ARGENTINA: The thieves of Buenos Aires have taught Rotarians from 120 nations a lesson all tourists need to remember: don’t wander around a foreign city looking like a sitting duck. With convention badges around their necks and wallets and bags carelessly displayed, as many as 12 Rotarians a day were reporting thefts of passports and other valuables to one consulate alone.
GREECE: In the wake of the assassination of a British diplomat in Athens, the Greek tourism industry is trying hard to dispel the notion that travel to Greece is unsafe. Such acts of terrorism are infrequent in Greece, and are usually specifically directed at political victims.
LAOS: The U.S. Embassy in Vientiane advises against travel to Xieng Khouang province, including the Plain of Jars, because of credible reports of violent incidents there.
TIBET: Chinese security on the border with Nepal has been intensified in an effort to prevent Tibetans from escaping over the mountains to Nepal and on to India. Such efforts shouldn’t affect Western travelers going overland between Nepal and Tibet.
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Conditions can change overnight; always make your own inquiries before you leave home. Contact the State Department at 202-647-5225; fax 202-647-3000; travel.state.gov.
