Posted on March 9, 2010
Filed Under Health, Medjet, Safety, Transport Updates | Leave a Comment
3/5/10
Air Medical Transport complete for a Medjet member from Fort Worth, Texas. The member was hospitalized in Goa, India after being removed from a world cruise with renal failure and acute hyperglycemia. After initial stabilization, transportation was arranged to the member’s home hospital in Dallas, TX for continued care and rehabilitation.
$140,000 Cost of Transport
$0 Out of Pocket for Member
Posted on March 9, 2010
Filed Under Health, Medjet, Safety, Transport Updates | Leave a Comment
3/5/10
Transport complete for a Medjet member from Burlington, IA. The member was hospitalized in Little Rock, AR with complications from multiple myeloma. After initial stabilization, transportation was arranged to the member’s home hospital in Iowa.
$8,100 Cost of Transport
$0 Out of Pocket for Member
Posted on March 9, 2010
Filed Under Destinations, Picture Perfect, Travel | Leave a Comment
They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. This is never more true than when you capture travel memories in the frame of a photo. Picture Perfect is a World Wide Will series of travel photographs from Canadian travel photographer and graphic designer, Zeljka Burazin.
Braving the bitter winter cold in Niagara is worth a glimpse of the beauty of the frozen falls.
Posted on March 5, 2010
Filed Under Travel Warnings -- From www.travel.state.gov | Comments Off
The Department of State warns American citizens of the dangers of travel to Colombia. While security in Colombia has improved significantly in recent years, violence by narco-terrorist groups continues to affect some rural areas as well as large cities. The potential for violence by terrorists and other criminal elements exists in all parts of the country. This updates and replaces the Travel Warning for Colombia issued November 10, 2009 to update information on recent security incidents and criminal activity.
In recent months there has been a marked increase in violent crime in Colombia. Murder rates have risen significantly in some major cities, particularly Medellin and Cali. Kidnapping remains a serious threat. American citizens have been the victim of violent crime, including kidnapping and murder. Firearms are prevalent in Colombia and altercations can often turn violent. Small towns and rural areas of Colombia can still be extremely dangerous due to the presence of narco-terrorists. Common crime also remains a significant problem in many urban and rural areas. For additional details about the general criminal threat, please see the Department of State's
Country Specific Information for Colombia.
The incidence of kidnapping in Colombia has diminished significantly from its peak at the beginning of this decade. Nevertheless, terrorist groups such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the National Liberation Army (ELN), and other criminal organizations continue to kidnap and hold civilians for ransom or as political bargaining chips. No one is immune from kidnapping on the basis of occupation, nationality, or other factors. Kidnapping in rural areas is of particular concern. On July 2, 2008, the Government of Colombia rescued 15 hostages, including three Americans, who had been held for more than five years. Although the U.S. government places the highest priority on the safe recovery of kidnapped Americans, it is U.S. policy not to make concessions to or strike deals with kidnappers. Consequently, the U.S. government's ability to assist kidnapping victims is limited.
U.S. government officials and their families in Colombia are permitted to travel to major cities in the country, but normally only by air. They may not use inter- or intra-city bus transportation, or travel by road outside urban areas at night. All Americans in Colombia are urged to follow these precautions.
Americans living or traveling in Colombia are encouraged to register with the U.S. Embassy through the State Department's travel registration website (
https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/index.aspx) to obtain updated information on travel and security within Colombia.
The U.S. Embassy is located at Calle 24 Bis No. 48-50 Bogota, D.C. Colombia. Mailing address: Carrera 45 No. 24B-27 Bogota, D.C. Colombia. In case of a serious emergency that jeopardizes the health or safety of an American citizen in Colombia, please call the Embassy at (571) 315-0811; Embassy fax: (571) 315-2197; Consular Section phone: (571) 315-1566. The Embassy's American Citizens Services office provides routine information at
http://bogota.usembassy.gov. For questions not answered there, inquiries may be sent by email to
ACSBogota@state.gov.
