The world’s seems scary right now. Here’s why I won’t be staying home

March 23, 2026 — 5:00am

There’s turmoil in the world right now, which you may have noticed. Attempt to summarise current global events, and you feel like you’re writing a new verse for the Billy Joel song We Didn’t Start the Fire. Flights cancelled, airports closed, upheaval in the Middle East.

Violence erupted in Mexico after a cartel leader was eliminated. Venezuela has an interim president after the old one was kidnapped. The Russia-Ukraine war rages on and the ceasefire in Gaza is uneasy at best.

And you’re telling me you want to go travelling?

This is the world we face. It’s the reality we’re presented with. It’s not nice to talk about and it’s fairly depressing when you write it all down like that, but this is what we have to deal with.

There’s probably a tendency among some travellers to just stay at home, which is a reasonable, and even very good, travel decision. Australia has a huge amount to offer, from ancient culture to modern cuisine to some of the most spectacular scenery on the planet – why wouldn’t you take the opportunity to see a little more of it?

There’s even a good chance your flight will take off.

If, however, you’re keen on the idea of overseas adventure, there needs to be another plan. You need to deal with this somehow. I do, too.

I’ve been tossing up taking my kids to Mexico at the end of this year. My wife is desperate to try the food over there. I love the country, its people, its colour and its culture. And our kids would get a kick out of Mexico City, the buzz, the artwork, the lucha libre wrestling. But this already volatile country has recently experienced an upswing in violence. Tasmania is looking pretty good right now.

To travel overseas now is to take on a certain amount of risk. Maybe you’re not flying directly into a conflict zone, but if you’re going across one, your flight might be diverted or even cancelled, as so many that fly in and out of Middle Eastern hubs have. Your plans on the ground might be scuppered by a lightning-fast turn of events.

Several platforms and services are required here if you still want to go overseas. You need good travel insurance. You need to know that if you get into trouble, or even if you have hassles with cancellations or flights and other bookings being rescheduled, you won’t be too far out of pocket (though be warned you probably won’t be covered if you just change your mind, and almost all insurers exclude force majeure events, which include acts of war).

The world can seem intimidating from the far reaches of our own nation, but the reality is often refreshingly normal and welcoming.

Smartraveller, the Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s travel advisory, is also crucial. Read up on the places you want to go, understand the risks, monitor changes, and also be aware that anywhere rated “do not travel” will almost certainly not be covered by travel insurance.

You could consider, too, booking through a travel agent for any holidays that are particularly complex. It’s always nice in times of difficulty to have a friendly, professional voice on the other end of the phone ready to tap a few keys and get things rescheduled for you.

And finally, there’s a need to be clear-eyed about the dangers the world presents right now. Because for the most part, there’s little that’s out of the ordinary. There are a lot – like, a huge amount – of travel destinations out there that remain unchanged, untouched by the feeling of global unrest.

New Zealand is of course one of those, a favourite destination of ours for good reason. But you could also look to other neighbours in the Pacific, or in South-East Asia, or much of Europe (as long as you’re not flying through the Middle East). Canada has risen above the unpredictable nature of its close neighbour. Many South American nations remain stable.

The world can seem intimidating from the far reaches of our own nation, but the reality is often refreshingly normal and welcoming. People want to see you. You will enjoy seeing them. Tourism opens all of our eyes.

Will I take my kids to Mexico? That decision remains unmade for now. Ten months is a long time for things to change there, either for the better or worse. Mexico City is also a huge metropolis that has been largely untouched (so far) by the waves of violence, so even a trip right now wouldn’t be out of the question.

My desire to share the world with my children, to take them on adventures and show them that not everywhere looks and feels like Australia, is strong. Perhaps too strong to resist. But we will monitor the situation on the ground in Mexico. We will plan carefully. And we will definitely have good travel insurance.