The chances of dying in a road crash in Africa are 26.6 out of 100,000—the highest in the world. Next on the list are Eastern Mediterranean and Western Pacific countries, with respective fatality rates of 19.9 and 17.3. Avoid these two countries: For every 100,000 people in Libya , there are an estimated 73.4 road traffic deaths. The next most dangerous country was Liberia, with a death rate of 33.7. And I thought South Africa, home of Barry the V was dangerous? With information from 180 countries around the world, WHO determined that low-income countries have the highest rate of road traffic fatalities. About 90 percent of all road deaths occur in these low-income countries, even though they only have about half of the world’s vehicles. Western Europe has the safest roads. In the U.S., the ... read more

4 attachments (836 KB) Download all Save all to OneDrive - Personal I read a great article today about ten things that suck about airports. I found it on a website I have started to read and use called Godsavethepoints. After all, is flying not about collecting all the frequent flyer miles you can before you die? Not really, I firmly believe in using them once yo... read more

My buddy Mike was not too interested in getting from city to city on a rail pass. Me, on the other hand, really enjoy the easy pace of rail travel, meeting people, taking photos, and just taking in the vibe of the landscape. But the idea behind rail passes in Europe is to make travel EASY! Not only do they offer flexibility and reduced fares, they also provide discounts on cruises, hotels, museums, and ferries. For this trip, I am buying a Central Europe Triangle Pass, three one way rail trips between any popular cities in Europe. I will start in Budapest, head over to Vienna for a few days, then on to Munich for a few days. I will end the journey in Frankfurt, where I will fly home on the 18th. Or I may ... read more

Town squares attract tourists all over the world. Recently, in Prague, the Old Town Square was filled with tourists, locals, restaurants, and food stalls, surrounded by beautiful churches and museums. In Budapest, St. Stephen's Square was a hub of action, leading to many other pedestrian only squares and streets, a well laid out plan for locals and tourists alike. But the two big squares, in my opinion, not necessarily the best, but certainly among the brightest and most famous, are surprisingly Moscow's Red Square, and venerable New York City's Times Square. And they both seem an accurate reflection of the countries they represent. Red Square looks like downtown Disney now, with the lights of the GUM Department Store, St. Basil's Cathedral, the Kremlin (and Lenin's Tomb), and squared by the Kazan Cathedral. It is very difficult ... read more

Truth be known, I will spend the night here, that is all. I am tired, and it is time to go home. As Paul Simon once sang, Homeward Bound!! How many of you have changed planes in Frankfurt over the years? I have changed planes here at least half a dozen times, on the way to or from: Tripoli, Turmenistan, and Tabouli to name a few. Frankfurt Main Airport is one of the busiest international airports in the world, and of course, a hub for the state airline, Lufthansa. The airport is the biggest cargo airport in Europe. Over 342 trains daily arrive and depart for other parts of Germany, as well as Europe. But little do I know about this great German city. I recall from Uncle Murl's world history class as a sophomore in ... read more