My wife and I are planning to spend 8 days in Turkey
starting next Saturday. I was extremely perturbed this
morning to read about Sunday's grenade attack on an Istanbul
cafe and the torching of several municipal buses, both in
connection with the Ocalan affair. The AP report was very
brief, however, and gave virtually no details. Until this
story, I had thought that the violence was primarily in
southeast Turkey.
I am now beginning to question whether my wife and I should
postpone our trip. This would, of course, result in
substantial costs and inconvenience, but I don't want to put
her in danger. Could someone familiar with the situation
there please give me a worm's-eye view of what's going on
and the general atmosphere?
I am aware that there are always dangers associated with
travel and have put myself in fairly sketchy situations more
than once (e.g.- Egypt in '94). The picture changes
substantially, though, when one gets married. What I seek
is an objective assessment of the scale of the danger.
Finally, I'm not interested in who's right or wrong--just
whether or not it will be safe when we're in Istanbul
(primarily Sultanhamet), Cappadocia and Bodrum/Ephesus.
Thanks very much in advance.
Kevin
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Kevin,
I live in Istanbul and see really nothing to worry about. I
heard the same things from TV. One or two events in outer
suburbs of a 12-million-city should not defect the whole
image of a metropolitan city.
Enjoy your time in Istanbul
Musti
I can observe, most of the TV violence is just that -- TV
violence. Mostly for the benefit of the cameras and by
Kurds now living in other European capitals. My personal
experience among Turkish citizens with Kurdish backgrounds
is that they are hard-working, family-centered, and generous
people who long to be understood and accepted. I have never
experienced a single act of anti-American or anti-Western
behavior. Instead, they have been the very soul of
hospitality and friendliness. Would I go to Istanbul and
other spots in Turkey? Yes, by all means.
Hi Kevin,
There is really nothing to worry about the situation. All
the things you have read in the news are true but they are
at the outskirts of the city and minor events that can
happen also in some other parts of the world.
Turks and Kurds have lived together for so many years
together and there are a lot of mixed families. Therefore,
the situation should not be considered as the fight of
Turks and Kurds. Everybody in Turkey are very friendly and
you will see this yourself when you come.
I live in ▌stanbul and own and photo studio in Sultanahmet
which has an internet connection. You are welcome to use it
when you come and please do not hesitate to ask further
questions if you want.
Greetings from Selcuk
Don't worry.Istanbul is not dangerous than any other
metropolitan city around the world,even safer than New
York,Tokyo,Moscow,Chicago etc.
We visited there in November, and my nephew in the Marines had just returned due to problems. We felt safe the time we were there. I look at it the same way we heard about the tourists that were shot in south Florida. It probably scared off more people that it needed to. Unfortunately, we can get shot in any US city.
It is true: Istanbul is an absolutely safe city and you
won't experience any risk (not even if you are Greek). The
clashes take place in poor neighboorhoods where you are not
likely to go (I don't know where they are, and I live here).
As you said, you don't care who's right or wrong, only about
your safety, and you can take your family here with no
danger at all.
This, incidentally, does not mean that, as somebody would
imply, there are no clashes at all here and all the fuss is
made from terrorist abroad. Dissent is strong in Turkey, but
is heavily repressed and confined in ghettos. There is peace
here, but it is police enforce peace, nonetheless.
Y.
Does anyone else think that a little danger adds to the
experience of being overseas? I'm not talking about Uganda
or Iraq but I found that when I was in the middle east,
although there was no serious danger, uncertainty made the
trip more memorable.
Kevin,
You seem to be seriously reconsidering - perhaps it's not
the best idea to rely on what is essentially hearsay. You
have a fair idea what's been going on. The question is
rather, what are you prepared to risk?
Does anyone know if Lhasa is still closed for strangers, or
are "we" permitted to enter now?
How are the road/paths between India and Lhasa, bikeable?
Has anyone biked in India?
Also, if anyone has an idea about how it would be to bike
through the Saudi desert (Mecka - Riyadh), please share your
thoughts.
