Despite the bad headlines over the seemingly never-ending drug wars in Mexico, tourists are flocking to the country more than ever before. The Financial Times reports that Mexico had a record number of tourists this past December. More than a million tourists traveled to Mexico in December – a 13 percent jump from the previous December.

It’s quite a rebound. In late 2009, there had been concern that tourism to Mexico was a thing of the past as the number of visitors plummeted. But remember, that was soon after the H1N1 flu epidemic that broke out there and the global financial crisis was at its nadir. Now, things are looking very rosy, despite the drug wars. But just in case, sign up for mPassport and keep track of safety alerts.

Speaking of safety alerts, a trip to Egypt could be a touch adventurous these days. Violence erupted this week in what’s being called a soccer riot, but seems to have much deeper roots. A lot of people on the ground are blaming authorities for being too aggressive and sparking the vioelence.

This looks like some unexpected fun. Mike Ives of the Washington Post journeyed to Laos to celebrate the New Year, and a water fight broke out.

It’s been a mild winter in most of the US, but trust me, you could use a little sun. How about Tahiti and French Polynesia? The folks at Lonely Planet say it’s a lot more affordable than you think, especially if you follow their advice and avoid some of the insanely expensive islands that give this destination its reputation.

In the wake of the Costa Concordia disaster, you’d think that everyone would be a little more attuned to the safety drills and rules. Apparently not. U.S.-based Holland America had to boot a passenger off its Caribbean-bound cruise ship Westerdam after the passenger refused to take part in a pre-cruise safety drill.

Caveat emptor. Britain’s Advertising Standards Authority is chastising TripAdvisor for calling their customer reviews “trusted.”

Author: John Miller
John Miller is president of Miller Media Group.  He is an avid traveler and web-surfing junkie.

A look back at the violence in Mexico last year finds drug war fatalities increasing 11% over 2010, raising the prospect that there is no end in sight after five years of war and nearly 50,000 dead. Of course, the worst violence is centered in a few provinces (see map). Visitors to Mexico should know that the casualties are heavily concentrated in states that border the U.S.: Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, Sonora and Tamaulipas. Certain central/Pacific states are also the site of frequent bloodshed: Durango, Guerrero, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan and Sinaloa. There are sixteen states where numbers are considerably lower, especially Yucatan, where resorts continue to offer deals to attract those who look beyond the headlines and understand where the risks truly lie.

The states where most of the conflict takes place, marked in red.

Map courtesy of Hpav7.

In response to international criticism, with much of it coming from the United States, the Chinese government announced on Friday that it would initiate stricter air pollution standards for Beijing by the end of the month.  Residents of Beijing, foreigners and natives alike, have long complained that the Chinese government routinely understates the severity of the problem, with many relying on the United States embassy’s official figures instead. 

Under the more “U.S. like” standards, Beijing officials will begin reporting on the level of tiny floating particles — 2.5 micrometers in diameter or less, known as PM 2.5 — that doctors warn can more easily settle in the lungs and cause respiratory problems and other illnesses.  As we reported earlier, China has only reported on the levels of much larger particles—10 micrometers or more. 

Liu Xianshu, the director of the city’s equivalent of the Environmental Protection Agency, said that they would start reporting the readings of the PM 2.5 at the start of the Chinese New Year, which falls on January 23rd.  This appears to be a reversal from a statement last month made by Environment Minister Zhou Shengxian that the government agency would not begin using stricter standards until 2016. 

HTH Worldwide, sponsor of Healthy Travel Blog, processes dozens of allergy and respiratory related claims from travelers to Beijing, many of whom had no prior history of either type of illness.  Ear, nose and throat specialists in Beijing appear to do a very brisk business removing nasal polyps and expanding sinus cavities of those afflicted with conditions aggravated by heavy pollutants, while pulmonologists are quite busy taking care of asthmatics and those with chronic lung disease who struggle with frequent exacerbations.  HTH consultants in China routinely advise those with severe seasonal allergies and lung conditions to have adequate medications for their trip to Beijing.

Photo by egorgrebnev.

A nationwide public-sector strike scheduled for Wednesday, November 30th threatens to impact daily operations in the UK – most notably that of air travel and medical services.                

Air Travel

Many airlines are allowing rebooking and reducing flight schedules to ease the flow of people into UK airports Wednesday in an effort to reduce the number of incoming passengers.  Officials at Heathrow anticipate that they will need to potentially hold passengers on planes to manage the immigrations lines in the terminals.  Passengers from outside the EU may experience longer delays than those with EU passports, but all arriving passengers will be affected given that the border control is expected to be operating at 50% of normal staffing.   Outbound passengers may also be affected – if incoming passengers are not allowed to disembark, the aircraft and gates will not be available for departing flights, causing cancellations and possible gridlock.

