9/11  for most of us bring about old emotions, fears, and every single memory of where we were and what we did on that day 12 years ago.  Along with that for those of us that commute or travel, comes anxiety about traveling, multiplied as we all wonder with unease whether terrorists will try to commemorate this day with another attack.

Rita Anya Nara, author of the book The Anxious Traveler feels that we might be worried about another 9/11 attack from the skies in vain.  Rita- what makes you so sure?

Samantha- What made you want to write this book?
Rita- On February 22, 2013, I reached my ultimate travel dream, one I had harbored since I was five years old:  I reached the seventh and final continent on earth, Antarctica.  I had this emotional moment on the ship deck when I realized how far I’d come from cutting pictures of travel destinations out of National Geographic all weekend, and telling my doctor in 2001 that I’d never be able to go anywhere, ever.  And yet here I was, 38 countries, hundreds of challenges, and thousands of breakthroughs later.  I had the compelling need to share with others everything I had learned about how to travel successfully despite suffering from chronic anxiety.  I didn’t want to write a memoir – I wanted to lay out the dozens of strategies and approaches I’d discovered and observed about how to be a successful traveler, anywhere, with (or without) anyone, despite having an anxiety disorder or problems managing stress.  I had a lot of time inside my stateroom when it was too cold to go out on deck, so I started writing the Anxious Traveler.

S- Do you truly feel that 9/11 is the safest day to travel?  Or just to fly?
R- I believe it’s the safest day of the year to fly in the U.S.


S- Why do you feel that way?
R-Because of the vigilance of security officials at airports, the degree of attention paid to aircraft safety and air traffic on that day, and the unwavering and absolute determination of thousands of enforcement personnel around the country to avoid a repeat attack.  Passengers are also far more vigilant; most everyone is watching someone else.  They’re not leaving bags unattended to check their boarding time; they have an eye out for something “off”; and they’re on guard.  They’ve learned from 9/11 that tragedies happen when we’re least expecting them.

There are fewer flyers than normal just because of the number of people avoiding the date.  Fewer passengers means fewer distractions in airports and on planes, and often, time for more thorough screening checks.  Random post-security checks are much more frequent than normal, and by the time you get on the plane, you’ll probably feel incredibly relieved… and safe.


S- What first made you look at it as a safe day?
R- Talking to security officials and airline representatives about what they go through every September to make sure there’s not a repeat attack on 9/11.   I could see the stress, confidence, and determination in their faces all at the same time.  They were the models of working through fear.  If it weren’t for them, airports would be ghost-towns on 9/11.  We’d have an annual travel shutdown day instead of an anniversary that commemorates our resilience.


S- Have you gotten hate mail since publishing The Anxious Traveler?
R- I have gotten some snarks from bloggers that “headcases” and “nervous wrecks” should stay home for their own good (and to avoid being a “distraction” to others), but that’s all.  The overwhelming feedback I’ve gotten is that the book is very inspiring, and very informative.  It’s not my memoir; there’s not much about me beyond the first chapter.  It’s a true guidebook to help other anxious travelers plan a trip from A to Z – and then take it, and enjoy it.

As a society, we value overcoming personal obstacles and barriers to reach our full potential; this is a fundamental American belief.  It’s certainly something we want to teach our children.  Anxiety is something you can confront and manage in order to do what you want to do, and travel is a life-enriching way to overcome your fears in the real world instead of relying on only medication or behavioral therapy.  So I believe the message resonates with a great number of people, and in a very positive way. 

S- I have been to airports on 9/11- and you are right, it’s nearly impossible to move or fly, and I will never do it again for that reason.  Do you recommend traveling on that date?
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