/Paul from Sweden
ok, how dangerous is New York City anyhow? i'm talking about
Manhattan. Also, what should i do (as an 18 year old with
two other 18 yeaR old's) to avoid the danger (what places
should i avoid?)
Has anyone been to Honduras recently (since the hurricane)?
I've got a couple of weeks in May to travel before starting
work in guatemala, was thinking of doing some diving, and
was wondering how Utila is recovering? Or could anyone
offer alternative suggestions of where I might want to go? I
haven't been to Nicaragua or Costa Rica - any thoughts on
the relative merits, dangers and costs of travelling in
these countries as compared to Honduras?
Thanks, Lynda
Yes, NYC is probably one of the most intimidating cities in the world.......when you first arrive. Every passing day will make the city seem smaller. Okay, Manhattan, for the most part, is very safe. From about 7am to 4am you should have no problems as far as your safety. Take cabs as often as possible because if you've never been here, the subway can be really confusing. When walking around, use your head. Just stay where the crowds are. You'll see that its not as bad as everyone else makes it out to be. Enjoy your stay!
-JC
Konnichi wa, minna. I was wondering, I live in Canada,
(Japanese is my second language), and I'm considering moving
to Australia in the future. I'm very sensitive to heat, and
I was wondering just how bad does the heat get there?? I've
heard that it gets so bad sometimes they tell you to stay
indoors. (Like when they do here when it gets too cold...)
Is that true?? Also, what is the Japanese population
there?? Are there a lot of them?? Just gotta know. Domo
arigato gozaimasu. (thank you very much...)
Okay, Here it is, My cousin, his wife, and their 3 month old baby are planning a trip to Cuba to go visit distant relatives. My cousin is worried about taking the baby. We need to know if Cuba is really safe enough to take a little baby into a foreign place like Cuba. Please write back if you have any comments or suggestions! Thanks!
I'm going to Europe soon, by myself. I'm going to travel
by train and I heared travelling train at night is kind of
dangerous for women travelers. Is it true? Should I avoid
travelling at night?
Am planning a trip to Sulawasi - should be there from May
1/99 to June 14/99 - am a little concerned about recent
violence in Indonesia and was hoping to get some feedback on
the conditions there. Will be diving and hiking - a mix of
guided and non-guided stuff - planning to use local
transport etc. Am travelling with a wildlife biologist and
hope to spend most of the time in the bush or on the boat.
Am also interested in safety around Pangkalanbuun (Borneo).
Any info much appreciated!
I'm hoping to visit Turkey again in June 99 and have heard that it's not worth going to Pumukkale at the moment because the water has dried up. I have seen pictures of it and planned the trip back to try and visit this wonderful looking place so I was very disappointed to hear that it may not be in all its glory. I would love to hear comment from anyone!
Thanks!!
I'm off in June/July 99 to tour through Turkey, Jordan, Syria and Morocco and am trying to ease worries of my family & friends (and to some degree, myself!) about safety of travellers to these areas. Any tips, hints, advice would be fantastic!
I am planning on taking my husband for 4 days to the Rock
for an exciting time without the kids, any suggestions on
any planned tours around, maybe a night under the stars as
well as anything else going there!
I am off to Milan in April, only for a weekend, but it is a
trade fair weekend, hence prices of hotels, hostels & B&B's
double/triple. I have been searching various web sites for
accomodation, and in the ususal backpacker style want
somewhere cheap & prefably cheerful. Has anyone stayed in
such a place in Milan - or know of anywhere which they can
recommend to me? If so address's or/and phone numbers of
such places would be incredibly useful, thanks very much
Heading to North Norway/Sweden for much of April. Have been
there before but have some questions:
--WHEN are the migrating killer whales present and feeding
in the south Narvik area?
--WHAT are the chances of seeing the "Northen lights" in
Abisko/Lofotons during April? Not sure if I should lug with
me extra photo equipment. Any photo tips for photographing
them? Was thinking about using a sturdy tripod and 50mm
1.8,Fuji 800ASA print.
--Is snowshoe use (instead of skis) POSSIBLE to reach
Abiskojaure and Laktajakka stugas near STF Abisko
Mt.Station? Are marked trails safe during this time? Does
Laktajakka have nicer views, compared to the Abiskojaure
valley, around Keiron Mt. ?