Medical Care

Unions representing over 400,000 nurses, paramedics, physiotherapists and support staff are expected to participate in the strike. Because the National Health Service (NHS) is not allowed to bring in outside help to cover staff on strike, thousands of operations and appointments are being canceled for Wednesday. Many hospitals will be operating emergency services only.

If you are planning your next international trip, it will likely be a 2012 event. In anticipation, National Geographic Traveler magazine has tapped twenty destinations as Best of the World 2012. There’s something for everyone, and they all hold promise for improving mind, body and spirit for those who make the trip. You can visit the picture gallery online to be inspired. I took the liberty of classifying the destinations as a way to highlight and summarize the experiences that await you. It’s a terrific list.

Hitting Healthy Travel Blog Themes
Colombia–Ciudad Perdida:  Hiking
Greece–Kardamili:  Slow Tourism
Panama– Coiba National Park:  Eco-tourism
Peru –Lima:  Mistura food festival
Rwanda/Congo–Virunga:  Volcanoes
Sri Lanka– Nuwara Eliya:  New UNESCO World Heritage site

Rebirth
Germany—Dresden:  Historic city center rebuilt
Northern Ireland—Belfast:  Titanic quarter
United States—Pittsburgh: Sustainable design

Over the Top?
Croatia—Istria:  Romance
Oman—Muscat:  Luxury
Thailand—Koh Lipe:  Island paradise

Cultural Discoveries
Guatemala—Chichicastenango:  Mayan
Spain—Girona:  Catalan 

Rugged Outdoors
Iceland—Snaefellsnes Peninsula: Primeval
Mongolia—Hovsgol:  Recreational taiga
New Zealand—Rotorua:  Geothermal

Familiar But Special
Canada—Muskoka: Lake cottages
United Kingdom—London: Olympics
United States—Sonoma: More than wine

Have you visited any of these locations? Are there any destinations you would recommend?

On October 18^th the Pacific Institute, a non government organization based in Oakland, California that focuses on global water issues, released the 7^th edition of The World’s Water, perhaps the most comprehensive analysis of global water challenges and solutions.  According to the report, this past year has seen a dramatic growth in the number of regions of the world that are moving towards “peak water”, or the state where fresh water replenishment fails to keep up with demand.

In recent years, several South Pacific islands have seen their groundwater reserves became salinized and undrinkable as sea levels rose.  Last month, the tiny nation island of Tavula (population 11,000) was placed in crisis mode, as the rainwater upon which they depended became inadequate. Officials from Australia and New Zealand came to the rescue, providing desalination equipment and rehydration packs. 

Indeed, even Australia has experienced severe drought and water shortages over the past few years.  Some scientists attribute the loss of fresh rain water to global warming, and cite Australia as a country whose environment could be changed permanently if the water shortage continues.  ”Climate-change impacts on water resources continue to appear in the form of growing influence on the severity and intensity of extreme events,” says Peter Gleick, one of the foremost water experts in the U.S. and head of the Pacific Institute.

 Mismanagement of freshwater has long been a problem in many sub Saharan African companies, with many of the two million deaths each year from preventable water related diseases such as cholera and salmonella occurring in that part of the world.  Even the United States cannot escape it.  A severe water shortage in Texas this summer has placed some of the driest regions of the State in danger of reaching the “peak water” mark. 

There is little question that going forward, every region on the planet is going to need to use water much more efficiently than we do now.  By the end of 2011, the world’s population is expected to exceed the 7 billion mark, and everyone needs fresh water. Gleick adds “New thinking about solutions and sustainable water planning and management, better data, case studies and efforts to raise awareness, are all needed.”

In some cases, water may be in good supply, but it may need to be purified before drinking. Water supply is a topic that should always be included in pre-travel research.

Photo by DJ-Dwayne.

In spring of 2005, a debilitating leg infection confined me to bed for 3 weeks. Red and swollen, my leg felt like a piece of rotting fruit from the knee down. I had been swimming at a waterfall in northwest Benin (in West Africa) when I got a small, half-inch cut on my shin. The cut was superficial and it quickly stopped bleeding on its own. I didn’t clean it and didn’t put a band aid on it. It looked non-threatening, so I left it exposed.

A day passed and the area around the cut turned red. I remained unconcerned, figuring it was part of the healing process. The following morning, I woke up to a bulging shin. The area of redness had spread and it was now painful to walk. I knew something was wrong at this point and I went to a clinic. The doctor diagnosed it as cellulitis, a bacterial infection of the skin.

I was prescribed a cocktail of antibiotics. I spent several days on an IV. Afterwards, I took oral antibiotics and received injections twice a day. The stubborn infection persisted for 3 weeks. While I was fortunate that it did not spread past my skin, the 3 weeks were painful and frustrating and I was more or less completely immobile.

