In case you were planning on visiting Armenia over the holidays, here are some choice excerpts from Britain’s Travel Advice website on Armenia:
[Disclaimer: While all of this is factual, I must say I feel safer in Armenia than in any major American city--yappy stray dogs notwithstanding.]
There has been a rise recently in the number of incidents of pickpocketing, mugging, theft from cars and burglary… There were two incidents of drive-by shootings on busy thoroughfares in 2004…Armenian opposition rallies in Yerevan and some of the provinces in April and May 2004, resulted in violence…
The unsolved murder in May 2004 of a gay American teacher in Yerevan has created a tense atmosphere in the gay community on whom the law enforcement agencies centred their investigations… You should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be against civilian targets, including places frequented by foreigners.
The dispute over Nagorno Karabakh remains unresolved….There are still occasional exchanges of sniper fire and the border areas contain mines and unexploded ordnance…We advise against all but essential travel near the border of Azerbaijan, particularly in the Tavush and Gegharkunic regions, as there is sporadic gunfire. Vehicles travelling on the road from Kayan to Noyemberyan are particularly vulnerable…
The local standard of driving is poor… be prepared for drivers who drive recklessly and flout traffic laws… Public transport is often overcrowded and poorly maintained. If you have to travel by train, secure your valuables, do not leave the compartment unattended, and lock the door from the inside…
Medical facilities are poor and treatment is not recommended for anything other than minor ailments… Armenia is in an active seismic zone. In 1988 an earthquake, centred near Spitak in the north, left an estimated 25,000 to 50,000 people dead, thousands injured and several cities in ruins.
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