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 – my arrival within the incredible Barajas airport in Madrid was a positive augur as my experiences within the city continued to impress. The city’s architecture was striking – exquisite old buildings with black iron railings loomed over paved streets lined with cafes. Small touches, such as street signs made of porcelain tiles, and the audible pedestrian crossing ‘walk’ signals (that sounded more like birds than an electronic beep) all added to the sense of elegance. Madrid exuded a vibrancy and energy in the evenings – for though the streets were quite empty around seven at night, within a couple of hours, the cafés and restaurants filled with Spaniards ... read more

On the surface, the Gulf States are a wealthy land populated by modestly dressed men and women who follow conservative values. 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 world’s most inefficient visa-on-arrival system. You would surmise that with the enormous money made from oil, that some funds would have been invested to ensure an efficient airport - but alas no. The situation did not improve upon finally entering the country, for it was totally charmless - especially when compared to the warmth and vibrancy of Syria. Furthermore, the expatriate population I spoke to - mainly Indians and Filipinos - were the unhappiest lot of foreign workers I have ever encountered. Their constant complaint was of employers ... read more

Within the troubled history of the Middle East, the Golan Heights hold a particularly inauspicious name. Fought over in both 1967 and 1973 between Israel and Syria, this piece of land was finally placed under UN control with the Syrian and Israeli forces staring sternly at each other from across the minefield laden no-man's land. Quneitra was the area’s regional capital, housing 37,000 residents, but during the dispute, Israel evacuated the population and rampantly destroyed the town. Today the UN De-Militarized Zone (DMZ) is controlled by Japanese, Indian, Austrian and Polish forces. The previous day to this journey, I was fortunate to meet an adventurous Japanese solo traveller called Reiko. We met each other in the bustle of the Umayyad Mosque, and after watching her interact with the local people who were charmed by her almost ... read more

From the moment I stepped into Beirut International Airport, I knew that Lebanon was going to be a very different travel destination. Armed military and police scoured the arrivals hall and I had to pass three passport checks in order to enter the country - and on each occasion every page of my passport was checked twice - once forwards and once backwards. The immediate impression of Beirut is the perpetual state of traffic gridlock, but away from families and friends strolling the Mediterranean-flanked Corniche, and the buzz of students congregated around the cheap eateries outside the American University of Beirut, the other distinct impression is of a city infested with multitudes of checkpoints prowling with heavily-armed soldiers. Fortified military outposts housed all degree of armoured personal carriers, anti-aircraft guns and other hardware, whilst choppers would ... read more

"I want a vibrating bed!" exclaimed my travel companion, Fi. "No, let's get a fluorescent room, something more tacky", came my reply. Our voices broke the still evening air, where in the widened alleys adjacent to the neon glitz of the Shibuyu shopping precinct, lies a place affectionally known as “Love Hotel Hill”, where a plethora of accommodation awaits every type of tryst. The lateness of the hour and the weight of the backpacks curtailed most of the discussion, but the decisive factor was that the phrase "Vibrating Bed" did not appear in my phrasebook. Since photographs of rooms needed no translation, it decided us in favour of my much desired fluorescent room - but only if Fi was allowed her choice of fluorescent decor - a fair compromise. We now began our search of the ... read more