A truly beautiful area, but trying to get the most out of my
money while there. Thanks for any tips. Nick
My soon-to-be-husband and I are planning to spend out
honeymoon in Scotland. We hope to visit ancient, mythical
places, burial sites, standing stones, ley lines, the whole
esotherical lot. Could anybody out there give us hints&tips?
Thanks!
Sitting here in beauitful Dahab with Apdo, Manager of the
Shark Bay Hotel, Dahab in his new internet cafe. He has
set up a second cafe after having opened the first four
months ago and experiencing the difficulties of the
internet in the Sinai. He has a great set up over looking
the water and would like us to pass on the information that
his hotel is beauitful (not that we have seen it) and that
it has all the modern ammenities that any traveller in the
Sinai would ever need. He looks forward to seeing you!!!
I am planning a trip with four friends in China. We
are thinking of going from Bejing to Hong Kong using the
train network at around June - August time. Any advice would
be much appreciated. Thanks - Stu.
I'll be going home after work. Will it be safe?
This branch is for questions, comments and feedback about
the safety situation in TURKEY. If you want other
information about other destinations or subjects (i.e.
Tibet, Cuba, China, Scotland, Sulawesi...)PLEASE GO TO THE
APPROPRIATE AREA IN THORN TREE. Don't bog down the Turkey
conversation with extraneous posts. THANKS!!!
I am a 30 year old female from the USA. I am planning a trip
to Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Kenya,
Turkey and a few other places. Would like to leave sometime
end of '99 or beginning of 2000. Would like to find someone
to travel with! And/or would like to find people to meet
here and there to travel a country or two with. Please let
me know if you plan on travelling to any of these places in
2000 and are also looking for a travelling companion! Thanks
- Jennifer
Traveling through Europe by train is fairly safe. I traveled from Madrid to Paris to Hamburg to Stockholm, back to Hamburg to London- and NEVER did i have any problems, other than a gypsy asking me for cigarettes in the Gard Nord in Paris. I am a woman and I was alone. The German train was a little creepy seeing as my car had only myself and 6 other teenaged boys for 4 hours.. in the dark.. no lights what so ever. But nothing, thank god, came of it. Make sure that if you're traveling through France that you realize that you must change train stations and take the subway. For this you need to purchase another ticket and lug all of your stuff- not fun. Have a great time.
You people are driving me crazy! I came to this site
because I am going to be traveling to Turkey and wanted to
see the responses concerning safety in Turkey.
If you have a question about travel, go to the appropriate
branch of the Thorn Tree. If you seek companionship, go to
that branch. If you have questions about western Europe,
go to that one. This poor guy asked a question about
safety in Turkey!
You aren't going to get answers to your questions this
way. Back out of this posting NOW.
my village is burnt down, my homeland is occupied, had to
leave neighbouring Syria in a hurry, Russia unwelcoming,
Holland and germany neither, even greeks seem anxious to
keep me out of sight - got plenty air miles, how about some
quiet 'get away from it all' place in central africa perhaps
- recommendations and 'musts' please?
struggling to get an uzbek visa and heard that in Ashgabat
in Turmenistan you can get it without a letter of intro-
anyone know?
Also LP Central asia book is a few years out of date- anyone
got any major changes i need to know about- better hotels
etc
Cheers
Woman travelling alone!!
I live in ▌stanbul and I am in tourism business.There is
really nothing to worry about here in the city.Istanbul has
always been one of the safest metropoles in the world and it
still is.
We are planning to visit Indonesia, possibly Sumatra, Java
and Sulawesi, in May or June. Does anyone have the current
info on safety issues. Please e-mail me if you can help.
Thanks
so since it's so dangerous, why don't we all just take the
plunge, kill ourselves and be safe....good grief.....you
people shouldn't be traveling if you expect the world to
cater to your safety at all times. For the truly paranoid
Americans who have posted these questions, please contact
the United States State Department for advisories on
countries you wish to visit. They will feed your paranoia
to your heart's content, I assure you, with graphic tales
of violence, rape and mayhem. I am told they have a
website, but since I'm not paranoid, I don't know the
address. On the other hand, you could just use some common
sense with these tips:
1) if you are traveling in Northern Ireland, don't ask
anybody which side they are on, and for God's sake, stay
out of the Shankill.
