Most of you have probably seen the travel warnings of late – particularly in the Middle East – warning travelers to stay out of certain regions. Just this week I received an email known as a STEP Notification, which comes from the Department of State’s Smart Travel Enrollment Program (the registration link follows below). In the interest of being smart AND proactive, I can’t think of a reason not to register with this program. As indicated on the website, registering your foreign travel plans in advance with the State Department allows them to better aid you in case of an emergency. And, in the interest of privacy, you can indicate just whom you want notified, be it a stateside relative, medical personnel, legal representative, etc. I mean, in case you get caught dealing drugs abroad, you can have your lawyer handy!
Ok, now that we have all the cold, hard information out of the way, let’s get back to what I know to be true … that the ACTUAL chance one is going to confront this situation is pretty slim. It is far more likely you’d be contacting the State Department because you lost your passport than because you were confronted with terrorism. I’m thinking the world is mostly safe when one takes the necessary precautions. For the big trip next spring, one of the countries we’re visiting is Colombia (plus Peru & Ecuador). I’m checking with a contact there as to whether we can (safely) drive from Cartagena via Medellin on the way back to Bogota. I mean, does one necessarily have to include the word “cartel” in there or am I watching too many movies? We’ll conduct all the due diligence and then make an informed decision.
And that’s what I’m talking about … careful, smart planning; then sit back and enjoy yourself!
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smart advice – sadly we all know too well what this world has come to!
Thank you!
Great advice Teri. I always advise my clients to do this whenever they travel out of the US. Aside from terrorism, it is important to get updates on weather related issues, be it a volcanic eruption, earthquake or tsunami, which can not only disrupt your travel but be life-threatening. I personally want my government to know where I am so they can come get me if I need to be evacuated! Thanks for sharing as always!