One of the world’s most troubled, yet fascinating regions, here’s a collection of Middle East travel stories.
Latest Middle East travel stories
Kish Island: Iran light
I have finally managed to visit Kish, folks. Here's how that went down. Wednesday 13 Nov: Stepping off Ethiopian Airlines at OSL in the early hours, after exciting and tightly packed days in Burundi and Comoros. Head straight for a day at the office. Get home. 5 minutes later, stumble into bed. Sleep for 12 solid hours. Thursday 14 Nov: [...]
World at a Glance: #InTransit – Dubai overnight
Dubai, UAE 17 November 2024 Just back from Kish Island. I'm here in Dubai overnight, waiting for the flight home. Spending the night in the airport seems just toooo tiring for words, even when that airport is DXB, so I find a hotel/social hub in downtown Dubai. Here's how I killed a few hours today, and you can too, if [...]
Jeddah: Gateway to Mecca
Do not enter Ever since reading Wilfred Thesiger’s Arabian Sands as a young’un, I have wanted to visit Saudi Arabia. But women were not allowed to enter this enigmatic desert kingdom until they were 45, unless they were accompanied by a father or husband. That was a magic number, apparently - the age when we would no longer be considered [...]
3 days in Iraq: Karbala and Najaf
It is late afternoon as we drive into Karbala. I immediately feel I’m in a different world, as if I have entered another era, centuries away from modern Baghdad. Karbala and Najaf (where we are headed next) hold immense significance for Iraq's cultural heritage; they are both cities steeped in history and spirituality. They are also religious centres, and the [...]
3 days in Iraq: Exploring Babylon
Onwards to Babylon It's Day 2 in Iraq: Up bright and early(ish), and super excited for the day ahead: We leave Baghdad behind for now, and travel 85 km south - to Babylon. We will be visiting the 4,000-year-old city, have a look inside Saddam Hussein's massive palace, and take a boat trip on the Euphrates. Mel has two bucket [...]
3 days in Iraq: Baghdad
I'm a strong proponent of proper sleep. It tops the list of important things we can do for our health and longevity. But sometimes, just sometimes, sleep must take a back seat to an EXCITING experience! And travelling to Baghdad is most definitely in the EXCITING experience category. Forever students With only 3 days in Iraq, every moment has to [...]
Bringing the world home: Food, the Lebanese edition
So, what's your favourite cuisine again? We've covered Italian food. What else do you like? Mexican? I do. It's not love, but a pretty decent like. I had super fresh guacamole every day when I was in Mexico last. Yum! What about Eastern European? I like to make cold Lithuanian borscht. It's so refreshing, and I love the colour and [...]
2 Saida highlights: a photo-essay (Day out Beirut)
A highlight of a recent visit in Lebanon was Saida. Sidon is the city's ancient, and possibly better-known, name. Legend has it, Sidon is named after the great grand-son of Noah (chap whose family had to repopulate the earth after a great flood, remember?) However cool that may be, locals today call it Saida, so I'll stick with that. If you go [...]
Baalbek, Anjar and wine: 3 highlights of the Bekaa Valley (Day out Beirut)
Crossing Mount Lebanon, I'm now deep into the Bekaa Valley, in Heliopolis. You might know it better as Baalbek. This is Hezbollah country, visible by the militant organisation's characteristic flag - green logo on yellow background - but not much else. My first glimpse of the legendary temple complex here in Baalbek is from the verandah of my charming hotel. [...]
Hiking Qadisha Valley and the Cedars of God (Day out Beirut)
Lebanon is a small country packed with sights and landscape of great variety. There's winter and summer in one day (ski Mount Lebanon in the morning, chill at the Mediterranean beaches in the afternoon), there's the bustling nightlife in Beirut, there's jaw dropping remnants of ancient Phoenicia and Imperial Rome, there's nectar from a number of wineries in the Bekaa [...]
Yet another day out Beirut: Byblos, the world’s oldest city?
Is ancient Byblos the world's oldest continually inhabited city? Others make the same claim: Damascus and Aleppo in neighbouring Syria, and Jericho in Palestine, also in the general vicinity. Byblos was founded 7 000 years ago. Some say 9 000, some say 10 800. Either way, people have lived and loved here for a long time. So I'm in Jbeil! [...]
Day out Beirut: Tyre
I'm in Southern Lebanon today; joined by 6 Brits and an American couple (the woman went to university in Beirut in 1964!) and our cheerful guide Pierre, all wanting to have a look at the Roman ruins in Tyre. Or Ksour, the city's present-day Arabic name. We've driven 82 km south from Beirut, a picturesque coastal drive. We're also 25 kilometres from [...]
