Those who have visited Israel, or watched the satirical movie "Don't Mess with Zohan", will recognize another side of Israelis - one that is not so apparent unless you have befriended them or come in contact with them. Deep inside, they are a bunch of fun-loving hippies and love life like there's no tomorrow. It's all about the Work Hard, Play Hard mentality. That is one of the many reasons I love Israel so much. My third visit to the country was … [Read more...]
Bedtime Prayers – The Pilgrim’s Guide to Hotels in Jerusalem
Jerusalem is a vibrant modern city full of cultural events, restaurants, and a rich nightlife. But it is first and foremost a spiritual center of the Jewish people. Jews from all over the world come to Jerusalem. They take part in pilgrimages to holy sites, such as the Western Wall and Temple Mount. Often, they also celebrate bar and bat mitzvahs (coming of age ceremonies), weddings, and Jewish holidays in their ancestral homeland. Because … [Read more...]
A Crazy Day of Dune Bashing in Southern Qatar
I knew our drive out from Doha was going to be interesting as soon as we started our journey to the sand dunes from my hotel. Our driver, a large Omani soon crossed to the other lane of traffic and stunned an opposing driver by doing so. He had one hand on the wheel, one hand on his mobile and his eyes were looking somewhere else. Once he got off the phone he became quite liberal with the use of the horn and headlights - using both many times … [Read more...]
Culture and Work Exchange in Jordan’s Wadi Rum Desert
As I exited the taxi a tall, dark, man wearing flashy sunglasses and brown tunic that nearly reached his ankles, approached me. This was Fawaz, my work exchange host for the next two weeks. While he appeared intimidating at first, maybe because of his height alone, his warm smile and outstretched hand made any first impressions quickly fade away. The head scarf he wore was similar to the "desert scarf" that had recently made its way in style in … [Read more...]
Umrah: A Pilgrimage of Peace
Florida to Saudi Arabia. A thirty-hour journey that was, to say the least, exhausting. But as soon as I stepped foot onto the bus that would be transporting our group, a fresh burst of energy and vigor swept over me. We were here, along with millions of other Muslims, to perform Umrah, one of the two pilgrimages that are essentially “pillars” of Islam. It is imperative that Muslims visit the two holy cities, Makkah and Madinah, and perform … [Read more...]
Postcard from Persia
On a Mediterranean boat heading nowhere in particular but probably past Rhodes, an American backpacker wonders whether there is an alternate way to Iran, and if they play Uncle Wiggly in Tehran Once I met this rather good-looking and plucky Swiss adventurer who repeatedly kept trying to convince me to travel to Iran. He said he was treated very well there, and that I being an American, who had pretty much traveled everywhere on the planet, … [Read more...]
Baggage Handlers Don’t Lie: 20 Tips from The Frontlines
Article courtesy of Travel Just 4U, an Australia Travel Agency that specializes in tailored tours of South America. We Australians tend to have to travel long distances just to get anywhere. So much so that we like to think of ourselves as wizened travelers who know the tricks of the trade. Here are some of our favorite travel tips from the frontlines of baggage handlers at airports. When we travel it’s easy for us to take for granted some … [Read more...]
Afghanistan Exposed
Just over one year into our odyssey, while headed overland to Europe, we ventured through Afghanistan. Rocking atop burlap sacks in the open-backed truck, I watched as Peshawar faded into the morning’s mirage. Knowing I’d never return in this lifetime, I felt history being made beneath my feet as upturned dust exposed ancient stories. With a mandatory armed-escort riding in the front, I knew I better play by the rules. At 50C, halfway to the … [Read more...]
My Name is Ali
“My name is Ali. I’m from Iran.” My mind went blank. What did I know about Iran? I tried to think of something. It’s a big country in the Middle East and my country, America, isn’t too keen on Iran. Persian carpets? The moment I was thinking, I looked around at my surroundings. A dozen of red Chinese lanterns were lit brightly and lined both sides of the street. Across from me at a mamak, Indian men were pulling roti dough around and around in … [Read more...]
To the Lighthouse (Ila Al-Manara)
You can't understand the sense of triumph I felt as I crossed the street unless you've been to Beirut, a city in which I had been in and out over a two year span. My latest stint was nearing its end and I felt reflective and nostalgic and disappointed that the world has decided where you are allowed to live and work based on the coincidence of your birth. I had resolved to take advantage of a hole in the stormy sky and wander the streets of what … [Read more...]