2) If you are going to New York, don't wander the city at 3
am and ask strangers how to get somewhere.
3) If you are traveling to Istanbul, relax and enjoy the
people. Check in with the American Embassy when you get
there and let them worry about the political climate.
That's their job.
4) If you are interested in African destinations, go to
Kenya and look at the animals, by all means, but if you are
so concerned about your safety, then go to Syracuse instead.
5) If you are really really a danger-monger and wish to
experience life-or-death situations, please visit
Washington D.C., which has more murders per capita than any
other city in the United States (probably the world, for
that matter).
6) And since you are Americans (sooo arrogant and self-
centered) perhaps you should alert the media on the eve of
your trip so that when you do get taken hostage, all eyes
of the world should be on YOU ...but don't worry, if you
get taken hostage, I assure you that after a few hours of
your self-centered, self-absorbed raving ("I'm an
AMERICAN!!! YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!!") they will most
certainly pay us cash to take you back!
By the way, I am an American and I have traveling the globe
for nearly 30 years. My father was a foriegn service
officer for the U.S. and I have continued to travel in
sensitive areas for most of my life, not to mention having
lived in them.
But if you're looking for a REALLY REALLY SAFE VACATION, go
to Israel. The Israelis don't put up with any crap and
everyone of age there carries an uzi. I never felt so safe
in my entire life (truly!) as when I have visited the Holy
Land. Plus, the Israelis are some of the most friendly,
and interesting people on Earth.
Signed,
An American Woman (who travels alone frequently and is in
more danger in a stateside bar from guys named Ray or Dave)
SERIOUSLY NO SCAMS! LOTS OF CASH, FAST AND COMPLETELY
LEGAL,
THIS REALLY WORKS!! THIS REALLY CAN
MAKE YOU EASY MONEY!! IT
WORKS!!! BUT YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW IT
TO A LETTER FOR IT TO
WORK!!!! A little while back, I was
browsing through newsgroups, just like you are
now, and came across an article
similar to this that said you could make thousands of
dollars within weeks with only an
initial investment of $6.00! So I thought," Yeah, right,
this must be a scam", but like most
of us, I was curious, so I kept reading. Anyway, it said
that you send $1.00 to each of the 6
names and address stated in the article. You then
place your own name and address in
the bottom of the list at #6, and post the article in at
least 200 newsgroups. (There are
thousands) No catch, that was it. So after thinking it
over, and talking to a few people
first, I thought about trying it. I figured what have I got
to
lose except 6 stamps and $6.00,
right? Like most of us I was a little skeptical and a little
worried about the legal aspects of
it all. So I checked it out with the U.S. Post Office
(1-800-725-2161) and they confirmed
that it is indeed legal! Then I invested the measly
$6.00. Well GUESS WHAT!!... within 7
days, I started getting money in the mail! I was
shocked! I figured it would end
soon, but the money just kept coming in. In my first week,
I made about $25.00. By the end of
the second week I had made a total of over
$1,000.00! In the third week I had
over $10,000.00 and it's still growing. This is now my
fourth week and I have made a total
of just over $42,000.00 and it's still coming in
rapidly. It's certainly worth $6.00,
and 6 stamps. Let me tell you how this works and most
importantly, why it works....also,
make sure you print a copy of this article NOW, so you
can get the information off of it as
you need it. STEP 1: Get 6 separate pieces of paper
and write the following on each
piece of paper "PLEASE PUT ME ON YOUR
MAILING LIST." Now get 6 US $1.00
bills and place ONE inside EACH of the 6
pieces of paper so the bill will not
be seen through the envelope to prevent thievery. Next,
place one paper in each of the 6
envelopes and seal them. You should now have 6 sealed
envelopes, each with a piece of
paper stating the above phrase, your name and address,
and a $1.00 bill. What you are doing
