Middle East
Messages: 29,665 - Threads: 4,130
May 18, 2013 12:09 PM
Chaosvortex
last reply
May 18, 2013 12:09 PM
Chaosvortex
0 replies
63 views
Iran in late August-early september
Hello everyone!
I am planning to travel to Iran at the end of August and early september this year. I am currently working on how much to budget. I am planning to spend about a month in Iran.
I carry a mexican passport so the Iranian visa for us is a piece of cake.
I plan to couchsurf mostly and taking public transportation. I have done a bit of research but I find its always better to ask closer to departure date for more accurate information :)
I know budget questions almost always annoying and hard to answer so I will give you more info about how i like to travel: I couchsurf as much as I can, take public transportation and have a couple of decent meals. Most of the time I eat at local places with the occasional splurge. I know alcohol is banned in iran so that will definitely help my budget.
Apart from that, do you think Iran will be excruciatingly hot?
I am a female an...
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May 18, 2013 11:13 AM
walidhaji
last reply
May 18, 2013 11:16 AM
walidhaji
0 replies
68 views
location:
United Arab Emirates
Activities in Dubai ?
Hello,
I'm going to stay in Dubai this summer and I wanted to know where is the best place to go for activities such as jet skiing, quad biking in the desert , etc .
I'm not sure if the hotel I'm staying in should help with such things or if its something I got to do on my own.
Thanks,
Walid
Edited by: walidhaji
May 18, 2013 10:07 AM
saltire
last reply
May 18, 2013 10:29 PM
mbgg
4 replies
160 views
location:
Israel
Distance between Qumran turn off and site
Hi, sorry if this has been covered before but can anybody advise the distance between the point the Egged bus from Jerusalem stops (Qumran turn off) and the Qumran site.
Thanks
May 18, 2013 6:26 AM
cleopetra
last reply
May 18, 2013 6:26 AM
cleopetra
0 replies
85 views
location:
Jordan
My Experience with the U.S Embassy in Amman - Jordan
I went last Wednesday to the US Embassy in Amman to apply for a visa to visit the US in August (3 months in advance) but the person who was on the desk told me I was not qualified for a visa! I had previously been told that I needed to provide evidence that I would return to Jordan and I had such papers with me but she wouldn't even look at them!!! All she did was ask me a couple of questions before telling me I wasn't qualified! It seems like this might just be a way to charge people 113 JD each time they apply for the visa, without giving them a legitimate opportunity to obtain one. They must be kidding! I wanted to share this with you and hear your feedback; I wonder if you have had similar experiences, or perhaps this is just an isolated case? Thank you in advance for any feedback .
May 18, 2013 3:33 AM
andreaduque
last reply
May 18, 2013 3:33 AM
andreaduque
0 replies
90 views
location:
Jordan
Driver in Jordan
When my partner and I went to Jordan we had little time to prepare and organise the trip so we decided to get a driver to be able to enjoy more our short visit in the country and to make sure we could cover as much as possible. Also to see places beyond what it´s written on the travel guides and to learn about the country and the Jordan culture.
We read some good references about Omran Brkawi on the web, so we contacted him and he helped us organise our tour within a couple of days.
To our surprise, the service he provided was beyond our expectations. Omran was incredibly professional and genuinely a good person. Always on time and making sure everything was alright with us at all times. He speaks English perfectly too which was essential for us.
He has a network of drivers and they made our visit a really incredible experience. To the point that we came back home thinking that h...
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May 17, 2013 11:36 PM
SSSLAS
last reply
May 21, 2013 12:02 PM
reiselustig
4 replies
191 views
location:
Iran
Can one legally bring a GPS device into Iran?
This was a question posed by a friend.
Thank-you
May 17, 2013 12:03 PM
heidebimbam
last reply
May 19, 2013 12:38 AM
mbgg
3 replies
146 views
location:
Israel
Bus Tel Aviv to Eilat and cross the boarder to Jordan - timetable?
Hello, I arrive at midnight at Tel Aviv international airport and I would like to go by bus maybe at the same day to Eilat. Do you know where I find a timetable for busses and if there are night busses or when the first bus will leave?
May 17, 2013 8:42 AM
gecko13
last reply
May 19, 2013 12:54 PM
gecko13
5 replies
253 views
location:
Iran
Looking for invitation letter from someone in Teheran
Hi folks,
we are currently in Istanbul and have a problem getting a visa for Iran without reference number. However, this number is difficult to obtain at the moment. We are two Germans and want to cross into Iran beginning of June and we are travelling by motorbike. One visa we have already.
Is there anyone from Teheran who could write an invitation letter for us and bring this letter to MFA in Tehran? We would send you a passport copy by email and with that done we could get our visa easily here.
Your help would really be appreciated !
You can contact me here or through www.asiabike.de (this blog is in German language).
