taking your life into our own hands and you're in constant danger if you travel abroad.  Personally, I'd only change my plans if I was going to a hotbed of terrorist activity, but other than that, no.

[Deleted]

Phoenix, I'm not sure which thread you mean. But I know I am more cautious with my kids than I would be if I was travelling alone, or if DH and I were travelling together without the kids. 

For example: when we travel, we ALL want aisle seats. So sometimes we don't all sit together. The return flight home last night, DH booked us 3 seats together, window, middle, and aisle (smaller plane, no middle section). We both agreed that this time, we would NOT be separated. 

ETA: Given today's news, if you want to go to Yemen, go for it. Personally, I would not. But I also wouldn't sit home without going out either. As somebody else pointed out, I'm more likely to get hit by a car / bus than to be involved in a terrorist attack. But, sadly, terrorist attacks DO happen. It's up to everybody to determine their own risk threshold.