Learn When to Stick Your Neck Out.

For information about any potential trouble spot in Africa or anywhere, http://www.reliefweb.int  includes weekly reports from Refugees International, Amnesty International, Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontiers) and other relief workers in the field. To give you an example of the value of this data, during the early days of genocide in Rwanda, it was International Red Cross workers and other humanitarian groups that were first to alert diplomatic communities and media to the problem.

As you gather information, remember that TV news reports emphasize incidents of violence; it is, after all, the currency of journalism to report out of the ordinary events, such as famine, earthquakes, and hot button issues that outrage. In fact media is sometimes used to effect a change, and can become a tool of the very government it is supposed to oversee as the Fourth Estate. Consider the BBC Evening News for a different perspective.

In case of State Department Warnings or Homeland Security Alerts, work out a plan that gives you peace of mind, but use both sides of your brain. Statistically you are more likely to have a car wreck near home than be involved in a terrorist incident. Study a map of your itinerary and insist upon answers to questions that concern you.

Don�t let warnings or news stories blind you to other basic safety travel guidelines:

• Don�t wear expensive jewelry, such as gold chains, expensive watches, or flashy necklaces. If you want to look beautiful, buy local jewelry.
• Don�t carry large amounts of cash, and be careful when you exit an ATM
• Don�t wear camouflage shirts, pants or hats, or carry military-like gear/backpacks
• Do not take photos or video at the airport or any government buildings, including embassies or official residences, or military encampments.
• Make photocopies of your passport ID page and use that for ID when shopping; keep your real passport in a safe deposit box at your lodge or hotel.
• Stay healthy by using sunscreen, insect repellant, and watch what you eat and drink.
• Shop or take taxis with a group of people; consult your hotel or safari guide.
• When your adrenaline is up, give yourself a reality check. Maintain your peripheral vision when trying to get a close-up photo of a rhino, and exercise special caution on walking safaris.
• Impatience is no friend to the traveler, whether you�re delayed in an airport, full of road rage, or pushing a pilot to take off in bad weather. Cultivate Grace Under Pressure