Death toll from road accidents 390 times that from terrorism
International travel from US citizens seems to be on the decrease. Whether this is a result of the increase in airfare prices, the negative changes in the airline companies, the weak American dollar or the ever present fear of personal safety while travelling, is yet to be confirmed.
In my mind there will always be instability one way or another in every corner of the globe. I would hope that this will never stop me from experiencing a truly amazing cultural encounter in countries such as Kenya, Turkey or India which are 3 places on my wish list.
An interesting article posted on Breitbart.com prints in black and white, a study showing just how unlikely you are to be affected by terrorism. Short but interesting read.
Sarah
June 27th, 2008 at 12:55 am
As best my recollection serves a quote from Gibran (The Prophet, etc.) went something like, Comfort entered the home, first welcomed as a guest, only later to become the master. Had I been out looking for comfort amd “safety” I probably never would have crawled up on the back of a horse in the first place. I had no interest at all in the beasts until age 35 and then only to go along with and appease a wife after buying a horse farm. I was among the worst riders any unlucky horse could have suffered during those first two or three years and yet they tolerated me as did my wife hearing my endless complaints. Decades later, I look back with gratitude to my nagging wife and those disobedient, “stubborn” horses whom patiently put up with me.
Some years later, this very same nagging wife found a brochure called Equitours and yet again, much protest I found myself on a HORSE out in the Thar Desert, Rajasthan, India precisely when the Gulf War of 1991 broke out—and I was ABSOLUTELY LOVING EVERY MINUTE OF IT. Great horses, great new friends, great food, great outfit (Equitours), and even my wife showed improvement!
“Safety” and “Comfort” lost the inner battle to the passion found riding a fresh horse over new country.
The safety and comfort those damn politicians are now trying to sell us is found on the sofa behind a locked door and thats far too high a price to pay for regrets.