Travelogger

We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment.

US Travel Alert For Jamaica

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Jamaica has always been a sought after destination for many Americans (and non-Americans for that matter). If you are planning on going there any time in the near future, though, you might want to think about it again. Late last week, the US State Department issued a travel alert for the country.

The reason for the alert is that reports are coming in about criminal gang members gathering in Kingston. Never mind that the reports are unconfirmed – Jamaican defense forces are “responding” to the potential threat already. And in spite of the fact that the reports are not confirmed, the US Department of State is being careful. Here’s a snippet of the alert:

The possibility exists for violence and/or civil unrest in the greater Kingston metropolitan area. There are unconfirmed reports of criminal gang members amassing in the Kingston area, as well as mobilization of Jamaican defense forces. If the situation ignites, there is a possibility of severe disruptions of movement within Kingston, including blocking of access roads to the Norman Manley International Airport. The possibility exists that unrest could spread beyond the general Kingston area. U.S. Embassy Kingston is taking extra security precautions. This Travel Alert expires on June 21, 2010.

More info in case of an emergency:

Emergencies involving American citizens can be reported by contacting the American Citizens Services (ACS) Unit of the U.S. Embassy’s Consular Section, located at 142 Old Hope Road in the Liguanea area of Kingston, telephone (876) 702-6450; after hours emergency telephone (876) 702-6000; Consular Section fax (876) 702-6018; and e-mail at [email protected] The U.S. Consular Agency in Montego Bay has moved and is now located at Whitter Village, Ironshore, telephone (876) 953-0620. The U.S. Consular Agency in the Cayman Islands is located at 118 Dorcy Drive, Suite B-1, Georgetown, Grand Cayman, telephone (345) 945-8173.

Here’s the deal though – despite all these warnings and alerts, travel is usually still safe in many areas. If I were you, I would find a local and ask about the actual situation before altering arrangements that have already been made.

Philippine Travel Alert Extended By US State Department

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Before any of my fellow Filipinos react, let me say that I am in no way in agreement with this extension. In fact, the reason for my writing this post is to express my disagreement with it! This travel alert against the Philippines was issued late last year after the egregious issue of the Maguindanao Massacre hit international headlines.

We all have to admit that that was a horrible affair and that it did nothing to improve the image of the Philippines. Everyone condemned – and continues to do so – that incident. However, that does not mean that the Philippines is an unsafe country. In fact, in the past months, I have interacted with numerous foreign visitors – and each one of them have all their hair in their heads untouched.

For one, Maguindanao is in the southernmost island of the Philippines. There are many tourist attractions in other parts of the country that are totally safe – both for foreigners and locals alike. That massacre is not an ordinary happening in our country and not everyone is like whoever those people behind that massacre are.

Indeed, I went on a trip in December – to a province that is not very touristy. This weekend, a group of my friends are on a weekend trip to another isolated island in the northern part of the country. They are perfectly safe.

This travel alert is a prime example of how the news can be exaggerated and how mountains are made out of mole hills. Primary lesson: don’t believe everything that you hear or read. Not even when it comes from the government. Maybe especially when it comes from the government.

Guard Yourself Against The Flu Pandemic While You Travel

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HotGuysFluMasksYou may not be aware of it, but there IS a flu pandemic going around, and travelers are most prone to contracting the illness. If you have travel plans in the near future, then you should take precautions so as to lessen your chances of getting the flu. As a matter of fact, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has made it a point to increase the awareness of people in this regard.

So who are most likely to get the flu? In general, young children and the elderly are at risk. If you have children aged 5 and below, you might want to postpone your travel plans. Same thing applies if you are 65 years old and above. Pregnant women are also at high risk for complications arising from the flu.

According to the CDC, though, healthy individuals should not really postpone their travel plans as they are not that much at risk. However, they should still take precautions. Some of these include:

• Be aware – know which areas are affected. If your destination is a high risk one, you will know to take extra precautions.
• Keep vaccinations up to date. While the flu vaccine has proven to be ineffective in SOME cases, it still is considered to be good protection against the illness. If you are going to a high risk area, then make sure you do get the vaccine.
• Stay healthy. Your immune system is your best bet against the flu. If you get even slightly ill before you trip, then you may want to postpone it.

Travel safe!