is creating a service by this. THIS IS
ABSOLUTELY LEGAL! Mail the 6
envelopes to the following addresses: #1) Dylan
Oliver 385 Turkey Trot, Hot Springs,
AR 71913 #2) Alice, 3204 SW Mitchell
CT.,Portland. OR 97201 #3) Ike, 2900
Canby CT. , Northfield, MN 55057 #4) John, 5
Whiteoak Ridge Road, Glen Gardener
NJ 08826 #5) Anthony Stilwell, HC 62 Box 95,
Raven, VA 24639 #6) shawn stutzman
3469 agnew road,staplehurst,ne 68439..Step 2: Now take
the first name off the list that you
see above, move the other names up (6 becomes 5, 5
becomes 4, etc...) and add YOUR Name
as number 6 on the list. STEP 3: Change
anything you need to, but try to
keep this article as close to original as possible. Now,
post your amended article to at
least 200 newsgroups. (I think there are close to 4,000
groups) All you need is 200, but
remember, the more you post, the more money you
make! ---DIRECTIONS ---HOW TO POST
TO NEWSGROUPS---- Step 1) You do
not need to re-type this entire
letter to do your own posting. Simply put your cursor at the
beginning of this letter and drag
your cursor to the bottom of this document, and select
'copy' from the edit menu. This will
copy the entire letter into the computers memory. Step
2) Open a blank "notepad" file under
accessories in windows and place your cursor at the
top of the blank page. From the
'edit' menu select 'paste'. This will paste a copy of the
letter into notepad so that you can
add your name to the list. Step 3) Save your new
notepad file as a .txt file. If you
want to do your postings in different sittings, you'll
always
have this file to go back to. Step
4) Use Netscape or Internet explorer and try searching
for various newsgroups (on-line
forums, message boards, chat sites, discussions.) Step 5)
Visit these message boards and post
this article as a new message by highlighting the text
of this letter and selecting paste
from the edit menu. Fill in the Subject, this will be the
header that everyone sees as they
scroll through the list of postings in a particular group,
click the post message button.
You're done with your first one! Congratulations...THAT'S
IT! All you have to do is jump to
different newsgroups and post away, after you get the
hang of it, and it will take about
30 seconds for each newsgroup! **REMEMBER, THE
MORE NEWSGROUPS YOU POST IN, THE
MORE MONEY YOU WILL
MAKE!! BUT YOU HAVE TO POST A
MINIMUM OF 200** That's it! You will
begin receiving money from around
the world within days! You may eventually wantto rent
a P.O.Box due to the large amount of
mail you will receive. If you wish to stay
anonymous, you can invent a name to
use, as long as the postman will deliver it. **JUST
MAKE SURE ALL THE ADDRESSES ARE
CORRECT.** Now the WHY part: Out
of 200 postings, say I receive only
5 replies (a very low example). So then I made $5.00
with my name at #6 on the letter.
Now, each of the 5 persons who just sent me $1.00
make the MINIMUM 200 postings, each
with my name at #5 and only 5 persons
respond to each of the original 5,
that is another $25.00 for me, now those 25 each make
200 MINIMUM posts with my name at #4
and only 5 replies each, I will bring in an
additional $125.00! Now, those 125
persons turn around and post the MINIMUM 200
with my name at #3 and only receive
5 replies each, I will make an additional $626.00!
OK, now here is the fun part, each
of those 625 persons post a MINIMUM 200 letters
with my name at #2 and they each
only receive 5 replies, that just made me $3,125.00!!!
Those 3,125 persons will all deliver
this message to 200 newsgroups with my name at #1
and if still 5 persons per 200
newsgroups react I will receive $15,625,00! With an original
investment of only $6.00!AMAZING
When your name is no longer on the list, you just
take the latest posting in the
newsgroups, and send out another $6.00 to names on the list,
putting your name at number 6 again.
The thing remember is, do you realize that thousands
of people all over the world are
joining the internet and reading these articles everyday,
JUST LIKE YOU are now!! So can you
afford $6.00 and see if it really works?? I think
so... People have said, "what if the
plan is played out and no one sends you the money?
