Western Colombia earthquake. The videos of this rolling 7.4 earthquake on August 10th are terrifying, including footage of the top of an old church breaking off and falling onto the street in western Colombia. The quake was also felt in Ecuador and Panama, and more than 200 people have died. Billboard published a list of organizations where you can donate to help.
Indonesia earthquake. Two earthquakes just struck eastern Indonesia, killing 47 people so far. The first was a 7.7, and the second was a 6.4 in western Sumatra. I don’t have donation links yet, but you should be able to find them soon.
Small tourist plane crashes in Peru. At the beginning of the month, a small tourist plane from Pisco to Nazca, Peru crashed, killing all 13 people aboard. I took one of these small planes years ago to fly over the Nazca Lines. My heart goes out to the families and friends of those who were killed.
New rule for visitors to South Africa. Travelers going or coming from South Africa must now submit their traveler declaration online ahead of time. If you’re planning a visit there, be sure to check out this new requirement.
Heatwaves and fires in France and Spain. Europe has had record-breaking heat this summer, with temperatures still expected to reach 107 degrees in some areas. France’s wildfires have mostly been contained, but there are still fires in southwestern Spain.
Dry river cruises in Europe. if you’re planning a river cruise in Europe, be prepared for the possibility that water levels could be too low for the ship, especially in the recent heatwaves. When this happens, passengers are put on buses for travel from “port” to “port” and booked in hotels. It isn’t exactly the same vacation, and many have said it makes for a disappointing trip.
Belgium, of all places, gets a level 2 warning from the U.S. State Department. Who would have thought? Level 2 means “Exercise Increased Caution,” and the reason is the rise of terrorism and petty crime like purse snatching and pickpocketing. They advise that you stay on the alert and avoid crowds.
Japan raises visa fees. The cost of a visa to enter Japan is now five times more than it was. A single-entry now costs 15,000 yen compared to the previous 3,000 yen. A multiple-entry now costs 30,000 yen compared to the previous 6,000 yen. Note that Americans don’t need a visa for short-term travel to Japan.
Travel insurance claims. Christopher Elliott says a lot of people are denied when they file a travel insurance claim because they haven’t kept good records. So be mindful of keeping papers and emails just in case!
Chase cuts Priority Pass access to Sapphire lounges. If you’re a Priority Pass or Loungekey member, you will no longer have access to the 9 Chase Sapphire lounges in Boston, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, and New York’s JFK and LaGuardia. The only way in is with a $100 guest pass.
Las Vegas hotel scam. The OYO Hotel Las Vegas tends to get very bad reviews. Recently, a woman claims that she specifically wanted to avoid the OYO and find a different budget hotel in the city. She found the Palette Las Vegas on a booking site, but when she arrived to check in, it was actually the OYO. Hotel personnel admitted the Palette doesn’t exist. They put it up online to see if they’d get more bookings without the bad reviews showing. I don’t even know what to say about this one.
Melanie Votaw is the Publisher and Executive Travel Writer of LuxuryWeb Magazine. She has visited more than 50 countries on 6 continents and written for such magazines as Executive Travel, Just Luxe, Business Insider, South China Morning Post, Travel Mindset, and more. She is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association, New York Travel Writers Association, and International Travel Writers Alliance. Melanie's photography has won awards, and she has also written 43 nonfiction books as either the author or ghostwriter.
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