Traveling Abroad: Heeding U.S. Travel Warnings
Tip! Start collecting postcards. Postcards are inexpensive, and your kids will enjoy getting to send them to their friends or other family members. Postcards are also a great addition to your family photo album after the trip. You can cut them up, or even write about specific experiences on the backs of them, to help everyone remember what you did and where you went.
Traveling abroad presents certain risks for Americans, especially in light of the recent bombings in London, England. For the most part, terrorists are the problem, although drug, gang, and criminal activities can also be a factor. In addition, local health conditions can be a separate problem. Thankfully, the U.S. State Department regularly issues and updates Consular Information Sheets for every country in the world. These sheets give valuable information to travelers, information you must know before you take your next trip.
As mentioned, the Consular Information Sheets provide important information for travelers. You can also check the State Department's Current Travel Warning list to see which nations the U.S. government encourages Americans to avoid altogether. Currently, the following countries are listed:
Uzbekistan
Kenya
Iran
Iraq
Congo-Kinshasa
Nepal
Israel, the West Bank and Gaza
Afghanistan
Haiti
Nigeria
Saudi Arabia
Indonesia
Yemen
Colombia
Lebanon
Central African Republic
Pakistan
Kyrgyzstan
Philippines
Zimbabwe
Liberia
Côte d'Ivoire
Algeria
Libya
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Sudan
Burundi
Somalia
Several of the countries listed should be of no surprise to you as they are either embroiled in a war or are hotbeds of terrorist activity. These countries include: Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Algeria, and Libya.
Colombia is listed because of the ongoing violence related to the strong influence of the drug cartels there. Haiti is marked because of protracted civil unrest, while Uzbekistan has been identified as a possible terrorist breeding ground. In all cases the U.S. government warns Americans to avoid these countries as citizens may find themselves caught in the middle of an armed conflict.
Please note that just because a country is not on the Current Travel Warning list, you should still obtain the country specific Consular Information Sheets from the State Department to be aware of certain risks.
Tip! One great example of saving money by traveling off-peak is flying to the Caribbean during the North American winter months rather than during summer. You might say what's the point in going to the Caribbean in winter when you're going there to savor the beaches? But the fact is, there is hardly such a thing as winter in the Caribbean as it stays warm most of the year.
To find out current travel information, please visit the State Department's site for international travel at http://travel.state.gov/travel/travel_1744.html
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