I have sorted my server and email problems so I can now get the blog posting up to date.

I had a semi-regular look at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s travel advice for Turkey, and, guess what?

DFAT have downgraded the travel advice. For the period from the Istanbul bombings in 2003 up until 17 October this year, they recommended Australian defer all non-essential travel. On 17 October they changer their advice and now:

Australians should defer non-essential travel to southern Turkey, especially in the border region between Turkey, Syria and Iraq.

I am very happy they have finally changed their advice but I still have a problem with it. Southern Turkey can be interpreted as an area south of a line from Izmir to Van. Do they really recommend Australians avoid all of this area or do they only mean south eastern Turkey?