Sunday, January 5, 2025

Traveling Abroad is out of the Question!

After 74 years I no longer have a hankering to go wandering abroad. Back in the early 70s traveling overseas was something my wife and I talked about a lot. 

We just couldn't go to our dream vacation in Tahiti because the cost of raising three boys prohibited such an expensive getaway.

Over time I've noticed air travel fees hitting the stratosphere every year. 

One of the things I kept an eye on is how American tourists were treated overseas. The Ugly American phrase became commonplace for the loud and annoying American travelers who were called that not because of their physical appearance but because of their personalities.

Apparently, we earned the reputation. Being bores and acting rude didn't set well with any country.

I was concerned about air travel well before getting married, however. The 1960s was called the "Golden Age of Hijacking" (specifically the latter half) where hijackings were significantly more common than any other decade in our history. During the last five years (60s) there were hundreds of hijacking attempts globally, with many originating here in the United States.

By the mid-seventies hijacking was no longer a major threat. So, the Ugly Americans took up traveling abroad again with a vengeance. The new challenge was Americans increasingly getting arrested or kidnapped in foreign countries.

Moving on...

Following the outbreak of war between Israel and Gaza and flaring tensions in the region, the U.S. State Department issued a worldwide caution advisory on Oct. 19, 2023, due to "increased tensions in various locations around the world, the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interest."

The U.S. State Department also issued individual travel advisory levels for more than 200 countries globally, continually updating them based on a variety of risk indicators such as health, terrorism and civil unrest.

If Americans want to travel to nearby Mexico, they should know six of the 32 states in Mexico are designated Level 4 - meaning their very dangerous and travelers are warned not to go there.

All of this adds up to not going outside of the United States in my book. The only overseas experience I've had was a tour of duty in Vietnam (circa 1970), and I can tell you I have no desire to return there. The chance of meeting an untimely death in another country leaves me cold. I'm a survivor who's trying to see how long I can live. My solution is simple; improve the odds.

To all you brave Americans that think traveling abroad is a good idea... more power to you. The world is a fascinating place and there's nothing like seeing it firsthand. 

As it Stands, I satisfy my wanderlust these days watching documentaries and taking virtual tours of famous museums and other locations of interest around the world. Yes, it's a second-hand experience but a much safer one.

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