Cheers,
Bernie
May 16, 2013 7:51 PM
safaga
last reply
May 16, 2013 7:51 PM
safaga
0 replies
72 views
location:
Yemen
socotra 10 days in october
Hello, I am planning to go to Socotra next october I will like to make a "group" to split cost, if some one is interesting please send me an email. Thanks
May 16, 2013 6:50 AM
natarajane
last reply
May 16, 2013 8:25 AM
anillos_de_satu...
1 replies
109 views
Whether Dubai transit Visa required?
Can someone guide me, if a transit visa is required at Dubai airport for the stopover?
Arrival in Dubai Terminal 3 by Emirates from Mumbai, travel to US destination by Delta Airlines from Terminal 1. (I understand that transfer from Terminal 3 to Terminal 1 is possible inside the airport and takes 20-30 min). Further, airlines being different, baggage collection from terminal 3 (Emirates) and baggage check in at Terminal 1 (Delta) will be required. Stop over is less than four hours at Dubai, Indian Passport holder, ticket through online travel agency.
Please respond.Thanks
May 16, 2013 4:38 AM
shokolad
last reply
May 23, 2013 8:26 AM
dmitlat
6 replies
393 views
location:
Iran
ATTENTION: LP Iran edition 2012 - awful guidebook
First of all, I would like to mention that all prices are wrong - hotel rates, taxi, buses, entrance tickets, etc. On the one hand it's not the fault of the writers & editors as dollar went up in Iran, so now the rate is 35,000 rials per 1USD (instead of 14,000 rials per 1USD when the book was published). Meanwhile local prices are still approximately the same in local currency, that's why accommodation & taxi are usually 35-60% cheaper in dollars in comparison with what you can find in the guidebook. For example I took a taxi from Kashan to Esfahan with a stop both in Abyaneh and Natanz for 35USD (instead of 80USD mentioned in the book). Ok, editors couldn’t predict the exchange rates. But I indeed can't understand why almost all working hours of sightseeing don't correspond to real working hours, why some metro stations mentioned in the guidebook as functioning don't exist at all... more »
possible quick summer trip to Cairo/Egypt
Greetings.
I am a fairly well-traveled person...have been to China 3x and India 2x in the past few years. I am planning on taking a big trip to India around Christmas time, but could squeeze in a 6-10 day trip in the summer, and I am thinking of Egypt, and Cairo in particular.
My main interest is photography and street scenes and architecture and markets. I am assuming Cairo would fit this well, right? I have a few specific questions. I have not done much specific research yet, so I apologize if these are pretty basic:
1. Cairo is suitable for lots of good street photograpy right? In other words, there is lots to shoot around Islamic Cairo and Old Cairo, right?
2. I dont have a strong desire to see the pyramids, but should I? To give you a reference, when I went to India for the 1st time, I didnt have a strong desire to see the Taj, but liked it.
3. How many days ...
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May 15, 2013 9:32 AM
swesch
last reply
May 15, 2013 9:32 AM
swesch
0 replies
85 views
location:
Oman
A little update about Bahla Fort and Al Hoota Caves
Hey everybody,
As most of you know Bahla Fort is now re-open since the last quarter of 2012, after 25 years of renovation. It is now open only on Fridays (08:00-11:00 or 11:30) and on Saturdays (08:00-16:00). It is a truly fantastic fort, well worth a visit. But, it is crammed with small bats.
Al Hoota Caves is closed untill further notice. The reason is a little bit unclear, for maintenance and/or a dispute between the company who manage the caves and the Ministry of Tourism.
The fort in Rustaq is still (May) closed for renovation untill further notice, according to guide books it should have been ready in 2012.
May 15, 2013 5:58 AM
NightFallTech
last reply
May 19, 2013 11:36 AM
davetheguide
12 replies
383 views
location:
Israel
Israel Questions - Allanby bridge, Jerusalem, Masada
I'm travelling from Madaba in Jordan to Israel on a saturday next month after the end of a 7 day tour of Jordan. I'm planning to travel overland over the Allenby bridge, I've heard very mixed things about that!
I'm a 34 year old Kiwi guy travelling on a budget (hostels, backpack etc)
I'm staying at Abraham hostel in Jerusalem.
Looking for advice on the allenby crossing, especially considering it will be a saturday... A bit nervous about my luggage/passport being taken by somebody else in the confusion i hear about... is this a real risk? If i head off early (7am) from Madaba to the bridge will i still be fine for a saturday crossing?
Also wondering about getting to Masada from Jerusalem... should i take an organised tour here, or is it easy enough to get there by myself?, other places i'm considering are Jericho & Bethlehem.. maybe a trip to Hebron?
Nightlife in jerusalem...
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Renting Car in Iran
I am planning to go to Iran in June. I wonder if anyone has real experience renting a car in Iran. Europecar seems the only choice as far as I find out .
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