Should You Travel Amid Shutdowns And Conflicts

Should you still travel as the holidays approach and the news cycle churns? We tackle the question head‑on with a calm plan you can use today, blending practical airport tactics, smart destination choices, and a mindset that keeps adventure alive without ignoring risk. From U.S. shutdown ripple effects to global conflict awareness, we map what’s changing, what’s not, and how to adapt without losing the joy that makes travel worth it.

We start with the realities on the ground: longer TSA lines, potential air traffic delays, and what a partial national park service means for your itinerary. You’ll learn why early departures are still your best bet, how to pad your schedule without derailing your day, and what to pack to stay calm when queues stretch. Then we widen the lens. We talk through current conflict hotspots and share a simple approach to vetting destinations using government advisories, trusted news, and smart tools, so you can shift plans with confidence instead of fear.

If you’re a solo traveler—especially a woman—this conversation is for you. We highlight safer picks like Iceland, show how to find local substitutes for big‑ticket experiences such as Christmas markets, and offer creative pivots: trains over planes, road trips over red‑eyes, and small itinerary tweaks that protect your time and budget. Prefer the support of a community? We explain when a vetted group tour adds comfort and how patience and empathy toward frontline workers will smooth every leg of your journey.

Ready to travel with discernment instead of doubt? Press play, build a smarter plan, and keep your sense of wonder intact. If this helped you feel more prepared, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s on the fence, and leave a quick review to help others travel confidently.

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Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (00:04):
Welcome to Solo Travel Adventures.
I'm Cheryl Esche, your host.
Well, it is October of 2025, andthe holidays are around the
corner.
And I have a big question foryou.
Should you travel right now?
I get asked that by others, andmaybe you're thinking the same

(00:26):
thing.
Should you travel right now?
And what do I mean by that?
Well, there is a lot going on inthe world.
And maybe you don't feel safetraveling.
But if we waited for there to becomplete peace across the whole
world, which you know will neverhappen.

(00:46):
There's always something goingon.
Many of us would never leave ourhomes.
So I'm going to talk today iswhether you should travel right
now amidst what is happening inthe world.
Well, I'm going to first startwith uh the US.
If you are in the US, as youknow, we have a government

(01:07):
shutdown happening right now,and it is going on three weeks
since the government has shutdown.
And what does that mean fortravel?
Well, first of all, that doesmean that there are longer lines
and it will take you longer toget through TSA or security at

(01:28):
the airport.
Mainly because, yes, thesepeople are considered essential
employees.
So they are still reporting towork despite not getting paid
likely.
So some may be showing up, somemay not be.
So they might have, they mightbe short staffed, but there is

(01:50):
still people showing up.
Thank goodness.
I am grateful for that.
But I have heard that there aremany long lines.
Someone gave the example onlinejust the other day that even
though they have what's calledTSA pre-check, which kind of
makes the the whole security uhsystem a little faster for them

(02:10):
to get through, it took themfour five 56 minutes, they said,
to get through with with TSApre-check.
Now, someone that doesn't havepre-check, it probably took
longer.
So do expect that part to take awhile.
There's also been talk, airtraffic controllers again are

(02:33):
considered essential employees,so they are still having to
report to work.
However, I read recently that umyou might experience delays in
your flights, mainly becausethey are experiencing staffing
issues.
Again, people are still showingup.
So just be ready for that.

(02:54):
So if you already have somethingplanned, especially around the
holidays here, which were comingup on uh the U.S.
celebrates Thanksgiving inNovember, and then of course
Christmas or Hanukkah, otherholidays happening in December
are around the corner.
I don't expect our government tostill be shut down by then, but
there have been history of ourgovernment being shut down for

(03:17):
35 days.
I think may have been thelongest uh I have seen that the
government has been shut down.
Uh, I might be wrong about that,but that I do remember that time
frame.
I think that was in 2018 intomaybe 2019.
But, anyways, uh, do expect somedelays.

(03:38):
It doesn't mean you should nottravel unless this is something
you don't want to deal with.
So you are still allowed totravel.
We're still flights are stillhappening.
Um, so don't just give yourselfmore time, is what I'm getting
at.
The other thing is if because ofthis shutdown, if you're getting

(04:04):
that first flight out in themorning, this is gonna be your
best bet.
Because likely that 6 a.m.
flight, that plane came insometime overnight and it was
sitting there.
So it's already at the gate foryou.
Now, whether you got your crewuh, you know, arriving, and of
course, making sure you getthere plenty of time to get

(04:27):
through security, you should befine.
So, just things to consider.
Also, if you're in the U.S.,because of the government
shutdown, our national parks areonly partially open, they're
still open, but many of thevisitor centers have limited
hours, they're not offering alot of those programs that they

(04:47):
might offer.
So just keep that in mind.
Uh, you still can go, and if yougo, because there is limited
maintenance and trash pickup,that you carry out maybe
everything that you bring in.
Um, that would be very helpfulif you plan to go to a national
park.
Just be mindful of that.

