Temporary closings/Delays

Indonesia: Bali to Close March 16 for Nyepi, Day of Silence

Date: March 3rd, 2010 |

The island of Bali will effectively shut down March 16 to observe the Hindu holiday of Nyepi, a day of silence and reflection when virtually no one goes outside, no music is played, no work is done, no travel occurs, no fires are lit and lights must be kept low. Many people fast and say [read more]

Peru: Railway to Machu Picchu May Be Out, But There Are Other Ways to Get There

Date: February 10th, 2010 |

No Comments

The famous Inca site of Machu Picchu may be inaccessible by train from Cuzco for the next two months, but travelers will be able to reach the area by alternate routes. The Inca Trail will reopen as the weather improves so hikers will be able to get there, and local tour operators reported that around [read more]

Tanzania: Zanzibar Power Blackout to Last Until Feb. 20

Date: January 20th, 2010 |

No Comments

The archipelago of Zanzibar, now in its peak tourist season, has been without electrical power since Dec. 10 when the undersea cable that carries power from the mainland failed. The government now vows to have electricity flowing again by Feb. 20, but that doesn’t help travelers who will be there between now and then. [read more]

Russia and Georgia: Agreement to Reopen Border Crossing Marks Political Thaw

Date: December 30th, 2009 |

No Comments

These two countries that fought a brief war in August 2008 have agreed to reopen a border crossing that has been closed for three years. The Verkhny Lars crossing is on the only highway between the two countries that does not go through the breakaway provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, where most of the [read more]

United Kingdom: Thameslink Trains Running Reduced Schedule, Driver Strike Possible in December

Date: November 19th, 2009 |

No Comments

A shortage of train drivers caused significant delays in service on the First Capital Connect Thameslink line linking London and several cities including Gatwick airport. The drivers are not on strike, but they are refusing to work automatic overtime, forcing the train system to reduce the number of trains operating. A revised schedule is in [read more]

Dubai: World’s Tallest Tourist Attraction Closed as Elevator Falters

Date: February 10th, 2010 |

No Comments

A month after it opened amid fireworks and fanfare, the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, closed when sightseers going to the 124th floor observation deck got trapped for 45 minutes in a malfunctioning elevator. They and others already on the observation platform were evacuated in a freight elevator. The building, a metaphor for Dubai’s [read more]

Peru: Machu Picchu May Be Closed for Months, Government Promotes Other Attractions

Date: February 3rd, 2010 |

No Comments

The evacuation of stranded tourists and others from Machu Picchu is over, but the famous Inca site will remain inaccessible for weeks and possibly months as work goes on to clean up the landslides and rebuild the railway link to Cuzco. A 60-day state of emergency remains in effect in the provinces of Cuzco and [read more]

Greece: Farmers to Block Roads, Border Crossings

Date: January 13th, 2010 |

No Comments

Farmers around the country plan to block roads beginning Jan. 20 to protest low produce prices and higher production costs. Last year at this time they paralyzed commerce and disrupted travel when they closed major highways and several border crossings. This year they again hope to raise awareness of their difficulties and obtain more subsidies [read more]

Mexico: New Border Security Measures May Cause Delays

Date: December 3rd, 2009 |

No Comments

Driving into Mexico will involve longer delays come January when the Mexican government implements new border security measures designed to disrupt the flow of weapons and cash to Mexican criminal groups. The new measures, which include gates, cameras and vehicle weighing scales, are being tested in Tijuana and have lengthened the border crossing process from [read more]

China: Security Crackdown in Xinjiang

Date: November 5th, 2009 |

No Comments

Authorities launched a crackdown in far western Xinjiang province where ethnic riots in July killed nearly 200 people. The government shut down long-distance phone lines and internet access in the region and is hunting down people who took part in the riots. The “Strike Hard” campaign is set to run through the end of the [read more]