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I normally do not purchase travel insurance, choosing instead to self-insure. However, in April 2010, when I booked and paid for the two trips my wife and I planned to take in 2011 with Cruise West aboard the Spirit of Oceanus (Muscat, Oman, to Alexandria, Egypt, April 4-11, and Reykjavik, Iceland, to Halifax, Canada, Sept. 1-11), something (a little birdie?) kept telling me, ‘Buy travel insurance.’
My husband, Tom, and I flew to Amsterdam on our way to board a ship on Aug. 2, 2010, out of Rotterdam. I had purchased our air tickets through our travel agent the previous February. In her office, we had talked about buying them through the cruise company or independently. Because the flight booked through the cruise line might not be direct, we decided to go directly from Seattle to Amsterdam with Delta.
Over southern Namibia’s Fish River Canyon, a new viewing platform opened on Oct. 21. Located in Ai-Ais Hot Springs Game Park, in the Karas region, the facility also has a picnic area, informative display panels and bathroom facilities.
At 99 miles long and up to 1,804 feet deep, the canyon is the world’s second largest, after the Grand Canyon.
by Evan Goldfischer, Pleasant Valley, NY
As ITN went to press, the State Department had travel warnings on 31 destinations: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Colombia, Iraq, Burundi, Philippines, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Yemen, Lebanon, Iran, Sudan, Eritrea, Mexico, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Afghanistan, Israel/West Bank/Gaza, Mali, Mauritania, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Chad, Haiti, Guinea, Nepal, Niger, Georgia, Algeria, Kenya, Central African Republic, Saudi Arabia and Somalia.
For details, call the State Department at 202/647-5225 or visit www.travel.state.gov.
In Nicaragua, at press time, an epidemic of leptospirosis had infected 551 people and caused 18 deaths since September.
The Department of State warns that while security in Colombia has improved significantly in recent years, the potential for violence by terrorists and other criminal elements still exists in all parts of the country.
On Aug. 12, a car bomb exploded outside the Caracol radio station in Bogota, hurting seven people. On Oct. 21, the Colombian Defense Minister informed the media of an increased threat of terrorist activity in Bogota, particularly against the military, police and state government officials.
From 1993 to 2006, Burundi was plagued by a civil war. In December 2008, the government and the last rebel group signed their final cease-fire agreement. Elections were held from May to September 2010, but some parties claimed that they were fraudulent. Politically motivated attacks continue.
In October 2010 a government official’s residence was attacked in Bujumbura; gunfire was exchanged. Travelers should avoid party headquarters and meeting spots. Gunfire and grenade attacks are common even in urban areas.
In November, after it was learned that terrorists may have been planning attacks, some high-profile sightseeing spots in Europe were closed to public access and security increased. In France, Germany and England, security personnel at public transportation hubs were on high alert.
In Berlin, at press time, the glass dome of the Reichstag building was closed to the general public indefinitely. Back in September, the Eiffel Tower in Paris was closed twice due to bomb threats.
The State Department warns of the risks of terrorist activity in the central and western portions of the southern Philippine island of Mindanao as well as in the Sulu Archipelago. An Oct. 10 bus bombing in Mindanao claimed 10 lives. Attacks could also occur in other areas, including Manila.
Kidnap-for-ransom gangs are active throughout the Philippines and have targeted foreigners.