Out of the 50 most dangerous cities in the world, 4 of them are in the United States: Baltimore, New Orleans, Detroit and St. Louis. Chicago is not far behind. I've been to all 5 and survived. I did have a close call with a probable mugger in New Orleans but I was young and naive at the time. I would never allow a random local to take me on a "free tour" nowadays. I've also driven through some rough areas in Memphis, Birmingham, Montgomery, Atlanta and South Central LA. Unbeknownst to me at the time, the Mexican state that I visited (Tamaulipas) has a Level 4- DO NOT TRAVEL advisory. Pretty scary huh? Nah. I've rarely felt unsafe. If I find myself in a bad area, I'll get out of there quickly. I'll follow the GPS back to the Interstate. My time in Mexico was limited to the tourist town of Nuevo Progreso. There were plenty of American tourists there. Most of them were there for cheap meds, food, drinks and crafts. I stuck to the main road and though it did become increasingly seedy as I got further from the border, I never felt unsafe. Word on the street is that in Nuevo Laredo, also in Tamaulipas, the story is similar. The first 20 or so blocks across the border are safe for American tourists but it goes downhill fast after that.
Birmingham is consistently ranked as among the most dangerous mid-size cities but as is the case with the cities listed above, most of the crime is concentrated in just a few very bad areas. No way that I would go there alone at night. Also, what constitutes the city limits can be tricky. If you include the suburbs, the metro area as a whole is not particularly dangerous. Both Hoover and Vestavia have low crime rates but yes, violence does occur on occasion. I once witnessed a man pull a gun on somebody who backed into their car in Hoover. Fortunately, he kept his cool. So yes, even if I stay within a 5 mile radius of my home and work all the time, that doesn't fully guarantee my safety. Basic common sense goes a long way. Research the area before your book your accommodations. Don't talk to strangers if you find yourself in bad areas. Don't walk alone at night. Don't mess with or pick fights with nefarious characters. Don't get too drunk. Don't carry anything on your person that you cannot afford to lose. Follow those guidelines and mind your own business and you will probably be okay.
I'm considering a weekend trip to the West Texas town of El Paso on Memorial Day weekend (no time off work) that will include a border crossing into Ciudad Juarez. Ten years ago, this Mexican city had the distinction of being the murder capital of the world. Violence has since diminished considerably and I will not disqualify a place from a potential visit because terrible things have happened there in the past. Birmingham still gets a bad rep because of awful things done to black people 60 years ago. Things have improved a great deal in that regard. On another note, nobody can predict how the world will look in 40-50 years. Who would have thought that Vietnam would become a popular tourist destination back in the 1970s? By the same token, nobody could have imagined that Venezuela would become such a basket cases just 20 years ago. The only things that will disqualify a city or country from a potential visit are wars and severe human rights abuses. A high crime rate won't scare me away so long as I know which areas to avoid. For example, Cape Town, Rio D'Janiero and Tijuana all rank high on the list of the world's most violent cities. I plan to visit all 3. Crime is concentrated in townships and flavalas, which you would be strongly advised NOT to visit, especially not without a licensed tour guide. Tour guide or not, I'm not going.
On Facebook travel group, I expressed interest in visiting several countries that are under the radar as far as tourist destinations. The response was tremendous. Several people from those countries friended me and expressed interest in meeting up and being my tour guide. I want to finish up the USA this year but sure, I'll take them up on the offer down the road. I follow several YouTube vloggers who make a point to travel off the beaten path. I'll highlight Drew Binsky, Indigo Traveler and Eva Zu Beck. Those videos have altered my perspectives of different parts of the world that get a bad rep from the media. Here are the countries that I listed:
Nicaragua- a cheaper, more rustic and less touristy version of Costa Rica that is just as if not more beautiful than its southern neighbor. Unfortunately, there is still considerable political instability right now so Costa Rica will be my Central American pick.
Ghana- Becoming popular with African Americans who have traced their ancestry back from here. Accra looks to be a nice city with beautiful beaches. The Cape Coast slave castle would deliver an emotional wallop and I do expect to cry. An Iowa missionary loved it so much that he decided to stay permanently. It's politically stable too. My only reservations about going would be the yellow fever vaccination and the threat of malaria. The latter may only be prevalent in the summer so it could be a nice winter get away.
Slovenia- This southeastern European gem is often overshadowed by Croatia but it appears to be just as beautiful. Lake Bled and the Triglav Mountains look GREAT. It's also the home country of Melania Trump.
Taiwan- Vibrant city of Taipei and beautiful beaches without the human rights abuses of China.
Iran- Probably the most surprising pick of them all. It's still a no-go for me but if they get a new regime, YES I'll go. The dirty secret is that Iran has a young population, most of which was born well after the Iranian revolution and overwhelmingly rejects Islamic fundamentalism. I read that 79% of the population would vote to replace the Ayatollah even with uncertainly about the alternative and that number is growing every year. I pray that the current oppressive regime will fall soon and it will be a relatively peaceful transition.
According to Drew Binsky, locals will approach you on the street just to welcome you to the country. Two common questions are where are you from? and what do you think of Iran? If you tell them that you are American, they LOVE it and immediately become curious to speak further. It's common for Westerners to be invited into homes for tea or dinner. Yes, you should take them up on it. In addition to Tehran, it's got exotic mountain scenery and even pretty good surf in the southwest.
Pakistan- Another surprise pick. Here, there are most definitely areas that must be avoided, especially those near the Afghanistan border. The hospitality supposedly rivals that of Iran and Westerners often get free meals and small gifts. The Karakoram Highway through the Himalayan Mountains looks to put Colorado to shame.
Algeria- It's neighbor Morocco is becoming more popular but based on what I've seen on YouTube, Algeria looks to be the more scenic country. Mountains, beaches and the vibrant city of Algiers. Problem is that a VISA can be difficult to get.
On your own or with a guide:
There are several vacation packages that offer a guided 10 day itinerary with a tour group. I'd have mixed feelings about that. In Iran, you MUST have a guide if you are American or British. What I would prefer is a private or small group tour of top attractions over maybe 4-6 days instead of 10. It would be more expensive but you'll really get to know your guide and it's a good bet that he will become your friend. I certainly would NOT feel comfortable driving those mountain roads in Pakistan alone so yes, I'd want a guide there. Marathon Tours and Travel sells tour packages that are short and cover the top attractions. Two of those available are Cape Town and Jerusalem. I'd join them and add a day or two at either end on my own.
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