There are alot of funny threads reffering to war/terror travel,which I have joined in on, but in all seriousness is anyone elese but me somewhat nervous about traveling in the smack middle of this? I have been a zillion places since 9/11, bever bothered me, but for reason I do have an eerie feeling, maybe to much tv/news, eh? Have alot of $$$ invested in vacation and even with insurance you can't just say I don't want to go, not my ins anyway, guess I need to hear reassurance.
Thanks
meggs

Here's a serious answer, which can be applied to many whatifs in life:

Life's short, eat dessert first.

Have a wonderful time on your vacation, don't watch TV, we'll all be here when you return.

Yo, Meggs,
I'll try reassurance.
Our country has never been this prepared to stop terror before it happens. Almost every citizen feels responsible for helping everyone feel safer. And we ARE safer. Nobody is alone with feelings of nervousness or anxiety. What you feel is shared by many others. Together we will get through this.

Put this terrorist "thing" in some persepctive. We are bombarded with so many 'terrors' - most are unknown or unexplored. And all are more pervasive than actual terror attacks (medical such as cancer, glaucoma; habitual such as smoking or poor eating habits). We live and enjoy life with these each day.

I simply have turned off all TV (except the pgm I write for). This constant chatter reminds me of my Hypochondriac Aunt who is afraid of blood loss from standing too long. I think she just doesn't want to do the dishes after Holiday dinner.

Surround yourself with love; Occupy your time with joy; And listen out of only the tiny corner of your ear to stay in touch.

Go on your vacation. Enjoy it. Take pictures. And Post us your Trip Report.

To xxx11,

That is the most logical advice I have read yet, thank you very much. I live in Japan and unfortunately, we only get Fox News which is ridiculous and oversensationalized. I've just turned off my television. Thank you for being a voice of reason, I for one needed it!

Thanks guys! What you all said makes good sense! XXX11, I agree with what you said about others feeling this way, no one wants to talk about it though, it has made me feel better to see others. Thanks agin
meggss

Kristen, I live in Switzerland and I also get Fox News. Watching that for an hour makes you want to just curl up and hide until this is all over. Go to CNN International. Much more grounded. Although, I must say, even here in neutral Switzerland the US Consular's office is temporarily closed due to security precautions and some of the international schools have taken extra security measures . . . sooo, I guess my advise is to live your life, travel, but be prepared. We're taking some emergency items with us on our trips.

Very good advice by all....The only thing I would add is that the vast majority of people who have died at the hands of terrorists were not travellers, they were going about everyday lives, their jobs - in the WTC, the Pentagon, the Murrah Federal Bldg, various embassies around the world, on buses in Israel, etc. I'm not saying it doesn't happen to tourist but you know there were people who, thanks to fate, were on vacation on 9/11 and weren't at work in the WTC or Pentagon or wherever when the terrorist struck and because of that they are alive today. The point is, as previous posters have said, we don't know when we are going to leave this world or how so enjoy as much of your time here as you can.

Meggss, keep in mind the millions of people employed in the travel industry that would lose jobs if everyone stopped traveling. Go, have fun, and spend some money!

Meggss, I am all nervous about all of this too, then I went to lunch in our office restaurant. I was minding my own business when suddenly I swallowed a piece of steamed chicken wrong and nearly chocked to death.
So to me it put everything into perspective, I had a moment when I thought that it was the end of me. And it wasn't even fried chicken, just bland old steamed, hardly worth dying over,lol!
Have fun on your trip!

I knew when I wrote this I would hear alot of smart aXX responses, I apreciate the other! I am not a worry wort, but I do consider a 10 hour flight and 2 weeks away something to reconsider (for myself anyway>. I live in an area where I am concerned, no I don't have duct tape/plastic. But I feel more secure in my home right now.
Thanks to those of you who responded.

Couldn't agree more with Joan's msg. Take your trip and enjoy yourself.

I just read on the BBC World News web site that senior Bush administration officials have said that they now believe that the terrorist suspects probably lied and fabricated evidence about an emminent attack. I hope that's correct, and I was relieved to read it, as I am taking my son to NYC this weekend for a college interview, and I was feeling a little uneasy about it.

Oops, that should have been an imminent attack - not a highly esteemed one!

"Eat dessert first? If that particular responder were in NYC or DC, and she's probably not, she'd have been a bit more serious"

I don't know; I live in NYC, and I'd respond the same way. Of course we're all concerned about our safety, but that's not keeping me, or anyone I know, from living our lives - and that includes making and keeping travel plans.

That you admit to "joined in" on "funny" threads would indicate that you're not all that serious. Eh? The "eerie feeling" you have is the result of watching far too much TV/news. Eh? Travel insurance in no way promises that you won't actually need it. Eh? Or, that it will cover your particular situation - eh?

All in all, though, you have to make up your own mind whether you want to go or not - eh?

And, you're taking your chances every minute of every day, no matter where you go (or don't) eh?

If you're really and truly concerned, don't fly and don't ride the subway in any large city.

I think I'm getting a subliminal message telling me to spend my vacation somewhere in the eastern half of Canada....

Go Big! The fack is, you could die any day. Live your life to the fullest everyday and don't dwell on the things you can't control. You could live for many years hiding in a bunker not expierencing everything life has to offer. But what kind of life is that! Go BIG.

I heard on the news last night they were probably going to drop the alert back down to yellow in the next couple of days.

I also saw a terrorism expert on ABC and he said that the chances of dying in a terrorist attack are like 1 million to 1. What scares people is the unknown factor, no one can predict when and where it will hit. He also went on to say that every 11 minutes in this country someone dies just going out their front door.

IMO, the news media's sensationalistic coverage makes everyone nervous. My Mother watches alot of news and was just freaking out. I told her to check the news in the morning and maybe turn on the radio a couple of times a day to see what was going on and then turn it off and get out of the house or do something else.

going to Paris in April via Air France. We should be safe in the account of the French are allies with the iraquis. SH would most likely leave Paris alone.