Senegal & The Gambia: Travelling overland from Dakar to the Gambia using public transport After full week of work plus a few days exploring Dakar, I was ready to move on. (insert DAKAR POST link) is a truly unique place, rough around the edges, bristling with diversity full of interesting places. Though I was anxious […]
Travel Tips
North Korea – Pyongyang, Mysteries & Secrets of a Reclusive Nation’s Capital

Pyongyang Subway Mysteriousness A surprising highlight of our journey was the Pyongyang subway, which was both exciting and mysterious. Only in North Korea is the subway thrilling. At 110 metres (360 ft) it’s one of the deepest in the world, apparently designed to double as a bomb shelter. The station was bustling with people as […]
Stuck in Somalia! (and getting kicked out of Ethiopia for refusing to pay a bribe)

Stuck in Somalia! (and getting kicked out of Ethiopia for refusing to pay a bribe) The first surprise, prior to visiting Somalia in 2008, was when I collected my tourist visa from the Somaliland consulate in Addis Ababa. You know you are going a bit off the beaten tourist track when your visa number is […]
Belarus! Top 5 things to experience in this unique country in 5 days!

Getting in. For a long time, Belarus was one of the most difficult countries to visit. Even more so for curious Americans! Once requiring an arduous and expensive visa dance, with a lot of steps, and a high level of rejections. Belarus would complete my visit of every country in Europe! For years, I had […]
Lebanon

2013-4-21 Lebanon: Beirut, Tripoli and ByblosA wave of emotions swept over me as my flight from Saudi Arabia descended into Beirut, Lebanon. Undeniably, there was a lot of excitement. For years I had dreamed of the day I would be able to walk the streets of Beirut and Byblos. I had met many Lebanese in my travels. They inspired […]