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Fifteen Most Dangerous Trips?
There's a really terrific book out there called Non-Zero by Robert Wright, that I urge you all to read. The book's premise is that there is a design to nature, an evolving complexity in all things, including human society. Forget "Intelligent Design", at least as far as there being a single supreme being overseeing all the change, that's not what this is about. His point is that things evolve the way Darwin said they did, but that the evolution seems to have a direction, and that direction is towards something he calls a Non-Zero world, where things improve through cooperation rather than (or in addition to) competition. If you look at the world today, you'd have to agree that (Iraq and a few other places...re: below notwithstanding) things have overall become much more peaceful, more organized, more safe.Why the mini-essay? Because I think it is relevant to a piece I just read over at MSNBC/Forbes that lists the to fifteen most dangerous places in the world. That is, with so many places on the globe basically safe for travel, with the world, as I suggest become increasingly safe (if not sterile in some places) there are still countries you'd really think twice or three times about before visiting. These are not really places you'd plan to take your next honeymoon, but if you thrive on danger, you might consider traveling to them. What are these places, you ask? Here's the list:
| • Afghanistan |
| • Burundi |
| • Cote d'Ivoire |
| • Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| • Georgia |
| • Haiti |
| • Iraq |
| • Liberia |
| • Pakistan |
| • Papua New Guinea |
| • Russia (Chechnya) |
| • Somalia |
| • Sudan |
| • Zimbabwe |
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Neil Feb 24th 2006 3:25PM
I was disappointed to see Georgia on that list. I spent a wonderful two weeks there last summer and had no problems whatsoever. In fact, the people were very friendly and helpful; I never felt in danger at all. Of course, there are some areas in the country travelers should avoid, just as there are areas of New York City or Boston travelers should avoid. But to place Georgia on the same list as Chechnya is just wrong.
qadinbakida Feb 26th 2006 3:24AM
completely agree about Georgia. It's crazy to see it on the list with lawless non-states like Iraq, Chechnya and DRC.