So what! What are the chances of
that happening when there are tons of new honest users
and new honest people who are
joining the internet and newsgroups everyday and are
willing to give it a try? Estimates
are at 20,000 to 50,000 new users, every day, with
thousands of those joining the
actual Internet. Remember, play FAIRLY and
HONESTLY and this will work. Thanks
for participating
The above posting is proof, if ever there was any needed,
that if there are aliens in the Universe, they wouldn't
come here.
Hey Nick,
I would have emailed this but you didn't have a
link...anyway, I was looking for much the same thing re:
gray whales in the Baja and I found a bulletin board on
whales by a guy up in Maine (I think) he's an expert in
whales and he probably knows the answer to your question.
Email him....his name is Phillip Clapham....
pclapham@whsun1.wh.whoi.edu
He's really cool and he knows his stuff....
Have fun with the orcas and try to kiss one for me!!!!
Suzanne
Elaine, if you are talking about Ayers Rock I do hope by
then Ulura will become a more politically correct name.
Besides that you will throughly enjoy your time there.
After working there for 9 months I found some of the most
beautiful sites you can imagine. Depending on the time of
year, you may come across the hoards of flies during
summer, or find that winters in the desert are quite cold.
Accomodation ranging from camping to five star treatment is
available, bookings are essential. You are 500 km away from
the nearest town and the last thing you want to hear is
that they are booked out! Trust me it does happen.
There are a dozen tours to choose from or hire a car and do
it yourself. My advise is to hire a car. You are looking at
around $70 a day and at 99c a litre but its the best way to
avoid the tourists on a world wind holiday.
Be prepared for the high costs. They have the monopoly.
Remember the water, sun cream and fly nets and you won't go
wrong. Don't forget Kata Juta (The Olgas) and Kings Canyon,
well worth the extra drive and by far much better than the
tourist crazy rock. You will be amazed and I am sure your
husband and you will enjoy every minute. Good Luck.
I'm going to Malaysia via Singapore and have only five
days. I will then be going to the north end of Bali for
seven days. My interests are in snorkeling and shelling. I
prefer staying a long distance from popular resort areas.
Any suggestions on particular areas and places to stay
would be VERY welcome. I have no set plans at the moment
tho prefer going to one place and venturing out from there
and not constant traveling. I leave March 13th. Thanks
for any feed back!
To Brisbane girl - I was there 2 years ago and it was drying up then; there was not enough water to cascade down. reason is that all hotels and B&Bs have now got pools which are feeding from source. It was still stunning, if you can forget the sheer number of tourists and hustlers - one of the worst place in Turkey for that. Imagine the picture of Pammukale with loads of people standing in those pools and hustlers trying to sell you postcards every 2 minutes. Turkish government should ban people from walking on the falls and stop hotels building more pools. It is still worth going, particularly to swim in the hot springs among fallen columns and statures whose names escapes me now!
Kisses and hugs for you...
I took a gap year (i.e deffered university entry for a
year) and planned a world trip with a "friend" we fell out
I became dissillusined with the destinations so now face
travel prospects alone.
SO, does anyone have any suggestions as to what I could
do, where to go alone in saftey and on "studenty"-type
budget?
Thanks!
I'm planning a trip to Southeast Asia (Thailand, in
particular) and just wondering in anyone has any specific
suggestions of places to go (or avoid!), tips, advice,
etc,etc. Thank you in advance!
When it comes to currency 15 years of travel has taught me
that US currency is the only way to go! I'm Canadian and
understand the feeling when it comes to US exchange(ouch!)
but I've never been to a place that doesn't accept American
dollars. And the exchange rate is almost always favourable.
Happy travels!
I just wanted to say how much I admire your headstrong
spirit. It must be tough being so hard in a world peopled
primarily by ninnies and, worse yet, Americans (soooo
ubiquitous). When someone asks for advice in a forum
such as this, they're not looking for a ham-fisted
sermonette from a self-absorbed know-it-all about the
inevitable dangers of travel. Next time you have some
potentially constructive advice to offer (e.g.- "The danger
in Freedonia is exagerrated"), you ought to try delivering
it sans unwarranted vitriol, which only serves to undermine
your point. We now return you to our regularly scheduled
program.
