A View On International Travel

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

Yes, I meant a ban.

It's hard to imagine a situation where you can mail order an assault or sniper rifle to be "heavily controlled"

You are uninformed. It has been illegal for several decades in the United States for ordinary citizens to mail order any firearm capable of firing bullets from cartridges. One must purchase them in person. "Thanks" to Lee Oswald.

[SunDevil]

Originally Posted by Hillbillylad

There are as many ugly Americans as ugly British, ugly French, ugly Australians....etc....etc
Do carry on your travels, but remember to tell the folk back home what you see. The more of us out there breaking down these false barriers and misconceptions, the less power governments have to scare us with the foreign bogyman. Our governments thrive on our paranoia and every trip abroad we make chips away at their control.

I think some people in power were concerned that millions of retirees were going to be looking for new places to go, and being able to lease homes in Mexico for 1/4th the price just south of the border in Ensenada, Cabo, and Cancun. Had to drum up every story of gang violence, keep drugs illegal instead of treating them as a medical problem, and bring up illegal immigration and the problems with it.

I went down to Mexico last February and had a great time, even in a border town. I didn't go at night and went with others, but it was fun and met some friendly people.

[Hillbillylad]

Originally Posted by SunDevil

I think some people in power were concerned that millions of retirees were going to be looking for new places to go, and being able to lease homes in Mexico for 1/4th the price just south of the border in Ensenada, Cabo, and Cancun. Had to drum up every story of gang violence, keep drugs illegal instead of treating them as a medical problem, and bring up illegal immigration and the problems with it.

I went down to Mexico last February and had a great time, even in a border town. I didn't go at night and went with others, but it was fun and met some friendly people.

Yup, I agree with that totally. We should be ready and waiting when they realize we are slipping away from a dock instead and using a boat instead of a condo.

[Morganministry]

I saw in the news that a dead girl was found on the "Queen's grounds" in England. Guess I'll have to avoid England now.


I have friends in Scotland. They even have guns, so I will probably be safer there.

Scott

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by markpierce

You are uninformed. It has been illegal for several decades in the United States for ordinary citizens to mail order any firearm capable of firing bullets from cartridges. One must purchase them in person. "Thanks" to Lee Oswald.

I just placed an "order" for a gun (22) and was told I would have a two year wait..but I did "order" it ..Like someone else said you Have Got to have a FFL or get it sent to one ..but you can indeed order guns in America! In NC you can still buy and sell guns with your buddies or anyone else in the state without any kind of paper work...you like it you buy it ...Not the same at a retail business,then you have got to get pass NICS(ATF and FBI)background check...DVC PS not trying to start trouble just trying to say you can order one in America..the Oswald thing just means youcant get it sent without an FFL..

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by deckofficer

Sure don't want to be seen as the ugly American in today's climate. That is why I mentioned that "secret" spot in Baja the other cruiser that goes there wants me to "hush", so I will on the spot, but will mention our interaction with the locals. We as cruisers in this area have hosted fund raisers for the town's water pump and valve replacement, fly in refrigerated medical vaccines, play football (soccer) on the local team, well to make a long story short, we respect and enjoy the locals in a small, isolated town, and they in turn give us a warm reception.

In my humble opinion (yes, that's possible), I agree. This is the only way to co-exist in any community. Is to put into it rather than take out of it. It sickens me when I'm traveling to see tourist berating a waiter at a restaurant because in reality, the only like their food back home. It's a great exercise in staying open minded.

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

In my humble opinion (yes, that's possible), I agree. This is the only way to co-exist in any community. Is to put into it rather than take out of it. It sickens me when I'm traveling to see tourist berating a waiter at a restaurant because in reality, the only like their food back home. It's a great exercise in staying open minded.

if you are in a developing country spending money these days it dosent matter where your from you are ugly be it French,American, or what have you ...people that cant travel even in the good economic times will tell you we are all ugly and rich if you have the means to show up in their country..what I was told by a very poltical friend in Jamaica...DVC

[sneuman]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

Always made me smile that Thailand is regarded by many as a very "safe" country - murder rate 50% higher than the USA .

But as said, same for most countries - the chances of being deaded depends where you go, what you do and who you interact with (plusses and minuses to that latter one)........blind luck also helps and also being in areas where you are protected by family or a public private business partnership.......which in Thailand also helps explain the high rate.

Not true. Thailand's homicide rate in 2010 was roughly the same as the United States. In any case, since many, if not most homicides (in either country) are crimes of passion, innocent bystanders (read tourists) are unlikely to be caught in the fray. Also, having lived in Thailand, I would say my guess is that the vast majority of the murders occur in Bangkok and a few other big cities, while the majority of the population lives in the countryside.

