Messages: 77,007 - Threads: 14,273
posted
12-Jun-2008 16:43
by:
Irene_Adler »
last reply
09-Jan-2009 07:18
by:
Irene_Adler »
0
replies
,
5,276
views
Welcome to the Middle East branch!
Welcome to the Thorn Tree's Middle East branch.
We hope you find plenty of useful information about this exciting part of the world here. It is highly recommended that new users check out the Middle East FAQ thread before posting a new thread as you may find many of the answers you seek there. It also contains helpful information about how to search the forum and post your questions, and obsolete information was deleted as recently as January 2009!
Keeping it travel-related:
We want to remind you that this forum is a place for travellers and travel enthusiasts to share tips, information, and their experiences about the Middle East. Though we understand and respect that many of our posters have strong political beliefs, we ask that you debate these in a more appropriate environment, like a political ...
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posted
24-Jan-2004 05:32
by:
Apollo »
last reply
15-Oct-2009 17:19
by:
a1 »
46
replies
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89,968
views
The countries covered by this FAQ are: Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel & the Palestinian Territories, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.
Please read this thread first if this is your first visit to the Middle East. There is some travel information about the Middle East in Lonely Planet's Destination pages.
If you don't find the information you are looking for in the FAQs, please start a new thread outside the FAQ thread - don't add your question to this thread. Read the tips below before you start your thread. Anyone who has information they believe needs to be in the FAQ section, please feel free to add your tips and info. We will go through and delete obsolete content when we can. Thanks!
*Tips for getti...
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posted
13-Jul-2009 19:18
by:
amiriniran »
last reply
30-Nov-2009 20:51
by:
amiriniran »
436
replies
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33,409
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location: Iran
Hi.
I am trying to figure out what the 'real story' is with Iran visa especially VOA these days. It seems like there are now much fewer tourist visas being granted by Iranian embassies than before June 20, 2009 (when govt. crackdown on protesters began), while for all practical purposes VOA (airport visa) has 'ceased to exist' as well. So, if you got visa since July 1, please tell us your nationality, where you got visa, how long it took you, and what travel agency (if any) did you contact. For VOA however, please just indicate your nationality and the questions the 'Airport Immigration' asked you before stamping your passport or deporting you! And if you have also extended your visa quite recently since late June, please bring us up-to-date too. Thank you. Amir.
Edited by: amiriniran
posted
02-Dec-2009 11:30
by:
vanessaaa »
last reply
02-Dec-2009 11:30
by:
vanessaaa »
0
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2
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location: Syria
Hello!
Here's another visa question..sorry sorry!! hehe
This will be my second visit to Syria this coming december. In 2008, I applied in my country, canada, for a multiple entries visa. This time i'll be in Turkey for the holidays and just thougt of going to Syria a few days to see some friends. Anyone has an experience with the border south of Gaziantep for the visa at the border? Will I wait few hours? I'm a solo female traveler and don't want to be turned away at the border! I speak a little arabic and a friend of mine will wait for me at the other side of the border!
thanks for answering!
vanes
posted
02-Dec-2009 09:56
by:
macapura »
last reply
02-Dec-2009 09:56
by:
macapura »
0
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6
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location: Iran
I applied for an Iranian visa at the embassy in Warsaw and my application was refused. Don't know what the reasons were. Does anybody know whether it makes sense to make a new application, this time through a travel agency? Any opinions about iranianvisa.com? Or about any other agency?
Thanks.
posted
02-Dec-2009 06:21
by:
mathilda »
last reply
02-Dec-2009 07:03
by:
mcco_artin »
1
replies
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18
views
location: Iran
i wonder did germany support saddam in the 80-88 iran-iraq war?
you're going to tell me to google. i did but i am shite at it and am getting all contradictory answers.
france officially sold flighter jets to him,
i think switzerland and the netherlands had individuals involved in selling poison gas, but how about their states?
posted
02-Dec-2009 05:56
by:
qwer1234 »
last reply
02-Dec-2009 05:56
by:
qwer1234 »
0
replies
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16
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location: Iraq
Is it possible to enter the Iraqi Kurdistan with my own car from Turkey? I am a Spanish citizen. My car is also Spanish. Know very basic Turkish. Although I think that they won't like my 'language skills' in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Do I need some kind of special permission to cross the Turkish and Iraqi border?
Do you know, if it is possible to buy insurance for Iraq when crossing the border? Do I need a Carnet de Passage?
When I tell my friends about my future travel plans they say that I am mad. I am getting used to it, exactly the same thing than before driving to Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. :)
posted
02-Dec-2009 04:53
by:
mathilda »
last reply
02-Dec-2009 04:53
by:
mathilda »
0
replies
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7
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location: Iraq
A while back I heard from someone who had travelled to Baghdad in the 90's that a part of the guided tour of a museum was a glass case which contained a machine gun with which, apparently, Saddam Hussein had killed Qassim.
Now I read that this is impossible, since Qassem was executed right back in '63, when Saddam Hussein was 23 years old and not yet in a position of power (as head of the secret service in he got into a powerful position in 68 under his relative Al-Bakr but only became prime minister in 79...).