Traveling to Paris in March, anyone have any suggestions or
places that are a must see, or anything to share. Thanks!
Hi, how are we all. I'm from Australia and traveling to
Canada and the USA in july this year. I was wondering if
anyone would like to offer me some helpful information
about the two. I have no set plans at all, just have fun
and travel all over the two.I would be greatful for any
information on What to do and what not to do? What to watch
out for? or anything else that may be helpful with my
travels and wellbeing!!! Thanks, hope to here from you soon.
Bye.
Manhattan is pretty safe, as long as you follow the common
sense rules for traveling anywhere. Don't walk through parks
alone at night if theres not a crowd of people etc.
Generally be very careful about Washington Heights and much
of Harlem, although the heart of Harlem ( 125th and Lenox )
is filled with tourists of all races and thus is relatively
safe as long as you dont do anything stupid. Also be careful
on Avenues C and D in the east village's Alphabet City at
night. Otherwise you shouldnt have any problems. The subway
is very intimidating if you don;t know where youre going, in
your shoes i would take a cab until i felt familiar with
the subway. In Brooklyn, Williamsburg and Brooklyn Heights
are right over the bridge from Manhattan, and are safe.
Williamsburg is an old ethnic neighbourhood with largely
Orthodox and Hasidic Jews but also Puerto Ricans and Poles
which is becoming popular with artsy young people and is
becoming like an extension of the East Village across the
Williamsburg Bridge. However, deeper into Brooklyn as well
as in the other outer boroughs I would be very careful on
the subway after about 10 p.m. As was pointed out NY is
safer than DC,Houston, Phoenix, Tucson, LA, or most other
US cities. ( To be fair, much of DC's extremely high crime
rate is centred in neighbourhoods that outsiders would
rarely venture into like Southeast. The only one of the
Afro-American neighbourhoods of DC that tourists frequent is
Shaw, the historical heart of the black community which is
more or less DC's Harlem. The heart of the area is
relatively safe but again be extremely cautious about much
of that area. I dont know if youre going to DC but I thought
I would mention it. )NY might even be safer than London...
Fantomas
Once you get past Tangier,Morocco is pretty safe.
Though the hustlers can be a problem in some cities.
The must see historic cities are Marrakech, Fes, Rabat
and Meknes. Essaouira, a beautiful beach town on the
Atlantic, is also worth checking out. I have heard
good things about Asilah but have never been there.
Remember that Morocco is a traditionalist Moslem
country and as such it is not the easiest place
for a lone woman, outside of the westernised big
cities of Rabat and Casablanca which contain almost
the entirety of the Moroccan bourgeoisie ( who are
quite Europeanised and favour European fashions ).
Fantomas
Is a site for discussion on a particular topic. Please go
the relevant Thorn Tree branch for your own particular
interest.
I would apreciate first hand information about travelling
in the Sinai (Egypt), where to go, what to do etc.
Thanks
Tamar
h² all my fr²ends
² had a look at the wr²tt²ng about Turkey.and ² just
sm²led.²'ve l²ved ²n here for 20 years and ² d²dnt see any
danger ²n my country.some forces try to make fool other
people but they cant be success.we wont let them
So came here to enjoy and relax and dont worry
thanks all the people
I visited Pumukkale about 2 years ago but have heard from
other friends recently that when they visited it was closed
at peak season because of damage by tourists climbing all
over it. I would check to see if it is even open at all
now.
I need a date very badly if you can . Will you hook me up
with someone from mexico!!! If at all possible email me
girls!!!!!!!! I get very lonely at nights your comments
will be appreciated1
Anyone have any insight on driving from Barcelona to San
Sebastian or Bilbao? How long would it take? What are the
roads like? Is there a way to go through the pyrenees and
experience some mountain towns or villages? Most
importantly, is this drive even worth it?
