Travel Information

Is it really safe to travel?

I know… I know… we’ve just been in one of the greatest pandemics the world has ever seen. Not only was it not safe to travel, but it was also impossible as they grounded flights, countries were closed and companies went out of business.

So, to answer your question, no, it has not been safe, nor possible to even travel. Now, countries are opening up, airlines are filling up and hotels are seeing near capacity again.

So, let me ask you this question… will you be safe to stay home? They filled the news with break-ins, abductions, drive-by shootings, and guns in churches. Schools and malls. Can you answer that? Walls have not prevented the virus from entering homes and businesses.

House explosions… faulty electric wiring… flooding… wind damage… there is no end, so the question remains, are you safe at home?

Of course, there are hundreds of road accidents every day. Airplane crashes, while much fewer, carry more passengers. Trains derail, busses crash, cars wreck,… the beat goes on.

Look at the odds:

The chances of dying in an airplane crash are 1 in 1 million. The chances of dying in a car crash, are 1 in 5,000.

How about this–the chance of being struck by lightning, is 1 in 115,000! Here’s one–the chance of being bitten by a shark? Nearly 1 in 4 million! Get the message?

Where do you feel safe? Sitting in your living room? Have you not seen the media reports of random shootings where someone has been shot in their living room?

Did you miss the number of times when a vehicle rammed into a home and killed someone? What about a tree falling on the house and killing the occupants?

Unusual? Not at all. It happens all the time. So, do we barricade ourselves in our homes, replace our windows and doors with bulletproof glass, and pay for elaborate alarm systems? What is the answer?

For over 50 years I have traveled the world, flown all kinds of airlines, ridden in every form of transportation you can imagine, and at age 84, still alive, never been hijacked, or shot. A walking miracle?

Don’t think so. It’s called risk management, which we will deal with in a different section.

Okay, let’s get real for a moment. Do you want to live your life in fear, afraid to get in a car, fly in an airplane, afraid to go to the mall or church… is that how you want to live your life? Of course not, so let’s look at the real world.

As I mentioned, I have been to over 41% of the world. I have lived in some of the most dangerous situations (according to the media) in the world. I have traveled the jungles of Africa, visited some hot spots in the Middle East, and survived for over 84 years.

Do I look over my shoulder every time I walk? Do I stop and look around the corner before proceeding? Do I always cross the street at crosswalks? Have I ever run a yellow light while driving?

This is called “risk management,” so let’s deal with it here.

This is a term that is usually associated with finances; however, we can easily apply it here. Just what is risk management in travel?

Be aware of your surroundings. Know where and what everything is.
Stay alert to changing circumstances and to others around you.
Avoid enormous crowds and NEVER get involved in any kind of demonstration.
Never go into a known area of drugs or high crime.
Don’t travel on transportation, that is unsafe.
Carrying large amounts of cash is only asking for trouble.
Always travel with a companion… never travel alone, where possible.
When there are travel warnings about an area or country, avoid them.

While this is just a partial list, it should set you to thinking about your safety while traveling.

Let’s look at some specific areas of the world to assess the risks.

The Holy Land, or the Middle East.

Travel warnings:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/. This is the place to find out travel warnings for Americans for areas of the world.

There are four levels of travel warnings:

Exercise normal precautions.
Exercise increased precautions.
Reconsider travel.
Do not travel.

Sounds reasonable enough. As an example, one warning about traveling to Israel is “Do not travel to Gaza.” Unless you have been in a cave for the last 40 years, this is not rocket science!

The “West Bank” of Israel is under the “Reconsider travel” warning. Think about going to those areas. If you do go there, be aware of the risks and use extra caution.

Is the rest of the country of Israel safe to travel to? Without hesitation, I will say YES. I would not hesitate to travel to any other area of Israel and would feel as safe there as any place on the planet. Security in Israel is a way of life.

I must point out to you I arrange group and individual travel to Israel and most other parts of the world.

I represent one of the oldest, most respected tour companies in the world. Let me give you a link to the information we provide our travelers. General Healthy Travel Standards — Educational Opportunities Blog (eoupdate.com)

There is a tremendous difference between group travel and individual travel. In individual travel, you’re on your own to be safe.

In group travel, you have the travel company whose concern for your safety is both monetary and real. No company wants to be sued for neglect of injury or death. Neither do they want the poor reputation of having a passenger injured or killed on their watch?

