Belgium

I have – had – another blog where I made the occasional political comment. My travel blog (and upcoming cocktail blog) I shall try keep politics-free; but I can’t write a travel blog about going to Europe without acknowledging what’s happening in the world. Today, Belgium was attacked by ISIS suicide bombers. It’s not an isolated incident. We can be pretty sure there will be another attack in the foreseeable future. And so it’s not unreasonable to ask the question, “how safe is it to travel to Europe?”

Let me answer that with a confession: I’m terrified of flying. Hate it. I have a hard time getting through an average flight without several drinks (which means I especially hate flying in the morning). If I try to sleep, even the slightest bump jolts me awake. Moderate turbulence makes me grab the armrest and brace myself against the bulkhead. I prefer to have a window seat so I can check that the wing is still attached.

I know my fear is irrational; I know the statistics, which are that, when that I travel, the flight will be the safest thing I do that day. And so I never have allowed my fear of flying to dictate or alter my travel plans. If flying is the best way to get somewhere that I want to go, I’ll buy the ticket, and tough it out.

It’s a shame, because flying should be an enjoyment. Where else can you get 4-8 hours of uninterrupted peace, to read a book, watch a movie, catch some sleep? Once you’re in the air, your time is yours. But I just can’t enjoy it. It's an irrational fear, and the facts of air travel help me not at all when I'm bouncing around at 35,000 feet.

Getting back to the original question on safety in Europe. The textbook answer is, Europe is very safe. From a statistical perspective, terrorist acts remain extraordinarily rare; the most dangerous part, by far, of my upcoming trip to Europe will be the drive from BHM to ATL (actually, the return ATL-BHM will be more dangerous, since I’ll likely be fatigued). So when my wife asks whether or not we should ditch the upcoming trip and head to the beach instead, well, the odds are that the beach trip is much more dangerous (long drive + risk of drowning).

But the sentiment behind the terrorist/safety question is not unreasonable. Yes, were safe, but it’s not so easy to just say “your fears are irrational, get over them.” If you’re afraid of terrorism, having your head on a swivel while strolling Paris is going to significantly diminish your experience. And the facts of statistical safety won't fix that. In this case, why bother? Take a staycation, or drive to the Rockies instead. Visit Maine. The US has places all over the place.

Me, I’m not worried about the terrorism threat, so I easily choose to go. But to mitigate fears, there are some strategies I'll employ to ease some nervous co-travelers. I’m not a terrorist expert, so don’t take these points as being anything that actually does reduce your risk, which is vanishingly small. Consider them options that reduce your perceived risk. If someone could do that for me for air travel, for example, I’d be thrilled.

1.) Fly into Zurich. Seriously, who bothers the Swiss? Neutral, landlocked, and not a part of the EU, you may be able to convince yourself and other travelers that you’re heading to the least likely terror spot on Earth.
2.) Hit the countryside. You know what makes me nervous? Other people. Europe has lovely countryside, lots of it, with plenty of things to see, and a general lack of crowds. Terrorists don’t seem to attack cows.
3.) Buy the attraction passes in advance. Standing in line at the Louvre is a waste of your time, and offers little cover if things go wrong. Instead, get the access pass, skip the line, and head right in. Once you’re inside you’re past the metal detectors.
4.) Avoid public transportation. Europe’s public transportation is efficient and affordable, and seems like it would be a shame not to use. However, if you don't like trapped in a tube under ground, skip it and take taxis.
5.) Picnic. Cafés have become targets, so get bread and cheese, and a bottle of wine, and eat al fresco – find a lawn and enjoy. Your pocketbook will thank you, too.

That’s more or less what we’ll be doing for our upcoming trip, and we’ll have a wonderful time. It is, in fact, what we planned before the recent terror attack.

To the people in Belgium – I have nothing to offer, except a song I heard one time when I was skiing in Switzerland. A group of teens at the ski lift were singing:

Everywhere we go

People want to know

Where we’re from

So we tell them
We’re from Belgium
Pretty, pretty Belgium

The kids were so infectious in their joie de vivre that the dopey little tune has stuck with me for 30 years. Good Luck, Belgium. We're with you.