I was watching the lonely planet tv show, and I saw the one
about Africa. The travellers name was Nikki Grosse I think,
I'd just like to say that she is beautiful. Even when she
had malaria. Just thought I'd say.
John F.
Hi L.P. I can't add a post on the thorn tree...won't show
itself
So is Justine Shapiro, I watch lonely planet alot and they
are my two favorite... Just thought that had to be said
also...
Konrad
I've read down to the 72nd posting with increasing curiosity and interest - I'm still interested in
reading about Turkey, and I'm curious that a lot of the people posting seem to be lost. Most
visitors to the Thorn Tree aren't reading your queries, folks. Scroll right down to the bottom of
this page, look under Add a Post, and click on Thorn Tree.
Unless you happen to have something to say about the situation in Turke
I am currently on a world backpacking tour, next stop
Alaska. I will be travelling up from Florida within the
next month, and want some advice on which is the best route
to take from here. Also looking for information on Alaska
itself, things to see, place to visit, and dangers if any
for solo backpacker. Any information, advise welcomed.
Anyone have any insight on driving from Barcelona to San
Sebastian or Bilbao? How long would it take? What are the
roads like? Is there a way to go through the pyrenees and
experience some mountain towns or villages? Most
importantly, is this drive even worth it?
I am considering backpacking around Indonesia in the near
future, but am wondering if it is wise/safe due to the
political instability there at the moment. I am a solo
female traveller and would appreciate any feedback or
advice from people who have been in that area recently, or
who have some inside info.
Thanks.
I was there last Christmas. Certain parts were dried up & the sites were no longer pristine white as shown in the lovely postcards but the area is still stunning. We didn't see any hustlers at that time. Be careful though when walking on the thermal pools as the grounds were dangerously slippery.
Have fun!
Konnitiwa! I am a Japanese in Australia who don't like very
hot weather either.(I am from north part of Japan, also
born in very winter) Anyway about the weather,it depends
where you are talking about. When I trvelled to Northern
part and central Australia,especially in Feb, it was
extremely hot.I was shinisou desita! But Melbourne where I
am living is fine(Melbourne is famous for cloudy weather in
Australia), If you have an experience of Japanese summer
before,particularly in Tokyo, you can laugh! No worries!
Seriously you'll be all right,at least in Melb. or Hobart,I
think. Just you have to be careful very strong UV here.
Next is about Japanese population in Australia.I don't have
the latest info, but according Gaimusho in 1994 they said
about 21000(Sydney-8851, Melbourne-4426, Gold Coast-
2380,and so on).This number includes temporary residents
like business people and students. My second language is
enough to make you understand? I hope so. Soredewa!
Please look at BobAirTours on the Bob Marley school site
www.bobartsinstitute.edu
Come camping and hear Rasta music for your Highrie vacation
in Jamaica
one love
R'AstorFari
I'm living in Turkey and am considering going to Jordon
during our holiday at the end of the month, week of March
29th. This is a Muslim religious holiday here in Turkey and
in Jordan too. My question: what will travel be like in
Jordan over the holiday in terms of difficulty in finding
inexpensive hotels and transportation? I prefer to go
without making reservations ahead of time. Will trying to
find a room and a seat on a bus be difficult and take a lot
of time?
Thanks
A friend and I (we're both in our 40's) plan to go to India in October this year. At this stage we plan to fly into Kathmandu & then fly onto Delhi. I keep reading horror stories about flights from Kathmandu being cancelled, overbooked etc We only have 3-4 weeks holidays (we both have children at home) so don't want to waste it sitting around airports. From Delhi we plan to go to Varanasi. Would it just be easier to bus down to Varanasi from Kathmandu and then go onto Delhi? Also, how long and how much of a hassle would it be to go across to Darjeeling from Varanasi. We're both fairly well travelled but from all reports getting around India is very different from most places we know. Help please someone. Thank you.
Nothing happened to Pamukkale. It is there and the water is
still running. Authorities finally realized that you can't
let thousands on one of the World's most unique formations.
In order to protect its white appearence the water flow is
diverted in certain periods to different areas. And most
recently hotels there which should have been never built,
are being torn down and the area will be taken care much
better.