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TECHNICALLY. YOU STILL CAN TRAVEL ALMOST ANYWHERE ON THE PLANET-BUT SOME AREAS ARE MORE AFFECTED BY RECENT GLOBAL TENSIONS. A GOOD TRAVELER IS AN EDUCATED TRAVELER. SO HERE'S SOME KNOWLEDGE TO ACQUIRE FOR YOUR JOURNEY. HERE WE HAVE RATED FOURTEEN CLASSIC ADVENTURE MECCAS IN TERMS OF RELATIVE SAFETY IN THE BRAVE NEW WORLD OF TRAVEL TODAY. TEXT: JORDAN STOLPER australia 99 TRAVELER FACTS afghanistan 99999 TRAVELER FACTS Population Density: 103 people per sq. mile Population: 26,000,000 Area: 251,739 sq. miles Languages Spoken: Dari, Pashtun, and Turkic People: Pashtun 38%, Tajik 25%, Hazara 19%, Uzbek 6%, other 12% How Far from NY: 9,900 miles From SF: 7,690 miles Main Adventure Activities: N/ A A quick look at Afghan history reveals the country last enjoyed sustained peace and prosperity from 1512 to 1774 during its heyday as a way point on the Silk Road. Since then, Afghanistan has fascinated, bewildered, and engaged travelers intent on understanding the complexi- ties of the Pashtun culture. War tears at Afghanistan once again. Perhaps travelers will again be offered safe passage and a warm bowl of chalow, but until then, Afghanistan should be avoided. Professional humanitarian workers and journalists in the region risk their lives to be there, and amateurs, no matter how well intentioned, are more likely to hinder than help. Population Density: 4 people per sq. mile Population: 19,200,000 Area: 4,763,026 sq. miles Languages Spoken: English and Aboriginal languages People: European descent 94%, Asian 4%, Aboriginal 1.5% How Far from NY: 9,940 miles From SF: 7.420 miles How Much from NY: n hours; Air New Zealand, Qantas $1,424 From SF: 14.5 hours; Air New Zealand, Qantas $999 Main Adventure Activities: Animal safaris, scuba diving, rock climbing, skiing, surfing Driving the coastal roads of Western Australia, it's possible to travel two hours without seeing a car going in either direction. With hundreds of in9igenous animal species, a landscape ranging from impenetrable rainforests to ochre deserts and a people who are compulsively frie ndly, Australia tugs hard at the shoestrings. Where to start? Queensland's Great Barrier Reef, stretching 2,300 km along the coast, helped make Jacques Cousteau's career. North of Cairns on the east coast lies Cape Tribulation, a remote and lush peninsula popular with backpackers looking to lose their package tour tagalongs. Load up the Land Cruiser and head west to the Outback. There you 'll find untamed wilderne ss and a stunning array of flora and fauna, all without the hassle of paved roads. Stop off to watch the sun rise at Ayers Rock (Uluru) and the Olgas; massive rock formations sprung from the desert plain, you'll quickly understand why they're holy sites for the Aboriginal people. Near Adelaide is Australia's version of Napa Valley. Try biking between wineries for a few days. Exmouth, at the northwest tip of the country, delivers some of the world's best diving-arguably better than the Great Barrier Reef. Adrenaline junkies can dive with whale sharks. Windsurfers descend on the Perth port of Fremantle for mistral winds and tepid water. If you've had it with civilization, humanity, and hotmail, Tasmania's ancient forests, raging rivers, and prehistoric caves offer a painless sojourn to the Pleistocene. Grab a ferry to Devonport from Melbourne and frolic with Tasmanian devils. While Australia enjoys a huge psychological and physical distance from most of the world, the country's immigration policies have sparked debate at home and abroad. The Aussie navy intercepts asylum seekers, often Indonesians and Iraqis arriving by boat, and diverts them to Pacific islands. As a result, Australia has provoked the enmity of many people in those countries and perhaps other Islamic states. Does this mean that Sydney will be targeted by terrorists? Who's to know, but Australia is a close ally of the United States and is inarguably western in its values. 58 costa rica 9 TRAVELER FACTS Population Density: 186 people per sq. mile Population: 3,710,558 Area: 19,929 sq. miles Languages Spoken: Spanish, Creole, English and Indian dialects People: Spanish descent 96%, African descent 2%, Indians 1 %, Chinese 1% How Far from NY: 2,210 miles From SF: 3,040 miles How Much from NY: 5 hours; American, Delta $380 From SF: 7.5 hours; American, United $499 Main Adventure Activities: Scuba diving, surfing, hiking, rainforest exploration, biking Only five hours from NYC and Central America's most stable country, Costa Rica offers the right combination of adventure and serenity perfect for soothing frayed nerves in a hurry. Wedged between su rlier Nicaragua and Panama, Costa Rica is an isle of stability in a historically unpre- dictable region. Tourism is a mainstay of the economy, but Costa Rica has managed to stave off the ravages of mass tourism, especially where its natural resources are concerned. Surfing, hiking, caving, kayaking, deep-sea fishing-whatever your perversion-Costa Rica has it all. In the far northeast corner of the country, you'll find the Parque Nacional Rinc6n de la Vieja, a volcanic range dotted by craters, lagoons, sulfur springs, and boiling mud pools. Extensive hiking trails wind through the park making for some excellent day trips. Ambitious hikers should check out the Parque Nacional Corcovado. Spend three to four days meandering through tropical rainforests, sleeping under the forest canopy. Head to the Caribbean coast and Parque Nacional Tortuguero to visit turtle nesting sites and, depending on the time of year, watch the reptiles lay their eggs. Costa Rican political sympathy lies squarely with the United States. The two countries have strong political ties and aside from a slight lull immediately after September 11, Costa Rica's tourism industry is enjoying steady growth. www.tourism-costarica.com