The month ahead

I head to Istanbul tonight and will have some free time tomorrow to wander around. The forecast is glorious sunshine and an easy to take mid 20's Celsius.
Monday morning I fly to madrid and will be there for 24 hours, returning to the UK for 19 hours and then catching a flight to Columbia (Medellin ) for 3 days.
Then its Rio for another three.
From there its back to the UK for 3 days ,
then Washington for 3 days.
From the US I go directly to Dubai, where after 48 hours I'll go to New Dehli and Mumbai.
A week later I go directly back to Dubai and after 4 days head home.
This will take me into early July.
Are you keeping up?
What gives me pause for thought is the warning on the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs website.
Here's what it says about Columbia in general and Medellin in particular:
Colombia is both a country of considerable commercial opportunity and one of the most violence-prone societies in the world. The challenge is to balance the commercial opportunities with an intelligent approach to personal security.
Judicious/extreme security measures are warranted for Canadians travelling to Colombia. Travel to Colombia, except to designated tourist resorts, should be deferred. Security continues to deteriorate overall and presents a serious risk for both Canadian residents in Colombia and Canadian visitors.

In 2006, kidnapping remains a threat. Canadians living in or visiting Colombia should pay attention to their surroundings and practise sound security measures as a consequence of the unpredictable nature of the security situation.
Incidents of "quickie kidnappings" are becoming more frequent. Victims are usually picked up from the street and forced to withdraw funds from various bank machines (ATMs). Uncooperative victims have been injured. There have also been reports of individuals misrepresenting themselves as police officers approaching foreigners to "check" documents or foreign currency in order to rob them.
Criminals sometimes use the drug scopolamine to incapacitate travellers in order to rob them. The drug is administered through drinks, food, aerosols, cigarettes, gum, or in powder form. (Travellers are approached by someone asking directions; the drug is concealed in a piece of paper and can be blown into the victim's face.) The drug disorients the victim and can cause prolonged unconsciousness and serious medical problems. It takes effect extremely quickly and can take several days to wear off.
For security reasons, it is preferable to arrive at Medellín's domestic airport (Olaya Herrera) rather than its international airport; however, this necessitates the use of airlines that fly only turboprop aircraft such as SATENA (run by the Colombian Air Force), AIRES and West Caribbean Airways. Medellín's José Maria Córdoba International Airport is 45 minutes away from the city and should only be used during daylight hours. Many business people stay overnight at the airport hotel upon their arrival by plane.

I arrive at 8:30 in the evening.......I wonder if I'll survive to do the rest of my travels?

A little practical advice on taxis:
Radio taxis are recommended, rather than those hailed on the street, since radio taxis are controlled by a telephone dispatch system, thereby reducing the degree of security risk. If you have to hail a taxi on the street, take care: avoid cabs without licence plates and do not enter a cab if it is already occupied by anyone but the driver. Many taxi drivers are armed.
Avoid going to bars alone. Never leave your drink unattended. There have been numerous incidents of drinks being drugged. Scopolamine is often used. Scopolamine is a powerful drug that paralyzes the central nervous system. Scopolamine can also be blown in someone's face, so be careful in your dealings with strangers on the street.
Check this blog for any kidnapper demands and pictures of severed fingers.
I wouldn't go if I was really worried. so chill everyone.
I just thought it would make for an interesting post.

Stay tuned for Istanbul and Madrid pics!

T