The local guide has a twofold mission:

Their safety is a major concern.
They handle their passenger’s safety.

Everyone is concerned that the tourists be safe and have an enjoyable experience. If you are fearful during your trip, it would be better to stay at home.

I remember in my days as a pilot, I used to have passengers tell me, “be careful and don’t hurt me”. Did they forget I was on board the plane too?

Tourists’ safety is one of the most important things that we as an organization take into consideration. We have over 40 years of experience and have thousands of passengers who have trusted us to keep them safe and have an enjoyable experience.

For those reasons, we take every precaution to make certain the safety and enjoyment of your pilgrimage or tour.

Last instructions:

Check the government travel warnings.
Know the tour company that you are traveling with.
Be sure you know the leader of the group and their own experience in travel.
Keep a mindful presence of your surroundings.

Be safe and enjoy your travel experience and don’t hide under a rock!

Journeys of Paul Tour

I want to share an experience, not a tour!

Many people have read the Bible and read the stories of the Apostles of the Early Church and their missionary journeys that founded the Christian faith.

Is this all a legend, like some gods and goddesses of the day? Is this a fictional story drafted by some creative people?

No, this is a historical fact, but not only is it a historical fact but it is also backed up by archaeology and recent discoveries.

As with the Holy Land (Israel), people have a strong desire to visit the roots of their beliefs, which you can now do.

What is the best way to visit these sites?

The ship is the very best way.

I have been arranging tours for over 50 years and I have found the best way is by cruise ship. You travel at night and do your sightseeing during the day.

Can you see all the sites? Most of the major ones, yes. Is the cost cheaper than on a land tour? Similar, but the inclusions and convenience make it very cost-effective.

All meals are included on a cruise. Only breakfast and dinners are included on a land tour.

What is included in this cruise program? Airfare from New York (domestic add-on cities can be added), deluxe accommodations onboard the ship, all meals, sightseeing with an English-speaking guide, entrance fees, and transfers to and from the airports.

What is NOT included? Drinks (coffee, tea, and water are included with meals), tips to guides and cruise staff, visa fees (if any), items of a personal nature, and passports.

What will we see on this cruise?

Beautiful Greek Islands.

So let me give you a sample itinerary, as there are other cruises with different itineraries.

Journeys of Paul Cruise

And you will depart from New York, or you may select your hometown as the departure (additional costs) and will fly across the Atlantic to your destination in Europe, in this case, it will be Rome, Italy. I am attaching a brochure for this trip.

We have other dates with different itineraries; because, this will give you some ideas of the itinerary, the ship, the inclusions, and exclusions.

What’s the difference between traveling with me and other tour companies?

Other companies will give you a tour, I will give you a life-changing experience! Our guides and staff make all the difference in the world.

So once you have traveled with us, you will want to come back again and again. We have references from travelers who have traveled with us many times and love the experience.

I just had one group leader who just returned from the Holy Land with over 50 people. Best one ever! and he has traveled with me 50 times in the last 40 years. That’s the difference!

Experience and expertise…

For over 50 years I have arranged pilgrimages around the world and have thousands of satisfied clients. That’s the kind of experience you are looking for and the kind of experience we provide.

This exciting news will make you happy, because of our experience and buying power, we will show you how by taking a few friends and family, you can travel at little or no cost!

The beauty is your people are not paying for your trip! We are able to book group fares with the airlines, hotels, and providers and allow your people to take advantage of our buying power and provide you with the quality of experience you would never expect.

I took a pastor to the Holy Land who came back and when I asked him how the trip went, he replied: “it is better felt than telt”!

You must experience one of our pilgrimages for yourself.

While there is no video, no brochure, no amount of talking that will take the place of experiencing it for yourself.So we provide brochures (like the one you see in the link), and materials to help you promote your group and assist you in all the planning of your experience, while not easy, neither is it complicated.

Be sure to sign up to receive our FREE newsletter and updates. I will contact you to give you all the details and there is never a cost or obligation for my services.

What are you waiting for? Fill out the brief form to receive our newsletter and I will provide you with complete details on how you can earn your tour of a lifetime. This is not a gimmick… there are no strings attached… I won’t spam you or hound you to buy something.

So, I look forward to hearing from you today so that I can share my experience with you.