What I wonder is -did the person I spoke to make up this glass-cased machine gun or was there such a thing, it is just that Saddam Hussein killed someone else with it?
posted
01-Dec-2009 21:08
by:
MTL »
last reply
02-Dec-2009 05:45
by:
MTL »
3
replies
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58
views
location: Saudi Arabia
silly question perhaps, but are movies by Steven Spielberg available in Saudi Arabia? Is his Jewish background causing a problem for him or other artists of Jewish heritage (whether they are religious or not)?
I know KSA doesn't recognize Israel but i was wondering if there were problems with individuals of Jewish background
thanks
MTL
posted
01-Dec-2009 05:31
by:
simeus »
last reply
02-Dec-2009 11:02
by:
2bibbie »
7
replies
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80
views
location: Jordan
Does anyone have any experience with Jordan's embassy in the States? More specifically, how quickly they will send your passport back once you send it in for a visa. Thanks.
posted
01-Dec-2009 05:29
by:
simeus »
last reply
01-Dec-2009 19:02
by:
chriskean1 »
1
replies
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40
views
location: Syria
Does anyone have any experience with Syria's embassy in the States? More specifically, how quickly they will send your passport back once you send it in for a visa. Thanks.
posted
01-Dec-2009 05:04
by:
skyelrpax »
last reply
01-Dec-2009 05:04
by:
skyelrpax »
0
replies
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29
views
location: Iran
Hey there all
I've been trying to look into studying farsi at the university of isfahan, but their site isn't working has anyone ran into this problem at all? I try to open up the page and nothing happens, it just says there is an error on the page after a couple of minutes. Can anyone help please?
posted
01-Dec-2009 01:33
by:
aswadpower »
last reply
01-Dec-2009 01:33
by:
aswadpower »
0
replies
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32
views
location: United Arab Emirates
In September 2009, I had bad experience in Abu Dhabi Marine Yacht Club: I wanted to send a letter of complaint to the club but can not find anything on the internet. The only thing I have seen on net was Abu Dhabi Tourism Police which has a complaint section.
I hope LP members give me an avenue or information on sending a letter of complaint to Abu Dhabi Marine?
posted
30-Nov-2009 23:01
by:
broomo »
last reply
01-Dec-2009 03:28
by:
marcopoloo »
2
replies
,
42
views
Hello!
I am a 29 year old Englishman on a solo around the world cycling expedition to promote cricket in every country I go through (www.cyclingtotheashes.com). The expedition has been covered extensively by the media in over 30 countries, and so far I have played and met cricketers in every country I have cycled through - the highlights being games in a state school in Budapest and in the old fortress in Belgrade.
I am working closely with a film company, Cafe Film, who are helping me get a documentary off the ground. We will have a cameraman in Syria and Jordan. Are there any cricketers out there (or even just cricket enthusiasts), however good or bad, who will be in Syria / Jordan in January and who would like to get involved....? So far the project has been fun and inspiring, and I'm hoping Istanbul will be so too...Maybe you're a local who has never heard of this strange s...
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posted
30-Nov-2009 19:45
by:
Raki_Man »
last reply
01-Dec-2009 09:17
by:
vaniacroccia »
3
replies
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123
views
location: United Arab Emirates
Will we be all ruined by the long overdue economic collapse of that sandpit known as Dubai?
posted
30-Nov-2009 12:28
by:
simeus »
last reply
01-Dec-2009 15:26
by:
simeus »
5
replies
,
119
views
location: Syria
I really appreciate all the great ideas I have received from everyone in regards to my trip to Syria and Jordan. I have a few more questions that I'm hoping for help with.
1) I read in a guide book that you the hostels in Hama organize day trips. I was wondering if one of these trips would include both Krak des Chevaliars and a couple dead cities in the same day?
2) Is it possible to head to the border with Jordan from Bosra without having double back to Damascus?
3) Would a driver be able to take us across the border in Jordan and drive us to a couple sites in Jordan? How much should we expect to pay for a driver for a day or more?
Thanks again for all the help.
posted
30-Nov-2009 11:29
by:
kansastraveler »
last reply
30-Nov-2009 18:20
by:
amiriniran »
1
replies
,
75
views
location: Iran
I would like to travel to Iran to visit distant family members. Can one of them be my sponsor? Which forms would I need? My plans are to fly to France and continue to Iran. Is this possible?
posted
30-Nov-2009 05:53
by:
badgerfrommadtown »
last reply
01-Dec-2009 14:06
by:
badgerfrommadtown »
8
replies
,
171
views
location: Syria
Hi there,
I will travel to Syria (and Lebanon) next month - around Xmas/New Year. I hope you guys can help with this question:
I recently read a travel blog stating that some American banks may have problems/hidden regulations with Americans using ATM or credit cards in Syria, despite traveling to Syria is OK by the US government. That blogger stated that after using his CC in Syria, all his accounts with that bank were blocked without a clear explanation, causing lots of issues for him. After a lengthy fighting, finally he was able to use his accounts again. So he recommended people (Americans) of using cash or other means when traveling to Syria. Is that true?
I was looking for Damascus hostels/budget hotels on the web, and found that several backpackers sites such as Hostelworld and others either do not have Syria on their list, or say that they cannot book Hotels in Syria...
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Middle East: Destination information
At the African, Asian and European crossroads, each Middle Eastern building, monument and natural setting is imbued with a history holding significance for someone: the spot where Cleopatra bathed; th...more »
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