Visit the Middle East

We spent about 3 months travelling through “middle eastern” countries – Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Turkey, before continuing through a few eastern European spots.

All I can say is…go. Egypt’s not the highlight, much as some people might expect it to be…mainly because the dominance of the tourism industry leads to being treated as a mobile cash dispenser instead of a guest. Jordan, Syria, and especially Turkey are much more interesting.

Riding camels in Wadi Rum, Jordan, lazing around in the mud and stone village of Dana, also in Jordan, wandering the maze that is Old Damascus, and hiking in Cappadocia are all experiences which will never be forgotten.

And nowhere else have a travelled where you get countless invitations to come home with random locals, and people just pleased that you’ve chosen to visit their country.

Some years ago, I took an ancient history course which focused largely on the earliest civilizations along the Nile, Euphrates, and Tigris rivers. At the time, I never thought much about travelling to places like that, travelling still meant going to Europe or Australia. And Arabs were scary people.

But in the last couple of years, as I’ve gotten to feel like, well, I’ve seen Europe, several times, maybe it’s time for something a bit more adventuresome, and I started thinking about all the ancient sites in the middle east.

Then I started reading, and that was the mistake…reading about the middle east just fascinated me…not just its history, but its present day culture as well. Every travel story I’ve read about Jordan and Syria has named them the friendliest, and safest countries the visitor had ever been to.

So I’ve got a trip generally planned, and a budget in the making. I’m leaving in late February or early March 2006 and flying to Cairo. From there, I will set out, one month in Egypt then take the ferry accross to Jordan. 3 weeks each in Jordan and Syria, and then take my time, maybe a month or more to cross Turkey, before eventually ending up in Athens.

If money allows, I’ll continue to overland up through Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary making towards a flight home from London…hopefully I can make it all the way before money runs out.