(05:09):
Now, if you don't live in theUS, uh your travel right now,
you you may not have to worryabout that.
Except maybe you are wanting totravel to some areas that are
right now maybe in someconflicts, whether it's um maybe
there's some wars or just apolitical or civil unrest is

(05:35):
usually the term that we use alot of times when things are not
settled in a certain country,whether it's they're changing um
government structures, maybethere's some riots going on, or
actual wars.
And in just looking at uh, I dorecommend go ahead and use Chat

(05:57):
GPT or some sort of AI uh tohelp you search and pull up, you
know, just like I did currentwars and conflicts happening in
the world right now.
And they have listed uh believeit or not, Russia and Ukraine,
there's still some conflictsgoing on there.
Pretty obvious that there'ssomething going on with Gaza,

(06:19):
Palestine and Israel area, sothat might not be a good region
to travel to.
Uh, Nigeria, not really much inthe news, but uh there's some
genocide going on in Nigeria,um, and Sudan is having still
some issues since 2023.
I do I do remember thathappening.

(06:41):
I happen to have been in Paris,actually leaving Paris in April
of 2023, when um sort of thiswar or conflict broke out in
Sudan, and it's still an issue.
So we're looking at two and ahalf years later, still some
issues in that country.
So maybe traveling to the thoseplaces or near those uh

(07:05):
countries, yes, um, be smart.
Maybe those are not the bestplaces to go, and specifically,
maybe not the best places totravel solo as a woman.
So I always like to say,obviously be smart, but the
number one thing I will tellyou, I don't want to instill any

(07:25):
fear in you because number one,there are plenty of safe places
to visit right now and travelto.
And like, for example, Iceland.
Please put Iceland on your list.
It is safe and beautiful, andyou can go and feel very

(07:46):
comfortable as a solo traveltraveler there.
So there are plenty of safeplaces to visit, especially as a
solo traveler.
Number two, maybe you just wantto stay local now and don't want
to be um stressed out andanxious about maybe what is

(08:07):
happening in the area you'd liketo travel to.
So maybe just stay local.
Number three, I'd say getcreative with how you travel.
So maybe you want to stay awayfrom air travel, maybe you want
to try a road trip or travel bytrain and then be creative about

(08:28):
where you go.
Could you find a similar place?
Uh, for example, I will insertthis.
I also just read because of amassacre that happened, I guess,
in one of the Christmas markets.

(08:48):
There are smaller towns inGermany that are not doing the
Christmas markets this year.
Now, of course, your biggercities like uh Berlin and
Nuremberg, they are having, theyare still having their 2025
Christmas markets.
But let's say you want to getcreative and not go to Germany

(09:11):
for whatever reason, and you tryto find in maybe somewhere
closer a little town that looksthat has this German feel to it.
Maybe that's what you doinstead.
So that's what I mean by getcreative with where you go and
how you travel.

(09:32):
Since we're thinking, at leastin the US, air travel is just
delayed.
That's all I'm gonna say.
It's just gonna take longer.
Number four, maybe you go with agroup tour to feel safer.
Maybe this is where you're gonnafeel more comfortable and still
traveling amidst the chaos thatI like to say is happening in

(09:56):
little pockets across the world.
And finally, number five, Iwould just say if you're
traveling now and into theholidays especially, just be
patient.
Be patient with other people, bepatient with the workers that
work for the airlines.

(10:17):
Um, it is not their fault thatmaybe the flight is delayed.
So be patient with them.
They're trying to help you asbest they can.
And give yourself extra time, ofcourse, in your travels.
If you are traveling, you know,in the next two months or so,
uh, we know it can get a littlechaotic.

(10:39):
So to answer your question,should you travel right now?
The answer is yes, but usediscernment, be smart about it,
and you certainly can get outthere and find a safe place to

(11:00):
travel solo.
Get out there and have thatadventure.
I wanted to share with you, Iwill be a speaker for a virtual
travel summit.
This is happening on November15th, 11 o'clock Eastern
Standard Time.

(11:22):
And there will be 20 speakers inthis virtual summit.
I will share the link in mynotes, show notes, where you
could get signed up.
It is free.
I will be one of the speakers.
So I hope you will get signed upand hear all the wonderful um
travel coaches and such thatwill be speaking at this travel

(11:46):
summit.
And it is hosted by the TravelCoach Network, which is where I
am certified as a travel coachthrough.
So lots of great travel coachesthrough that network.
So I hope you will join, andI'll see you there.