http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/The-Travel-Camel/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from The Travel Camel en-us Mon, 28 Dec 2009 05:07:41 +0000 Mon, 28 Dec 2009 05:07:41 +0000 After being awakened to many aspects of North Korea the passionate pursuit of a military policy and panegyrics about the Great Leader being two examples there were more revelations as we concluded our North Korean odyssey. One was the extremely proud nature of the North Korean people. This extended to a great pride about their history and they make great efforts to preserve and display thei http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/North-Korea/Pyongyang/blog-448078.html In a country renowned for its international isolation North Korea is equally adept at isolating foreigners visiting their nation. I have never journeyed to a country where I was kept so separated from the local populace. On almost every occasion we were deliberately distanced from the local people we would always eat in the most secluded section of a restaurant be ushered out of a separate e http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/North-Korea/Pyongyang/blog-445172.html Within the North Korean psyche nothing is more despised than imperialist aggressors. Those evil external forces that threaten to usurp the Juche idea of selfreliance and besmirch the Great Leader. Public enemy number one in this regard are the US and they have held this title for the past sixty years when they overtook Japan and their imperialist efforts in the first half of the twentie http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/North-Korea/Panmunjom/blog-441725.html Moments after arriving at Pyongyang train station our hosts whisked us through a side exit and into a 25 seat van reserved only the two of us 8211 there would be no fighting over who would get the window seat on this tour. We were introduced to our three North Korean hosts 8211 our constant companions for the next 10 days. The Driver was a young person of about 30 years with a wide face http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/North-Korea/Pyongyang/blog-439856.html 8220You are going where8221 my friend would exclaim. 8220North Korea8221 I would calmly reply with a nonchalance likened to asking a flight attendant for another orange juice. 8220Don8217t you mean South Korea8221 would come the inevitable response. 8220No I mean North Korea missile tests captured US journalists...8221 and the answer would always be 8220 http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/North-Korea/Pyongyang/blog-436637.html Though being only an hour before midnight Xirsquoanrsquos train station was heaving with people waiting for the arrival of family and friends or engaging in the Chinese pastime of lounging upon the large public areas in front of major public train stations. I could make no sense at all of the illuminated train departure board and so after asking the helpful Information Officer I was direc http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Beijing/blog-433408.html Sitting at the crossroads of history Xirsquoan is famous for not only being the termination point of the epic Silk Road but it was in this region where China was united for the first time under a common ruler that of the belligerent Emperor Qin Shi Huang whose other legacy is the legendary terracotta army.After what seemed a prolonged period of flight connections mainly because it was I we http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Shaanxi/Xi-an/blog-432931.html The resounding thunder echoed off the dusky engraved walls. The majority of tourists had departed as the storm approached so this ancient temple appeared deserted. An empty and extremely long colonnade stretched away before me where a symmetrical line of columns protected blackened reliefs of Krishna combating demons. The skies continued to darken as gusts of winds flayed the fronds on the p http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/North/Siem-Reap/blog-359511.html How did I end up in this situation Standing in the energetic and crowded Donghuamen Night Market holding a skewer with three black deepfried scorpions pierced along its length. ldquoCome on eat itrdquo exclaimed Fi camera in hand and ready to record this inauspicious moment. Such an assertive statement drew even more attention to the foreigner nervously holding this delicacy near his http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Beijing/blog-343131.html Attending an Olympics is a far different experience than watching on television you avoid those annoying ad breaks and sometimes those equally annoying commentators you are not subjected to endless replays of the same event nor to other distractions of daily life. Your whole existence is geared to the Games and everything it entails securing more tickets queuing and moving with masses of peop http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Beijing/Olympic-Park/blog-315552.html I had waited seven years for this moment and with a sudden rush of activity my dream was realised as an envelope was thrust into my hand. My eager fingers fondled the contents and brought them into view where I could admire the glossy sheen of these warmcoloured tickets and the gleaming gold lettering which read ldquoThe Opening Ceremony Of The XXIX Olympic Gamesrdquo. My fingers glided http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Beijing/Olympic-Park/blog-310126.html I anxiously gazed upwards as the long patterned neck slowly lowered to where I stood. The giraffe hesitated its angular head and large luscious eyes stared at me with interest. Ever so slowly the giraffe8217s lips parted and a thick bluish tongue of devilish proportions emerged. The small group of Japanese tourists near me audibly reacted to this event and though a part of me wanted to qu http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Rift-Valley-Province/Samburu-NR/blog-295840.html After physical exertion aplenty through Ethiopia and Rwanda it was time for a more relaxing form of travel through Uganda and Tanzania. The opportunity to Quad Bike along the banks of the Nile proved too tempting and so a detour to this central African country was required. After several modes of transport and finally the last few kilometres sitting in the back of an open truck I arrived in B http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/North/Ngorongoro-Conservation-Area/blog-290226.html ldquoItrsquos time to cut down the tall treeshelliprdquo and with these words on 6 April 1994 a genocide of brutal ferocity and speed was inflicted upon the people of Rwanda. Tall trees was the code word for a carefully calculated campaign that saw one million people butchered by the crudest of weapons mostly the machete within 100 days. With the exception of the only two agencies http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Rwanda/Province-du-Sud/Gikongoro/blog-290212.html Why is it that few people mention how physically challenging it is to view the gorillas as vertical climbs precarious precipices incredibly dense foliage and stinging nettles by the hundreds all awaited our intrepid party. A crisp morning saw people of varying nationalities assemble for our briefing at the Tourism Office in Kinigi a small village nestled amongst some beautiful mountain scener http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Rwanda/Province-du-Nord/Parc-National-des-Volcans/blog-284466.html The Simien Mountains one of the most beautiful ranges in Africa and the destination for a journey beset with unwelcome surprises. Planning for this hike began in the town of Gonder where I was besieged with offers of packaged tours to the mountains touts should always be viewed with great suspicion. They provided me with dubious prices for scouts mules handlers and cooks and asserted th http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ethiopia/Amhara-Region/Simien-Mountains/blog-282464.html After an uncomfortable number of travelling issues throughout Europe I was glad to return briefly to Dubai where a fabulous evening awaited that certainly improved my mood. Though I enjoyed the party I attended filled with socialising expats it did not fully assuage my weariness from the rollercoaster of misfortune I rode in Europe. The party lasted to the early hours after which I headed t http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ethiopia/Amhara-Region/Bahir-Dar/blog-277961.html Who would think that travelling in Europe would present so many challenges after my extensive travel through Asia Africa and the Middle East All commenced well enough 8211 my arrival within the incredible Barajas airport in Madrid was a positive augur as my experiences within the city continued to impress. The city8217s architecture was striking 8211 exquisite old buildings with black http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/District-of-Madrid/Madrid/blog-277894.html 8220A church made of bone8221 I exclaimed. 8220Yes and tastefully done too8221 came Ralph8217s reply. The bus taking both of us from the city of Palmyra in Syria continued to rumble along the dusty desert highway as visions of a bone church unfurled in my mind. I again questioned 8220Human bone8221 and the answer though expected was still a surprising 8220Yes http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Portugal/Alentejo/-vora/blog-271110.html On the surface the Gulf States are a wealthy land populated by modestly dressed men and women who follow the precepts of Islam and devoutly adhere to the Koran. However underneath this veneer there writhes debauchery of a most surprising kind. The initial foray into the Gulf States was Kuwait which might just have the worldrsquos most inefficient visaonarrival system. You would surmise http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Bahrain/Manama/blog-270980.html