The U.S. Consular Agency in Barranquilla, which accepts passport applications and performs notarial services, is located at Calle 77B, No. 57-141, Piso 5, Centro Empresarial Las Americas, Barranquilla, Atlantico, Colombia; telephone (575) 353-2001; fax (011-57-5) 353-5216. The Consular Agency is not staffed to respond to after-hours emergencies; in case of an emergency in the Barranquilla/north coast area, please contact the Embassy in Bogota at (571) 315-0811.
As the Department develops information on potential security threats to U.S. citizens overseas, it shares credible threats through its Consular Information Program documents, available on the Internet at
http://travel.state.gov. U.S. citizens should consult warden messages for Colombia at
http://bogota.usembassy.gov/acs_wardenmessage.html, as well as the Department of State's
Country Specific Information for Colombia and the
Worldwide Caution at
http://travel.state.gov.
U.S. travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. and Canada or, for overseas callers, on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.
Posted on March 2, 2010
Filed Under Travel Warnings -- From www.travel.state.gov | Comments Off
The U.S. Department of State continues to warn U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to Eritrea and recommends that U.S. citizens defer all travel there because of Eritrean government restrictions on travel outside the capital city of Asmara, an increased number of U.S. citizens arrested without clear justification, and heightened tensions along Eritrea's borders with Ethiopia and Djibouti. This replaces the Travel Warning dated August 28, 2009.
The Eritrean government continues to restrict the travel of all foreign nationals, including resident diplomats. These restrictions require all visitors and residents to apply 10 days in advance for permission to travel outside the Asmara city limits. As a result, the U.S. Embassy cannot provide emergency consular assistance outside of Asmara.
There also have been an increased number of Eritrean-U.S. dual citizens arrested without apparent cause. Once arrested, detainees may be held for extended periods without being told the purpose of their incarceration. Conditions are harsh – those incarcerated may be held in very small quarters without access to restrooms, bedding, food or clean water. The Eritrean government does not inform the U.S. Embassy when U.S. citizens, including those who are not dual nationals,have been arrested or detained.
U.S. citizens are also cautioned to be aware of anti-U.S. sentiment among Eritrean nationals since UN sanctions were imposed on Eritrea in December 2009. There have been no specific incidents of violence targeting Americans, but anti-UN sanction demonstrations against the United States have occurred. We remind U.S. citizens that even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence. U.S. citizens are therefore urged to avoid demonstrations, and to exercise caution if within proximity of any demonstrations. U.S. citizens should stay current with media coverage of local events and be aware of their surroundings at all times.
U.S. citizens are strongly advised to avoid travel near the Eritrean-Ethiopian border and to the Southern Red Sea region, including the port of Assab.
U.S. citizens considering travel within Eritrea should be aware of the presence of large numbers of Eritrean and Ethiopian troops along the Eritrean-Ethiopian border, and acute political tensions between the two countries. In March 2008, Eritrean restrictions on diesel fuel supplies caused the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea's detachments to withdraw from the Temporary Security Zone, leaving no international observers monitoring the border. Skirmishes between troops of both countries resulted in fatalities in January and February of 2010.
Since April 2008, Djiboutian and Eritrean troops have been deployed along the Eritrea-Djibouti border. The Djiboutian government claims Eritrean troops have crossed into its territory and on June 10, 2008, Djiboutian and Eritrean troops exchanged fire along their shared border.
The consular section of Embassy Asmara is open only for emergency American citizen services. U.S. citizens currently living or traveling in Eritrea are strongly encouraged to register with the U.S. Embassy in Asmara through the State Department's travel registration web site,
https://travelregistration.state.gov, and to obtain updated information on travel and security within Eritrea. By registering, U.S. citizens make it easier for the Embassy to contact them in case of an emergency and provide updates on the security situation. The U.S. Embassy is located at 179 Alaa Street, P.O. Box 211, Asmara; telephone (291-1) 12-00-04, available 24 hours in case of emergency; fax (291-1) 124-255 and (291-1) 127-584; web site
http://asmara.usembassy.gov/.
For additional information, consult the Department of State's
Country Specific Information sheet for Eritrea and the
Worldwide Caution at
http://travel.state.gov. American citizens may also obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada, or 1-202-501-4444 from overseas.
