I just thought I would pass this on to everyone thinking/planning a trip abroad. My fiance and I are/were planning our honeymoon for East Africa for this fall. After reading this though, I think we will wait to book for a few weeks. <BR>Feel free to comment about this, especially if you are still planning on going to Africa.<BR><BR>Here's the link:<BR>http://travel.state.gov/

Thank you. Recently I cautioned a reader here about this very thing and recommended she delay finalizing plans for now. I didn't have this site but it lends credibility to what I was feeling. Liz

My wife and I were in Nairobi two weeks after the Embassy bombing. Just go. The chance of something happenning to you is greater in you hometown (if you're American) than while travelling.

Hi<BR>I have to agree with Dave. This country is one of the politically safer places right now and I feel much safer here than I would in the US. Also South Africa Airlines is one of the safer airlines and it flies out of Atlanta. If you are looking for absolute safety - there is not, nor was there ever anywhere absolutely safe. Even Eden had it's snakes!<BR>Come on over and enjoy. It is probably best anywhere you go in the world to avoid American and British Embassies and Consulates until the end of hostilities as they are the usual targets of these fanatic types.<BR>Karen aka golfer<BR>[email protected]

Gee Golfer, you sound just like a travel agent.<BR>Lets put it this way, if war is declared on Iraq, will you get on this very safe SAA plane and fly to the US? Sorry, but this sounds too self serving to me. Liz

As an American who lives in England, I am amazed at how many of my fellow countrymen worry about traveling to Europe or Africa because of the threat of war in the Middle East. Would I get on an SAA flight and fly to the US if there were a war in Iraq? Why not? Iraq is a long way from Southern or East Africa.<BR><BR>As for terrorism, let's put it in perspective. You would be wise to use caution in Nairobi, Mombasa, or any other large city, but if you are going on safari, you are very unlikely to be a victim of terrorism. The Serengeti and Masai Mara are surely not very high on Osama bin Laden's list of targets.

Heimdall-<BR>I guess your reply was to me. Do you travel without travel insurance. Most operators require it for us to travel to Africa to absolve them of responsibility in case anything happens. So---what happens to the insurance in case of war or terrorist attack? It disappears. You are on your own. Can't get home? Sorry. Flights cancelled? Sorry. Baggage lost? Sorry. Lost thousands of dollars and no trip? Sorry.<BR>That is about it. Its not getting in the attack, it is getting affected AT ALL by it. Liz

Liz, I take your point, but if there is a war going on in the Middle East, what does it have to do with Europe or Africa? The world is a big place, and there is a war going on somewhere just about all the time. As for terrorism, that can happen anywhere, as we sadly learned 18 months ago.<BR><BR>If we cower in the face of terrorists, we are letting them win. The best thing you can do is check the fine print in your travel insurance carefully. Of course you should also heed the warnings in the State Dept travel advisories. Currently they are warning Americans to use caution in East Africa, but except for Somalia, don't advise against traveling there.

I might add, I was in Rwanda and Kenya three months ago, had no problems, and felt perfectly safe throughout the trip.

Heimdall-<BR>Good for you. You sound young and eager. Its the fine print that most people are not aware of. I learned from 9/11. In case of war all transportation in and out of the U.S. will be halted when we go into the top alert. If that is okay with you, then go and have a good time. Regards, Liz

Well, eager maybe, but not so young anymore. I like to think that over the years I have developed some pretty good self-preservation tactics, but that doesn't include staying at home instead of travelling. I have lived outside the US for over 30 years, so perhaps have a different perspective about being abroad.<BR><BR>I don't recall transportation in and out of the US being halted at the outset of the Gulf War, or any other war, and am surprised to hear you say that will happen now if we go to war with Iraq. Yes, I know there was a brief grounding of all civil flights after 9/11. Where did you get that information? I can't find any mention of it on the State Dept website. I am planning a trip back to the US soon, so any info you have on the subject is of interest to me.

Hello again-<BR>I heard on CNN when we were on our recent alert at the second from top level. The only difference between the top two alerts was that all transportation would be halted. I thought they said if we went to war, the top level would trigger. Not sure on that part. If you can find the definition of our alert levels that should tell you. I haven't tried to verify it. I couldn't imagine anything else that would do it if we were under direct threat as they say we will be if we attack Iraq. Thats all I know about it. <BR>I'd say to take your trip and let your senses warn you. I'm older and my senses are probably more affected after 9/11. Liz

This is my last post on this. I don't want to mislead anyone. This is one of the many websites that explains the different levels:<BR>http://www.tnema.org/EmerPrep/HS/HSAS-Warning.htm

Liz, thanks for that info. I wasn't worried about any danger in travelling, only the possible disruption of flight schedules. It may very well be that at the outset of war the DHS will decide to raise the Threat Condition to Severe (Red). Then, even if flights aren't grounded, there would be huge delays due to increased security measures. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.<BR><BR>In the meantime, I refuse to put my life on hold. In addition to my trip back to the US, I am planning to go to Greece or Croatia at the end of the summer, and then to Australia later in the year.<BR><BR>All the best, and enjoy your travels when you feel it is safe again.