IMDonehere

Excuse me but cancelling your trip would not be a "small victory for terrorism." Might as well book tickets to Syria if you feel that way.
_____

Apparently Sandra doesn't know the difference between sporadic terrorism and an on-going war where towns have been leveled and over 150,000 have died.

Damn those details.

TPaxe

I've only just woken up. I live in Europe and where is terrorsism going on? Could someone let me know which cities are being bombed here and terrorist attacks? I'm serious, I need to know, I live here and I'm scared to stay. I think I'll move to Gaza.

IMDonehere

BTW, the following has also happened to us over the years:

A few weeks after we ate at Goldenberg's in the Marais, it was machine gunned by terrorists

We visited Italy shortly after Aldo Moro was kidnapped and murdered. During that same trip Pope John Paul was probably murdered.

In Spain a restaurant we ate in Pamplona was bombed the week after we left.

The London Tower was bombed shortly before a trip there.

Just before a visit to Guatemala, the US DOS announced that Americans should not visit because the military was spreading rumors that babies were being kidnapped by Americans and sold for body parts and there were incidents of beatings of Europeans and Americans.

At a lodge in Belize horse rustlers came in the middle of the night.

Probably the most frightening incident occurred in Miami. After a trial there was rioting and a made a wrong turn into that neighborhood and as we found our way out, there were fires on both sides of the highway.

PS, I have heard all the jokes about it is our fault and no one would want to travel with us, but if you think you have a new one, I'd love to hear it.

Sassafrass

IMDonehere,
From now on, I want your itinerary to be sure I am nowhere there for awhile after you leave. LOL.

Debbielynn

Thank you all for your responses. This isn't my first trip to Europe or these destinations. I know in the back of my mind that you are all right. My husband also agrees with you. I am just the big worrywart and pessimist in the family!
Of course I won't be cancelling, except for a real act of terrorism or if IMDonehere is going too! LOL. I appreciate all the thoughts.
Really, TPaxe, I was talking about the alert upgrade by the prime minister. And we all know that there are cells in many of the western European countries. On the news in US, we hear about many westerners, including US born citizens, joining forces with ISIS.

nytraveler

Well I agree that IMD seems to have a lot of bad luck. As a New Yorker - yes we have had a significant number of incidents here - going back to the 1950s. And I was personally affected (distant relatives and close one of friends and coworkers) on 9/11.

But in all honesty I would be much more hesitant to head to US states that seem focused on arming every crazy and drunk they can find - than traveling to europe - where the chances of being involved in an incident are much smaller.

And yes, I was in and out of the U in the years when the IRA militants were bombing all over the place - and there was increased security - but it would never have occurred to me now to go.

chris45ny

We seem to have had similar problems as IMDonehere. In Kenya right after elections in 2008 -people not happy with results-fighting-many deaths. On that trip no fears and saw the big 5 in the first week. Lots of leopard, lion, and cheetah sightings. A great trip. Next was Egypt-fall/ouster of Mubarak. While there we saw lots of security road check points, guards at gas stations, tanks, and so forth. Positive was having the site of Abu Simbel completely to ourselves. Never felt threatened, had a great time. Our driver even took us to Tahrir Square (after the worst of the protesting was over) and walked around with us. On to Athens and protesters throwing rocks, etc. Not happy with the gov't. Saw riot police in all their gear. We never had any problems there either. Last was Bangkok during the protest "shut down Bangkok" Saw lots of tents and protest merchandise for sale. In Athens and Bangkok we just used common sense and didn't walk into any active protest areas. In Egypt it was right after the country got rid of Mubarak and I'm glad we went when we did as the situation there just got worse after we left. Just use your common sense. For London maybe the bus and/or taxi would be better than using the metro. Ask your hotel if there are places you should avoid. Everywhere you go you could run into a problem. In Beijing and HCM City and Hanoi just crossing the street is a risk. Listen to your husband, be aware of your surroundings, and have a great trip!

kerouac

Can anybody tell me when the last publicly advertised terror alert for tourists in a developed country turned out to be accurate?

colduphere

I am super brave too.

IMDonehere

There are some on these boards I want to take with me. We have been deferring our trip to Egypt, but I think 2016 we will go unless there is another violent uprising in the streets. We also never went to Madagascar due to their revolution.


I would venture a guess that Chris45NY is careful but not generally deterred, either.

Debbielynn

Kerouac, you never know when it might come true. As I said, I worry alot and always think of the "what ifs". But I am a very alert travler and am always aware of my surroundings. Thanks again.

TPaxe

Debbielynn, New York City has been on high alert since the 11th of September, so definitely don't go there. ISIS is operating in the Middle East with recruits from the US, Britain, Canada, Australia and who knows where else.

Don't go to parts of the Middle East, but to compare Europe to these parts of the middle east is just feeding sensational hysterical cheap media and whatever the Prime Minister said.

If you are too frightened and fearful to travel to Paris and London, then visit some outstanding parts of America, but not New York.

cornelius01

We are leaving for France in 2weeks and canceling is not even an option with us.
Just use common sense and be aware of your surroundings.
Life is too short to hide under the table.

chris45ny

IMDonehere-Egypt was one of my most favorite trips. I really love seeing ancient sites which is why I loved Egypt and Greece. When you first see Karnak and Luxor Temples it's mind boggling how they were built. They soar into the sky-they're huge!

Back to the topic- I am currently planing a return trip to London and a first time visit to Paris. Unless the US gov't forbids me to go I fully intend to go and have a great time! Looking forward to seeing some things in London missed/not enough time for on our first trip. Paris is for the churches and museums. I can't wait to start my odyssey in Europe!

Debbielynn-you are going to London and Paris around the same time of year that I am planning for in 2015. My wish is for you to have great weather and lesser crowds. No worries-just a good time with lots of good memories. When you return home tell us how the trip was.

Debbielynn

Thank you Chris45ny for your kind wishes. I hope I have great weather too. PS- I am a New Yorker- and I have absolutely no problem going into the city. I just feel that Europe is so much closer to the middle east, that's all.

BigRuss

<<Personally I am more afraid of traveling in US cities and any place where people think it is the right thing to do go give children automatic weapons and let insane young men buy them at Wal-Mart and load up on ammo online. >>

Evidently someone doesn't understand the US at all. My goodness, unpacking the legal, logical and factual errors in that statement would take a lot of forum space. The notion that anyone who is sane in the US thinks it "is the right thing to do go give children automatic weapons" is just pure anti-Americanism.

Now, I am not afraid to travel with IDH, but I would like to know when he travels so that I do not follow or precede in close temporal proximity.

bilboburgler

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...llet-head.html



Closer to the middle east but further from North Korea

janisj

BigRuss: "Evidently someone doesn't understand the US at all."

Actually our friend zeppole/sandralist is an American who lives in Italy and manages to offend folks on both sides of the Atlantic.

IMDonehere

Life is too short to hide under the table.
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So am I, so I can hide under the table.
__________________________________________________

Now, I am not afraid to travel with IDH, but I would like to know when he travels so that I do not follow or precede in close temporal proximity.
----

Tomorrow, I am going to Trader Joe's and the bagel store.

farrermog

While this thread has been going on I've been 'watching' - via flight radar 24 - family members travel Sydney/ Glasgow, ie into the area covered by the alert, and have found that we may have been at Sydney airport at the same time an alleged murderer was arrested as he was about to board a flight, that my family members' flight transited sanctions-targeted Iran, passed just east of ISIS controlled northern Iraq, and that two women were run over by an out of control car while waiting at a bus stop in Glasgow. At least the threat from the volcano under the glacier in Iceland has subsided.