It’s not just the city’s location that’s split between Europe and Asia; everything is a mix between east and west. You might wake up to the singing of the prayer call but for every one Mosque you pass you’ll no doubt pass half a dozen Starbucks or Mc Donald’s. There are still quite a few women in veils but the younger generation seem to have their eyes firmly set on west. It’s quite funny talking to people who’ve been travelling in Europe; arriving in Istanbul they actually think they’re in the Middle East! Most of the accommodation is in the Sultanmet area where all the city’s major attractions are located: Haghai Sophia, The Blue Mosque & Tokapi palace. It’s understandably touristy and you definitely pay a premium at the restaurants etc but it can’t be beaten ... read more

Take me to the beach! Time for a holiday from my holiday. I chose Fethiye as a base for exploring the area because it has about the best transport connections. It is right by the sea but there unfortunately there’s no beach, just a marina! It seemed quite touristy when I arrived but compared to some of the towns in the region it’s an unspoilt paradise You pass through some ridiculous towns on the minibus from Feithye to Olundeniz, basically the Costa del Turkey: complete with English pubs, English Breakfasts, Fish & Chips and even prices in sterling (reminded me of holidays as a kid!). Oludeniz is pretty touristy as well but the fantastic beach and blue lagoon more than make up for it. There were dozens of boat turns running from Fethiye, most visiting 12 ... read more

I think I spent more money crossing the Syrian border than I did the entire time I was in Syria. I wandered into the duty free out of curiosity and was shocked to see they sold iPods and accepted MasterCard. So basically I'll be eating rice and drinking tap water for the foreseeable future, but I won't have to listen to anymore God damn Arabic music on buses. Pretty long journey to Kahta and the border crossing was ridiculously slow. Everyone (our car included) was trying to smuggle in cheap Syrian cigarettes so the Turkish customs officers searched literally every car. Then after a few bus changes made it to Kahta, the main base for visiting Mount Nemrut. It's immediately obviously Turkey is a more developed country than Syria. With that comes much higher prices! The ... read more

Hama is most well known for the massacre that took place there in the 80s. It’s the single most violent act an Arab government has taken against its own people. At the time there was a growing movement to turn Syria into an Islamic state. The movement’s supporters captured government buildings in the town. In response the government shelled the town, killing up to 40,000 people and completely destroying the old town. Faced with this it’s hardly surprising there’s no appetite for political change in Syria. The town’s main attraction now is the many water wheels. The water wheels were built to scoop up water then drop it into aqueducts where it could be transferred to nearby fields. They’re actually pretty impressive and the town’s a great place to chill out, with lots of parks by ... read more

Beirut is about 4 hours away from Damascus but it may as well be on another planet. There are expensive cars, western chain stores and banks everywhere. The downtown area has been completely rebuilt and it’s like any city in Europe complete with the standard clothes shops, Starbucks & Mc Donald’s. There are still plenty of reminders of the city’s tumultuous history: visible bullet holes in some of the buildings and the massive bullet ridden Holiday Inn dominates the skyline in part of the city. As well as this walking around the city during Friday prayers there was literally a soldier every metre around the mosque. Not to mention tanks in other areas. Other than the war Beirut is probably best known for its nightlife. The bars are centred around the Gemmayzeh area where we went ... read more