Travel advisory
 

The US State Dept has issued a travel advisory for Kenya: "Americans are advised to review carefully any plans to visit Kenya from mid-November to late December, and to consider delaying travel until after the referendum and associated events have concluded." http://travel.state.gov/

I'll be in Kenya from Nov 15-30 (I think I'm scheduled to be in Lake Baringo on the actual day of the vote), so if you don't hear from me again after early December... ;)

Seriously, I've limited my time in Nairobi and hope that there's relatively little disruption and violence leading up to and during the referendum vote (not just for myself but for everyone living in Kenya).

I seem to have a knack for finding myself in the middle of riots ;)

I think the State Dept puts these out if there's even a hint of trouble (CYA, etc) so that no one can say they weren't told. IMHO, the chance of a tourist having a problem is slim to none. And if we don't hear from you, I'll come lookin' for ya, it'll give me a chance to get back even sooner than planned! <):)

Whew! I can breathe a sigh of relief now knowing that you'll come lookin' for me :D

Yesiree Bob, I'll get me a posse of excellent trackin' Maasai, and we'll hitch us a ride on the top of one of them there minivans like some of the locals do, and heaven hep them varments that's a gotcha. We'll hang 'em from the top o one of them there baobab trees and they'll get to stare eyeball to eyeball with some of them there Africanized buzzards! Yesiree, dadblabit! <):)

Patty, it was great knowing you. ;)

One of the consequences of these travel advisories is that they can invalidate the terrorism coverage of your travel insurance. Included under the list of exclusions for my policy with Travelex is the following:

"Benefits are not payable...where coverage has been purchased for travel to or through a city or country of destination under a travel warning issued by the United States Department of State at the time this insurance is purchased and the Sickness, Injury, Death, loss or delay was a direct result of the incidents surrounding the travel warning."

So, it only affects you if there's an actual terrorist event and it directly impacts your trip. It also looks like this is just a travel advisory and not a "travel warning".

As long as its just an advisory or as long as you purchase the coverage before it becomes one, then you've still got coverage. Of course, I'm not a travel agent or a lawyer, so I could be completely wrong.

I've been reading some of the local news and it sounds like the campaigning has recently begun with the supporters of a yes vote sporting a banana logo and supporters of a no vote sporting an orange logo. I fear we may run the risk of getting caught in a fruit pelting crossfire :-O

lifelist,
You bring up a very good point and actually there IS a current travel warning (and has been for quite some time now) in effect for Kenya. It certainly was in place this time last year and I believe the same warning is renewed periodically. The latest one issued on July 1, 2005 is basically the same text as the previous November 29, 2004 warning that it supercedes. This warning is separate from the recent October 25, 2005 public announcement regarding the constitutional referendum.

So if your insurance policy has that specific exclusion in place, then you are already NOT covered because of the existence of the ongoing warning. Like you said though, you have to be directed impacted. The problem is I'm not sure that the exclusion would be limited to terrorist events only based on the language that you quote from the policy - "incidents surrounding the travel warning". The actual text of the warning is rather broad covering such acts as "carjacking, robbery, and other violent crime" not just terrorism. I'm not a lawyer either so I have no idea how an insurance company would interpret that text.

You can find the current warning here -

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_923.html

I head out for Kenya solo for week on the 18th - through the 26th with a private guide in the Mara. I am a bit worried about Niarobi - but will be out in the bush before the election - and I also have a knack for being in hot spots - but they always turn out to be a lot less than anticipated. I can't wait to get there - I was joking with my guide via text message the other day about whether he was an orange or banana guy!

Canechick,
So is he an orange or a banana? ;)

Will you be in the Mara the whole week? We're heading to the Mara on the 25th.

canechick
how did it go in kenya, any current issues there for travel solo female in march 2006?

Canechick should write a trip report.:$

Please, please, please.[-o<

Canechick,

Back to Kenya again? I envy you -- I wish I could go to Africa three times a year!

Cheers,
Julian