Lindaland
  Global Unity
  Is it true?

Post New Topic  Post A Reply
profile | register | preferences | faq | search

UBBFriend: Email This Page to Someone! next newest topic | next oldest topic
Author Topic:   Is it true?
Aphrodite
unregistered
posted January 29, 2004 12:37 PM           Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
On a cab ride to work this morning, I was chatting with the driver about my vacation plans. He was telling me that he had been all over Europe, Latin America and Southeast Asia. I asked if he had gone to Egypt yet, and he said no. He will not travel to Muslim countries, including India and all of Africa. He said Africa has many terrible diseases and India is very strange. He also said Muslim countries have notorious human rights abuses. He went on to say that Americans are hated all over the world and that it's not always safe for us to travel outside the country.

IP: Logged

Harpyr
Newflake

Posts: 0
From: Alaska
Registered: Jun 2010

posted January 29, 2004 04:26 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Harpyr     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Sounds like exaggeration to me. All of those things are potential dangers sure, but I would wager that the risk of bodily harm is greater simply driving on the freeway between Oakland and SF...granted that all sane precautions are taken- i.e. getting vaccinated for tropical diseases and avoiding dangerous areas like you would in any major city. I know of more than a few of my unmistakably American friends who traveled to India to study music and culture who had wonderful experiences there. I haven't gotten anywhere exotic yet like Africa but I would welcome the experience. Granted, because people like that taxi driver have always said such fearful things to me, I would be carrying a healthy measure of concern about the whole affair, but I wouldn't let it stop me from seeing someplace I greatly desired to visit.

IP: Logged

Aphrodite
unregistered
posted January 29, 2004 11:30 PM           Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
*sighs*

It is true.
http://travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html

IP: Logged

Harpyr
Newflake

Posts: 0
From: Alaska
Registered: Jun 2010

posted January 30, 2004 12:49 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Harpyr     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Yeah, and I was just talking with a new friend who grew up in Compton. He told me all sorts of stories and particularly mentioned that I should avoid driving around LA in a car with foreign plates. He said he knew lots of ganstas who specifically targeted tourists. Violence is not just isolated to Islamic countries. It's everywhere.
I take such descriptions and warnings always with this particular grain of salt.
Especially warnings issued by a gov't that is currently waging a war of questionable motives against persons of said warning.

Not that I'm saying every visit of every foreign person to these countries turns out peachy keen but many similar warnings could be issued about travel in this country. Remember all those carjackings that happened to tourists in Miami a while back?

But okay, there are definite precautions one should take.. That is, my friend's mother took a trip to Egypt by herself and she said she would never do that again and would advise any woman against it. She said because she was alone, and petite (though very tough- a carpenter), men thought they had the right to grab her indecently in public and it was really frightening. I wouldn't go there alone..

I would consider going to India.. That was mostly why I responded in the first place. I've heard such facinating things about it and would love to visit someday.
There is a great sage who lives there, called Amma, whom I would like to meet and visit the ashram of.

I don't see myself dying in a foreign country though.. I just got done watching the movie Big Fish.. It was great. They guy knew when he was going to die, he'd seen it in a vision and therefore was able to live his life without fear, doing all sorts of amazing things because he knew none of them would kill him. I want to live my life like that. I can't say I've had a definite vision of when I'm going to die but I have always felt intuitively, quite strongly, that I will die an old woman with a long life behind me. This has helped me keep my cool in several life threatening situations, from being shot at to nearly drowning in the Atlantic late one night.. It's what would give me the confidence to travel to India by myself, were the opportunity to present itself. But that's just me. Some people think I'm weird. *shrug*

IP: Logged

Aphrodite
unregistered
posted January 30, 2004 11:46 AM           Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
hi harpyr,

have you ever thought about going on research expeditions? my favorite itineraries are the archaeological ones in Meso-America. they are usually cheaper to travel with than as a regular tourist (except with National Geographic and the Smithsonian, those cost a pretty penny; 5K+ per week). i like the ones offered by universities because they can be tax deductible.

IP: Logged

All times are Eastern Standard Time

next newest topic | next oldest topic

Administrative Options: Close Topic | Archive/Move | Delete Topic
Post New Topic  Post A Reply
Hop to:

Contact Us | Linda-Goodman.com

Copyright © 2011

Powered by Infopop www.infopop.com © 2000
Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.46a