seaoh

I was planning a trip to Europe in the fall (2016) for about 2 weeks (not paid yet) and now I am questioning if I should continue planning with all of the recent attacks. Specifically planning on visiting London, Paris, and possibly Ireland. Does anyone have thoughts?

suze

No one can make this call for you. Everyone has to figure out for themselves their own comfort level in these kinds of situations. I would have no issues going on taking a trip I had planned but that doesn't mean YOU would or should go.

Tony2phones

Are you more likely to get shot in a major US town/city or be close to a terrorist attack anywhere in Europe? I might avoid the US if I were you.

greg

No one can answer this for you. This is totally your mental thing. No one can tell you about the actual physical safety just as much as no none can tell you if you get into a serious auto accident this afternoon. What are comparing to anyway?

One way to look at this is what you would think if you reminisce this many years from now.

https://www.quora.com/In-old-age-do-...ng-taken-risks
http://seniorplanet.org/12-things-yo...n-youre-older/

nytraveler

You really have to decide this for yourself.

There are obvious potential risks but I don't think any of us knows exactly what the level of risk is in any particular place - compared to the level of risk where you live and work (normal life risks such as auto accidents and potential risks from either local madmen - as is only too frequent here in malls and moves theaters - or from politically motivated terrorists).

My 2 DDs (20s) and I are planning to go to London and Paris for 2 weeks at end of May and will not be changing those plans unless the situation in europe changes radically. However, we live in NYC and have lived through a number of terrorist attacks and in a permanent state of high risk.

My philosophy is that unless europe becomes a full-scale war zone we will not be deterred.

Caveat: I vacationed in London several times when the IRA bombings were going on and never gave it a second thought, although there were obvious signs of extra security in many pubic places.

wantgelato

Greetings,

In July I'm taking my first solo trip to Paris and the South of France. In November I'm off to London, Amsterdam, Lucerne, and then back to Paris. I actually thought about cancelling these trips until I came to my senses. I'm turning 50 this year and I will be finishing up my Masters, so I'm celebrating with a travel blitz! I'm not letting those terrorists rob me of dreams of travel. People tell me I'm crazy, but living in the US I often wonder if people outside of the US are afraid to travel here with all the gun violence and whatnot that goes on (e.g. last week a British tourist was stabbed to death in San Francisco). Life is a gamble. I say if you're up to it and want to live your life to the fullest---go! I sure am.

PS. I've been to Ireland and it is stunning. Don't rob yourself of it's beauty.

flpab

Look at D.C. right now. What is safe? I m going in Sept.

dotheboyshall

Europe isn't the US, murders are rare, the chances of being involved in a terrorist act are far lower than your child being involved in a school shooting.

Your fear is the fear of violence in your own country, you assume everywhere else is like it.

dotheboyshall

Avoid DC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-35911754

NewbE

Apart from providing a forum for Europeans to hammer Americans for our gun culture, I'm afraid this thread won't help you much, seaoh.

Picture yourself staying home. Picture yourself on your trip, in London, say. Would you be happier going or, not?

No one can tell you whether you will be safe, here or there.

StCirq

Up to you. We moved to Europe a year ago and feel infinitely safer here than we ever did in DC, where I was scared to take the garbage out after dark.

We just got back from an 8-day jaunt around the Netherlands and Belgium (using a lot of train stations and public places) and, apart from knowing that we needed to be vigilant, especially in crowded places, never thought twice about being afraid.

But it's your call. If you want to miss out on Europe and stay on your own scary turf, that's entirely up to you. You're more likely to be hit by a bus or have a road accident wherever you live than end up involved in a European terrorist attack. But people's minds play strange tricks with them, irrational ones IMO.

Whathello

I know people who lost close relatives both in Paris and Bruxelles attacks (different relatives...).

We all think London is next on the list. (We....)

If you are stressed, probably better to skip, not fun to travel if you have to look over your shoulder.

annw

As other say it is a personal call.

But you asked for feedback--my two cents is that if London/Paris are beyond your comfort zone, go to Ireland.

Wonderful country, music/culture, scenery....the mainland, then the islands (Aran, Blasket) -- if you want to visit more than one country consider adding Scotland to the itinerary as well.

The main problem will be driving after transatlantic flight! Trains/busses are good. Three hours Galway to Dublin by train.

We spent an extra week in Ireland after 9/11 -- we were scheduled to leave on 9/12-- can't imagine a better place to be "stuck."