There are several reasons why I developed such a nasty infection; for one, I did nothing to clean the wound. After it stopped bleeding, I left the cut exposed and I continued swimming. Also, while the water was safe to swim in, there was almost certainly bacteria present that my body was unfamiliar with.

To avoid an experience like this, keep the following tips in mind:

1.  Regardless of the size of the cut, immediately clean the wound with soap and treated water. This should be a priority wherever you are, but it takes on a special urgency if you are in a tropical developing world area. You can also use hydrogen peroxide or iodine.
2. If the cut is deep and/or the bleeding is persistent, get to a clinic as soon as possible as you may need sutures.
3. Apply an antibiotic ointment on the wound and cover with a sterile bandage.
4. Three times a day, clean and re-dress the wound with a new bandage.
5. If you see any signs of infection (swelling, redness, fever or pus draining from the wound), get to a clinic immediately.
6. If you are in a rural area and a clinic is not immediately accessible, you can preemptively take oral antibiotics. Make sure to see a doctor at a travel health clinic before your trip to discuss self-treatment with antibiotics and to receive a prescription for medication like ciprofloxacin.

Author: Phil Paoletta
Phil Paoletta is one of the primary contributors for Sick on the Road. Formerly a middle school teacher in Washington, DC, Phil has recently been making tracks in West Africa. You can read about his thoughts and travels at his site philintheblank.net. He also teaches people how to draw camels while showcasing and supporting social enterprises in West Africa.

The Centers for Disease Control have issued an outbreak notice that cases of polio have been reported in China for the first time in more than ten years. The CDC is recommending that travelers to all parts of China be up-to-date on the polio vaccine. Use the link above to learn more about how to protect yourself.

El Hierro, the smallest of the heavily visited Canary Islands, is evacuating a targeted group of residents and tourists this week. This comes in response to the spike in intensity of the tremors that the Spanish National Geographic Institute began reporting in July and the fear that these events could lead to a volcanic eruption. El Hierro’s last reported eruption lasted a month back in 1793.

This voluntary evacuation could actually lead to an influx of visitors by those practicing volcano tourism as they may choose to go to the island to witness and document the event. In some cases this practice can be safe, as explained by Eumenio Ancochea, volcanologist at Madrid’s Complutense University, “After an eruption the lava advances at a few metres per hour and you can easily take photographs as it descends.”   In the El Hierro case, it may not be safe to visit, as potential landslides resulting from an eruption could be devastating.  It is this threat of landslides that has motivated the evacuation.

El Hierro is just the latest of many volcanoes gaining celebrity in the news, but this is not necessarily an indication that volcanic activity is increasing worldwide.  As we surmised in July, experts suggest that the impression of increased volcanic activity should be attributed to increased reporting and better communication all around the world.

Photo by Mataparda.

It’s almost dinner time in London and like most of my neighbours, I am wondering what tonight will bring.  So far, my location in Islington has been spared any major damage, as have most locations HTH members frequent in Central London.  Nevertheless, over the past few nights, even those of us lucky to be far from the turmoil have heard more police and ambulance sirens than usual as they rush to their colleagues in the more peripheral parts of Greater London where most of the violence has taken place.  On Monday night, no fewer than eight fully loaded police minibuses erupted from the UCLH area on Tottenham Court Road just after 8 pm to head east towards the melee.

The Prime Minister and Mayor of London both returned to the UK from vacation last night to be personally briefed by their crisis management teams, but no one is sure what will happen tonight.  London hospitals have increased their security guard cover from 8 pm – 8 am.  There was apparently a bit of a skirmish at Kings College Hospital in Denmark Hill last night, but services have not been interrupted in any way. 

In Central London today, the riots were certainly a subject of conversation, but in their typical fashion, Londoners were keeping calm and carrying on.  When I popped out at lunchtime for a manicure appointment, I found the door of the salon locked – the reception staff had secured it in case of any trouble – they used this opportunity to personally welcome clients at the threshold.  Although I appreciated the additional care they were taking to ensure the security of their staff and customers, I shared a good laugh with them about the added precaution.

While walking through Kings Cross Station today, there was an announcement on the loudspeaker, imploring the owner of a suitcase left unattended to please return to it immediately before the authorities would be forced to evacuate the building and close London’s busiest train station.  A bobby in a bulletproof vest was monitoring the ticket turnstiles for the Underground, but train and tube passengers carried on without any sign of unease.   Tonight, central London is strangely quiet.  Stores on Oxford Street, a major shopping and tourist thoroughfare, have closed early.  Traffic is light and sidewalks are empty, apart from a few bemused tourists, hoping that this temporary lull in activity might mean a shorter wait for a table at the Hard Rock Café.

The bottom line is that  London isn’t burning much if at all right now; central London is rather pleasantly empty as long as you don’t want to shop; everything still works here; the hospitals are OK; and unless you really work hard to find trouble, it won’t come and find you.

Photo by belkus.