Machu Picchu visitors should be aware of a fake ticket scam using altered and previously scanned tickets. The only official online source for entrance for individuals is the Ministry of Culture government site tuboleto.cultura.pe/llaqta_machupicchu. Police have arrested street vendors from a forgery ring nicknamed “Los Malditos de Photoshop,” but more unscrupulous resellers are likely to take their place.
In this issue, I’ll share the experience of another adventurer who chose to travel during these uncertain COVID times plus, for those contemplating getting back on the road, a strategy or approach to consider.
Egypt adventure
Dear Globetrotter:
A suicide bomber detonated his bomb in a taxi outside of a hospital in Liverpool, England, on Nov. 14, killing only himself and injuring the taxi driver, who was an innocent victim. After the bombing, the UK government raised their terrorism alert level to “severe.”
Three suicide bombers in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, blew themselves up near the country’s Parliament and the city’s police headquarters on Nov. 16, killing three people and injuring more than 30. A fourth person with a suicide vest was found and arrested following the event.
Authorities blamed the Allied Democratic Forces for the attack, a militant group based in neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo that has sworn allegiance to Daesh (ISIL) in recent years. Kampala police warned that more bombs were likely already in the city.
Below are some of the questions and issues we should individually consider when thinking of undertaking international group travel while COVID is still in our midst. Bear in mind that this column was written in late October 2021, and COVID realities can change quickly.
Personal health awareness
Are you are fully vaccinated? If so, does this include a booster shot?
The title of this article is likely on the minds of the majority of ITN readers. Before launching into this topic, however, I must note that this column is being written in late September 2021, and COVID conditions related to travel, specifically, can change significantly in a short period of time. With that said, here goes.
A suicide bombing outside of a church in Makassar, Sulawesi, Indonesia, wounded 14 people on Palm Sunday, March 28. The bombing occurred after two men attempted to force their way into the church near the end of the service but were prevented by security guards and church officials. The men returned to a motorbike outside the gate, and the explosion occurred.
Indonesia is home to active Islamist terrorist groups, some allied with Daesh (ISIL), who have targeted Christian locations in the past. However, no group had claimed responsibility for the Makassar bombing at press time.
Two suicide bombers targeted an outdoor market in Baghdad, Iraq, on Jan. 21, killing at least 32 people and injuring more than 100. It was the first major terrorist attack in Baghdad in three years. The previous terrorist attack, in January 2018, occurred in the same market and killed 27.
Dear Globetrotter: