What's up with Greece & what does it mean to travelers?

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Geia sou (Hello in Greek)!

As you have probably seen in the news, Sunday the Greeks voted NOT to accept the conditions of the bailout by the euro-zone.  This does not necessarily mean that Greece will leave the euro-zone or change their currency.   Even if Greece does exit the euro-zone, I think the worst case scenario for travelers this fall would be the need to bring cash, since euros, US dollars and British pounds would be in high demand if Greece went back to the drachma (the Greek currency before the euro).  Right now there is a restriction of €60 per day Greeks can withdraw from ATMs, but NO limits have been imposed on foreign debit card transactions. So travelers have full access to withdraw cash from ATMs.  However in central Athens expect long lines to withdraw cash.  According to Reuters banks in Greece will remain closed until Thursday.

Throughout the six years of Greece’s economic crisis, I have led more than a dozen trips and have found the islands to be relatively unaffected…life on the islands is a zone of its own.  Most grow their own food and many have an economy based on tourism.  Some of the more remote islands may be more difficult to get to and from, should ferry services be reduced.  So if you are on a schedule you may want to keep to the islands with frequent daily ferry service and an airport with a few flights per day.

I always recommend purchasing travel insurance that includes trip delay and emergency medical evacuation when traveling, especially if traveling to the smaller Greek islands, which do not have hospitals.  Check with your travel insurance provider what is covered and not covered before purchasing.

By fall things are anticipated to be normalized no matter the decisions and outcomes.  We all know the media tends to blow things out of portion, therefore I always find it best to check with my Greek colleagues and friends to hear their firsthand accounts.  So we are a GO for all WanderWoman trips.  I will keep you posted as I learn more.  And of course, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about our upcoming trips.

Here are links to recent articles about the situation in Greece and the referendum: 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/29/opinion/paul-krugman-greece-over-the-brink.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33399718?SThisFB&fb_ref=Default

LIVE, LAUGH & TRAVEL!

Erja Lipponen, Owner/Founder
Eurynome Journeys LLC
WanderWoman® Tours & Retreats
go at wanderwomantours.com
WANDERWOMAN.COM

SHOULD I BUY TRAVEL INSURANCE?

I am frequently asked if and when to buy travel insurance.

Yes purchase travel insurance and do it right away.

In this age of delays, bankruptcies, and strikes it is wise to have insurance coverage for your travel investment.

The general rule with most insurance companies for best coverage is to purchase insurance coverage within 14 days of you initial trip deposit. So if you wrote your check out on May 15th and mailed it out, you should purchase your insurance no later than May 29th.

BUT to cover unforeseen things like natural disasters such as the volcanic eruptions in Iceland that grounded flights a few years ago, or flight delays due to sun flares as is now happening, etc…GET the insurance soon as you write out your check or give your credit card number for payment.

The less of a time gap between your trip deposit payment and purchase of travel insurance, the less of a chance there is of events such as a new strike happening that would not be covered.

If a strike breaks out, a volcano erupts, etc before you purchase coverage then it will no longer be a covered incident. It then is a re-existing incident and thus not covered. So do not wait till the last minute.

Check the insurance company’s Alert and Strike Lists. Here you will find carriers and tour operators that are not covered, and any announced and on-going strikes that are excluded form coverage.

It is always best to purchase third party insurance. Yes, the cruise ship company you booked your cruise with will recommend you purchase their insurance policy, but if the cruise company goes under there will be no one to pay insurance claims.

Many insurance companies allow you to purchase insurance for the amount of the deposit, but you must remember to add coverage when you pay the balance for your trip.

NOTE: All insurances have a loophole for civil unrest. Some cover it up to 1 day prior to departure for a hefty premium. Shop around for the best coverage to your circumstances and chosen travel destination.

Live, Laugh & Travel!

Erja

EGYPT Urges Travelers to Support Freedom!

On Friday February 18, Egyptians will march on Tahrir Square, but this time to ask tourists to return to Egypt. Their slogan is "Support Freedom, Visit Egypt!" Tourism is Egypt's largest industry. The lack of tourists over the past weeks has had a detrimental effect on the economy of Egypt. The US State Department has not yet lifted travel warnings, but hopefully they will do so soon.

Hope to see you there!

Erja

Protests in Egypt Cause Tours to Cancel

The past week of protests in Egypt has resulted in the issuing of travel advisories and tourists to canceled their travel plans to Egypt. Most companies are offering full refunds to travelers who would like to cancel. Many of the large cruise & tour companies have canceled operations until Feb 28th, the date until when the US government's travel warning to Egypt is in effect.

For the most up to date travel warnings visit the US State Department Travel Advisory site.
http://travel.state.gov/travel/

For the latest on Nile Cruise cancellations visit:
http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news

Before you leave home register with the US State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program