Sometimes travel can take you to some pretty screwed up places. Sometimes they’ve been screwed up long before you arrived and other times they internally explode while you’re there.
It always helps to do your homework while planning a trip to minimize the catastrophes which might otherwise damper your journeys.
But, where to turn?
One of the best sites for giving the low-down on specific troubled areas is ReliefWeb–a wonderful place on the web dedicated to “serving the information needs of the humanitarian relief community.”
Although the site caters to aid workers, the information is just as valuable to travelers. Let’s say, for example, you’re interested in visiting Sri Lanka. A quick glance at their Sri Lanka page will provide all the latest news updates from the region, as well as travel advice and a list of aid organizations currently in the country. ReliefWeb also provides information about the very basic necessities of life such as food, health, security, infrastructure, water and sanitation, and so many other problems facing regions suffering through emergencies and natural disasters.
If your adventure lust takes you well off the beaten path, it’s a very smart move to start your journey with a visit to ReliefWeb. Your insurance company will thank us later.