Only 55 more days to go until the end of this century. It has been a troubled one, yet one filled with new discoveries and hope. More people have been assured of at least the basics of comfort in life while large numbers have been left in devastating poverty. Perhaps it will be remembered as a century of contrasts. My personal feeling is if we can get through the remaining days of 1999 without some catastrophic worldwide disaster, we have a fair chance of founding a better world in the future as we leave this crisis-filled, war-torn century behind.

Look at a world map and you can see many of the problems reflected in changing borders. While our business world operates regardless of boundaries, our travel world has shrunk. Local upheavals can change travel plans overnight, and the itinerary of a long-awaited trip must often be reassessed. It is difficult to know what to believe about conflicting reports on conditions in far-away places when you must make your judgment from information provided by TV programs and newspaper articles. These rarely are focused on tourist interests.

There is, however, reliable help out there. The U.S. State Department issues regular information about conditions in countries throughout the world with special announcements when one is suddenly vaulted into international prominence. While these are prepared mainly for citizens living in affected areas or those who are planning to travel there, anyone can access them at travel.state.gov. Such reports are regularly updated, especially for countries currently making headline news because of natural disasters or political upheavals. In the end, you must make your own decision, but having current information can help you reach a sensible conclusion.