Travel in a Time of Terror

Following today's attacks at the airport and a subway station in Brussels, it occurred to me that we need new rules for travelling now. I have always advised carrying a reasonable amount of cash in U.S. dollars and the currency of the country you are visiting, but now I think it's a good idea to also carry at least some of the currency of a country through which you transit, even if you have no intention of staying there.

The Brussels airport is closed down for at least several days, and anyone stuck there will need euros. I assume the ATMs are working, but there could be circumstances where they would not. And a lot of people will need to be re-routed, so getting anywhere in or via Belgium may take some time.

It is cumbersome but advisable to carry your passport and some cash on your person. \It may make airport security people nervous, but a money belt is a good thing to have.

I heard a report from Moscow this morning in which the journalist said Moscow airports require you to pass through security before getting into the departures area (the attack in Brussels was in departures, and Moscow has endured a similar incident.) However, in my experience this is not true--I was able to get all the way through the exit control at Sheremetyevo international in September without encountering any type of security or even acquiring a boarding pass.

In any case, it seems we should all be prepared to deal with more security measures while travelling. My deepest sympathies go out to the victims of this latest attack and their families.