State Dept. Travel Warning: Worth heeding?

[Trianii]

All can I say is go with your gut response. No one else can tell you how you feel or what your comfort level really is. Asking advice of others is great, but if you get there (or anywhere else for that matter) and things don't feel "right"...heed those feelings. Whether you go there or elsewhere...dive safe and have a great trip!

 

[silent running]

want more?

Um, no. I was asking about Ambon in particular, not anywhere else. Not every place is the same. I have plenty of hope, otherwise I wouldn't have bought the plane ticket in the first place, duh. And while I'm pretty sure Ambon is like anywhere else I've been in Asia-not so scary after all-I was interested in whatever factual basis there was for the specific warning to USA embassy staff.

I have experienced far worse anti-Americanism while stuck on a liveaboard for 2 weeks after 9/11 with a Frenchman and Irishman, both of whom had graduate degrees, than I ever did with the Indonesians, Papuans and Philippinos I've met travelling.

 

[pelan-pelan]

Would agree with much that has been posted here.

But a comment about Ambon - which I think could be applied to many places, including cities in the US. There has been violence there. Some people kill other people and then blame it (justify it) on some kind of relligious or political motivation. Actually they are just rabid murderers. These brutal murders can occur at any time.

Police and medical services may not respond as quickly and efficiently as you are used to. They may not behave in the way you might expect - for whatever reason. Phone systems can be intermittent.

So take a few minutes to consider Plan B - what you would do if you found yourself feeling uncomfortable or with a medical emergency? Do you know when flights leave?

Now you are properly equipped, you know how to behave, you are not going to walk around dripping gold, diamonds and currency. You will earn respect from those you meet, and if you have a problem, you know how you are going to deal with it.

And I have just described how I approach a trip to Houston - or rather I would avoid ever going there again. The most threatening place I have been. Texans? I've met some on my travels and they've been good people.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[SteveDiver]

I have been to Indonesia many times never had a problem and actually have an excellent time everytime I go.. If we listened to every warning and paranoid comments others make we would never go anywhere. Live your life travel and have fun.. The State Department should put out warnings about some of it's own US Cities. The Indo people are very polite and accepting. Have a wonderful trip!

 

[SteveDiver]

Would agree with much that has been posted here.
And I have just described how I approach a trip to Houston - or rather I would avoid ever going there again. The most threatening place I have been. Texans? I've met some on my travels and they've been good people.

Enjoy your trip.

You are correct, I am from Houston and just like any large city there are areas to stay away from. When in London the street where my hotel was located was closed down due to a bomb threat. One should always be cognizant of safety issues at home or abroad.

 

[pelan-pelan]

Yes SteveD. As you say, wherever you are, you need to be alert to possible danger. It shouldn't be like that - but it is.

We have travelled around SE Asia, and like many posting here, have enjoyed the experience. And we'll be in Sulawesi again later this year.

Bon voyage to all travellers.

 

[pakman]

I have experienced far worse anti-Americanism while stuck on a liveaboard for 2 weeks after 9/11 with a Frenchman and Irishman, both of whom had graduate degrees, than I ever did with the Indonesians, Papuans and Philippinos I've met travelling.

LOL!... that's a good one silent running... I was going to say something similiar... sometimes, I'm in more fear of Western tourists than the locals...

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

Government travel warnings are just that – they are designed to help the government.

Many western nations issue over zealous warnings on just about every country in the world. That way should anything happen anywhere, no matter how unforeseeable, the bureaucrats that issued the warning and they government department they represent can sit back on their fat arse and say ‘Sorry, we told you so’.

Hell the yanks had warning on travelling to Australia a while back. Maybe there some suicide-bombing kangaroos out there somewhere..

Cheers,
Rohan.

 

[pakman]

Hell the yanks had warning on travelling to Australia a while back. Maybe there some suicide-bombing kangaroos out there somewhere..

Well I wish I had read that State Dept. warning on Australians .... Actually my only bad experience in my Asian travels did involved an attack by an Aussie... Many moons ago, I was in the ol' Sari Club in Bali and was dragged kicking and screaming onto the dance floor by a massive Sheila (probably 3x my size -horizontally) who had mistaken me for an Indonesian boytoy...:11:

I'm still having nightmares about that...

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

Now now Pakman - don't end the story where it starts to get interesting...

Were you brutalised? Did you swap phone numbers in the morning?

Spent many a night in the Sari club - I think I've seen the girl you mean. There was many a fine heifer in that paddock