Like I said, I mostly camped in villages or in the compounds of people's houses. Once you make that kind of contact with people, you feel like you're under their protection. I have only very rarely felt unsafe in an African village. Certainly not because of being in an open tent.
I felt a little more wary when wild camping, but was always discrete enough to not be disturbed.
URL: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bigdxn3g4EZ/?taken-by=travelswbaggage
Destination: Wadi Rum, Jordan
Context: There are many commercial camps to bed down beside the Bedouin in Wadi Rum, but I was fortunate enough to stay with the family of Abel Yousef. After a rip roaring drive through the desert, we stopped to watch the sunset. The clouds were in the way, so no lovely sky colours, but seeing the light play upon the sand was magical. The highlight was making an impromptu fire for a spot of tea. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so completely relaxed.
Is it tough to drive around the city and parking as well? Anything to take note?
Yes it is tough, and there really isn't any need for a car. In some ways the buses, trams, metro, and other trains are inconvenient, crowded, and whatever - but I still think public transport wins out over a private car ... in almost every respect.
On public transport be wary of pickpockets - carry very little of value (hardly any cash, one card each, certainly no passports), and have a light money-belt under your shirt each.
Here is one suggested menu for Rome:
01 Jun - Stroll around Rome, including Pantheon and Trevi Fountain
02 Jun - Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and Roman Forum
03 Jun - Tivoli (Villa D'Este and Hadrian's Villa) - check open Mondays!
04 Jun - Vatican Museums and St Peter's Basilica and Square
05 Jun - Ostia Antica (great Roman ruins near the airport)
06 Jun - Travel by train | bus to Positano (Pompeii on the way?)
07 Jun - Amalfi Coast
08 Jun - Amalfi Coast
And we loved dining in Trastevere every night - it really is good fun. Buy tickets for all ticketed places in advance. Go as early as possible to each of them. Travel really light - it will be very warm.
I have only bypassed the Wadi Mujib, so cant really comment on it. Personally, I really enjoyed staying in a resort on the Dead Sea for two nights (but one night, as you would do it, is also great). Even though I am not a big "spa person", the Dead Sea is quite unique in terms of scenery and landscape and really beautiful. And it is certainly a great feeling to float in the water there, and to put mud on your body and bake in the sun with it on before rising it off. I am not sure how much it actually does, but it certainly felt really healthy doing so ;-)-
I did the Jerusalem Trail in a day, roughly 4 years ago. It took me about 9 hours which means I rushed and did not stop for sightseeing a lot. I have been in Jerusalem a lot and knew much of the sights along the trail from other occasions. So I just wanted to have the full trail under my belt. Back then, offical map, official GPS track and official markers did not match in quite a few places. Don't know if things improved in the meantime.
I did the Haifa (Urban) Trail as an inauguration hike/run six years ago. The video used to be on the trail's website. In the meantime I am not in shape and health for a repetition, so I don't know how things are these days.
I also tried the Haifa Wadis Trail which is even less published but which is now broken in several places due to construction etc. Even then, we never finished it in a non-stop mode, but 5-15k stretches should be fine.
PADI certification on Utila Bay Islands Honduras, is $300 including dorm lodging. Getting there is not easy, most include a visit to Copan Ruins in Honduras, via Guatemala City. Allow 1 week for visiting the Bay islands/Diving when all said and done.
Take your PADI course online prior, then classroom time on vacation reduced and easier.
You might want read a recent trip report on San Blas Islands, its not cheap and not very easy to reach. I have not been though. Read the thread with a recent visitor reporting thier trip.
I would skip Panama, and take in the nature/wildlife & National Parks of Costa Rica, as that is what it has to offer that is best, besides great surfing and beaches on two coast.
Yes get a guidebook...
Get some Spanish immersion/basics under your belt with two months, and a lot of transport/transit, will make life easier and trip more fun...
Not sure how having your baggage checked-in all the way to Hanoi will prevent you from leaving the airport in Moscow with a transit visa. If you don't have to get your baggage in Moscow and then check-in it to Hanoi you will save a lot of time and you don't really need to return to the airport 2-3 hours before the flight departs. There are a lot of passport control desks in Terminal D in Sheremetyevo Airport so getting back to the gate should be quick. Taking Aeroexpress to Moscow and back is probably the safest option, it's easy to walk to the Aeroexpress station from Terminal D. Takes about 50 minutes to get to the city now (used to be 35 minutes until recently).
I flew with Aeroflot from Moscow to Hanoi just last week, the flight departed 40 minutes later than scheduled because after the boarding was completed the crew spent a lot of time trying to fit all the carry-on baggage of all the Vietnamese people travelling with this flight. I sat next to a lovely Vietnamese lady who ended up sleeping on my shoulder and putting her elbows right in my seat. She spoke no English and ignored all my attempts to get some space. On the other hand, unable to sleep, I enjoyed magical views of Tibet mountains in the moonlight from my window :) And another thing: when we arrived to Hanoi we spent 40 minutes waiting for our baggage (the belt was filled with boxes of the Vietnamese passangers). Eventually we found our baggage on another belt (other passangers had the same problem).
It's a first time for us to this part of the world and I feel 2 weeks wouldn't do New Zealand justice so I'd love to keep that for another time.
This is wise, and I almost said exactly the same thing.
I've been to those places (but American Samoa, not Western Samoa), and frankly, I was left feeling rather let down. Firstly, they are poor, so the infrastructure is very limited, and secondly we weren't that impressed by the beaches and the foreshore, to be honest. And everything feels expensive, or based on foreign aid.
Sure - they have expensive resorts, but so do Byron Bay, the Gold Coast, or Noosa Heads. Or for a true coral cay south of the tropical wet season belt, have a few nights on Lady Elliot Island - it's very good. And there is good hiking everywhere in Australia - both coastal walks and mountain ones - nice in summer - especially in Tasmania.
Your €800 fare is good.
Hi there! Your advice has been very helpfull. I tried to make a sample itinerary! Feel free to give your opinion!
April 12: Brussels - Ben Gurion (late evening flight)
April 13: Tel Aviv
April 14: Tel - Aviv - Mitzpe Ramon
April 15: Hike in the desert near MR
April 16: MR --> Petra
April 17: Petra
April 18: Petra (Hiking)
April 19: Petra --> Wadi Rum (leave in the early morning)
April 20: Wadi Rum --> Back to Israel (If possible Jerusalem)
April 21 - April 27: Jerusalem(2 Full days) + West Bank (Probabely including Wadi Qelt hike)
So a few more questions:
Thanks!!!!
Not the latest, actually very old, but fun to read a similar version...
Had the same done in 94 in a Peru bus station... Kid came twice!! I too said that's not my. Money and checked my belt to see if open... My arm was resting on my pack at 0600 in the morning..
Realized something was amiss but pack already gone.. Saw it 40 meters away on somebody's shoulder.. The gimmick in Peru is they have an old vw bug parked on the street with no motor in the rear.. This is where they stash the loot!!
Got my stuff, saw the VW open, hit the robber, and got outta town.
Funny back in the station when the little old lady who watched it all said..... You need to be very careful here in Peru!!
Peru was known For its thievery back then, not sure now. If you looked around, you'd see everyone with bags double and tripple looped around a body part!!