Lately, it's become trendy to pretend that taking a vacation in countries as unstable as a plane hitting turbulence is some kind of daring act. "Life is short." "The danger's been blown out of proportion."

And the classic: "It's all under control."

The reality is usually far less romantic. Last-minute deals to the sun, sea and golden sands can devolve quickly into costly outlays and stressful ordeals. That's exactly what happened to our tourists who traveled to the Middle East.

It's a big world out there, and it isn't limited to countries where every day begins with alarming news. And in recent weeks — recent months, really — news out of the Middle East has been anything but reassuring.

Stability in the Middle East is precarious. Situations can shift in a matter of hours, and tourists who ventured out to catch some rays and waves can suddenly find themselves at the center of events far removed from any vacation.

Now, all of us will end up footing the bill to bring these compatriots home, sun-kissed skin and with terrifying baggage.

Tempting as it may be to moralize, given the war is in an inevitable deadlock, it's worth noting that even Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur was among the travelers. Surely he would have skipped the trip if he'd known how serious the situation was. At the very least, you'd like to trust his judgment.

Soon, the news cycle will move on to other parts of the region. Egypt, Cyprus, Azerbaijan. Headlines will report things that have nothing to do with carefree vacations. Yet Estonian tourists' reactions remain unchanged: they just close their eyes.

It's an odd habit to think that bad things only happen to everyone else.

Penny wise, pound foolish

In high-risk countries, a tourist isn't just a guest; they don't speak the language, aren't aware of local conditions and don't understand local rules. And if something goes wrong, they can't rely on luck or their intuition; they'll need consular help, and those providers aren't superhuman.

The way things are now, trying to save money on a cheap trip to Egypt can quickly and easily end up costing you more — in emergency evacuations, canceled flights, extra lodging, medical services or even just frayed nerves.

Egypt's tourism infrastructure may run like clockwork, but those clocks still tick in regions where risks remain high. And no all-inclusive package deal will cancel out geopolitics.

Hoping global conflicts won't affect your trip isn't brave; it's irresponsible. If you even briefly catch yourself thinking, "Maybe we'll get lucky, we should still go," that's your answer. Don't go.

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