Originally Posted by stimpy

The thing you learn about being in so called "war zones", is that the media plays it up as if everyone is killing everyone in order to get ratings. But that is simply never the truth. Specific groups of people are trying to get the upper hand over another group or groups. Specific groups that do not generally include foreigners. The only exception is when foreigners visit and kill the locals, as in Iraq and Afghanistan. I wouldn't go wandering around those countries, but CAR and South Sudan present no problems for me. I know people who live part time in Juba and they too have no issues, because the people who are in the conflict have no issues with them. It is not indiscriminate violence. Like anywhere else in the world, if you stay away from the bad parts of town and keep your nose clean, you'll be fine.

The bottom line, don't listen to the media. Talk to people who actually live and work or travel on business to these places. I'll give one example. During the so called Kenya election riots, CNN, BBC, etc were reporting that wandering groups of independent militia were killing everyone on the streets with machetes, etc. They made it sound awful and their cameramen found terrible images to show the world. The only thing was that I was there at the time and didn't see a single problem with my own eyes. Nor was any foreigner killed or injured or anything. The conflict was between two tribes over who got the most power. I was out and about on the streets and no one paid any attention to me. Kikuyu's and Luo's had to be extra careful and most of those people stayed in their homes. But people with peachy white skin were not bothered at all. That didn't stop most everyone American or European from cancelling their Kenya safaris, the US and UK, etc., warning their citizens against travel to Kenya and all sorts of other problems for Kenyan tourism, but it was pretty much a huge lie by the media for implying that Kenya was dangerous to tourists. I'm sure that CNN attracted a lot of eyeballs for a couple of days, and that's all that matters to them. However people who travel the world on a regular basis know better.

Originally Posted by stimpy

The thing you learn about being in so called "war zones", is that the media plays it up as if everyone is killing everyone in order to get ratings. But that is simply never the truth. Specific groups of people are trying to get the upper hand over another group or groups. Specific groups that do not generally include foreigners. The only exception is when foreigners visit and kill the locals, as in Iraq and Afghanistan. I wouldn't go wandering around those countries, but CAR and South Sudan present no problems for me. I know people who live part time in Juba and they too have no issues, because the people who are in the conflict have no issues with them. It is not indiscriminate violence. Like anywhere else in the world, if you stay away from the bad parts of town and keep your nose clean, you'll be fine.

Originally Posted by You want to go where?

Until there's a civil war and you become collateral damage.

Originally Posted by LuxuryRogue

"If you are stupid, everywhere is a dangerous place!" (Quote from Black Flag Cafe)

Originally Posted by LuxuryRogue

"If you are stupid, everywhere is a dangerous place!" (Quote from Black Flag Cafe)

Originally Posted by stimpy

I love that quote! That should be the Flyertalk Motto.