[captainbri]

Originally Posted by sarafina

Hi,

Just was reading the paper and saw this in a column... Thought it was a well expressed viewpoint that is valid in many places that cruisers travel.

[/COLOR][/LEFT]

You would never find me in Mexidope, over 35,000 people have been killed due to the drug trade. most are innocent victims of the gangs taking over towns.

most Americans that are killed in MX never make the news.

A friend of my sisters daughter was killed while with a church group from Arizona, it never made any news from what i understand without the gory details she went to a bathroom, never came back to her car and when the body was shipped back there were drugs stuffed inside.

It is out of control down there, it is so bad mexican reporters are being killed for reporting ANYTHING to do with drugs. I would feel safer traveling through waters that had pirates in them. It is so bad a vehicle with American plates are not required to stop for police. SIGNS ARE POSTED

I know people that go once a month and sooner or later they will get cought up in something. so when a reporter writes about Nashville to San Francisco it is total ignorance to say it is SAFE.

If you go be safe.

[deckofficer]

Since it is us in the States that create the demand for the illegal drug trade, just make the drugs legal for recreational use, problem solved. I see no problem with this, let the people decide what kind of crap they want to put into their bodies. When I say "crap", I am not including pot, a simple herb that is more benign than alcohol could ever be. If it wasn't for William Randolph Hearst using his newspapers to spout yellow journalism about the evils of pot, we wouldn't still have our heads in the sand on this issue. Billy owned pulp mills and simply did not want to compete with the superior product of hemp. That is all it was about, around 1904~1908, and now because people seem to forget history, pot is still deemed a dangerous drug. Thank you Billy, you capitalistic pig.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by tropicalescape

if you are in a developing country spending money these days it dosent matter where your from you are ugly be it French,American, or what have you ...people that cant travel even in the good economic times will tell you we are all ugly and rich if you have the means to show up in their country..what I was told by a very poltical friend in Jamaica...DVC

While that might be true by one person in Jamaca, I think it is unfair and unthinking to paint all countries with such a broad brush. Although it's a mixed bag out there, I found where I travel in SE Asia to be friendly and accepting as soon as I make the first gesture to befriend someone. I also found when you huddle around your fellow westerners in a foreign country, is when you might be seen as ugly.

[Canibul]

International travel? I know we really dread it when we have to travel internationally back to the USA. Miami gives me the creeps. And all those US government officials at the airports running their hands over your body and up into your privates.... The USA is a scary place.

Good thing I have weapons stashed at the places we visit.

[justwaiting]

Newspapers dont sell truths, they sell stories that they think will intrest/entertain their audience. By the time the truth has come out there is no interest and the story is engrained as fact in the mind of the reader.

[Lagoon4us]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Well... thats what happens when you run outa colonies to send yer nutters to...

LMAO I'll pay that one!!!!!

[sarafina]

Man, I go away to Tahoe for a few days and look at all the good stuff I miss!

Originally Posted by Pelagic

Hi Sarah,
Generally speaking, I think there is a subliminal reason why the embossed dots of fear in travelling overseas are now causing more people to stay at home.

Fear mongering has become a useful tool with Governments and a self-fulfilling prophesy, unless we get out there to become friendly strangers in a strange land.

Yep Only not so subliminal to anyone with the wits to open their eyes and pay attention. And that tool is being used in every aspect of the political establishment/corporate machine that runs most countries.

Originally Posted by deckofficer

Whoops, sorry.

You ever notice when Sara starts a new thread it goes to two pages in under 2 hours? I would say she has her hand and the pulse of the cruising community.

Is that just a nice way of sayin 'm a rabble rouser??? ; -)

Originally Posted by captainbri

most Americans that are killed in MX never make the news.

Err... most americans killed in the US never make the news...

Which is kinda the point. You can find danger anywhere. You can either deal with it, make yourself as safe as possible or you can stay in your home and never risk leaving your front porch. Bad stuff happens to people EVERYWHERE... Sometimes even ON their front porch...

Originally Posted by rebel heart

And by the way: awesome that by page three the wikipedia article to describe an assault rifle showed up. How in the hell did you guys get into a gun argument?

It's a special effect here at CF...

Originally Posted by deckofficer

well to make a long story short, we respect and enjoy the locals in a small, isolated town, and they in turn give us a warm reception.

Imagine... follow that golden rule and good stuff happens!

We have been fortunate to live and travel in many places. Some of them seemingly *safe*, others considered *dangerous*.

We haven't had the misfortune of having anything really bad happen to any of us, in the long run, although there was a day, when caught in cross fire I really wished I had NOT agreed to take a bunch of ladies shopping in the zona rosa...

Safe is not a place.