The Irresponsible Traveller
First-hand destination reports, news and editorial
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Distant Guns
Down the lane, after a week off-limits the track around Kirkharle’s lake has reopened following ‘baring off the sward’. It’s a process that sounds intriguingly pagan, certainly a phrase to file away, but it involves a few dozen sheep nibbling till narcotised on grass they’d normally only dream of – if they dream at all.
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Not in Our Name – Innocence Lost in Arabia
I must admit to feeling thoroughly depressed at the violence accompanying protests across Libya, Egypt and Yemen. Watching video previously posted by murdered Ambassador Chris Stevens describing his enduring relationship with the Arab world only serves to emphasise the nihilistic aspect of his death. Certainly the US lacks the moral high ground in the Middle
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Class Struggle
Good Afternoon, A few weeks ago I was at Newcastle Airport, sitting at the gate ready to board a Jet2 flight to Heraklion, surveying the wealth of tattoos, false eyelashes and celebrity hairstyles, and suddenly feeling all of my 46 years. Unlike most other low-costs Jet2 should be congratulated for assigning seats during check-in in
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Bulgaria – Land of the Lev
Until recently Bulgaria was pushing hard to embrace all aspects of the European Union, including adoption of the common currency, the Euro. That was then. The Euro zone crisis has forced a reassessment. As with many former Eastern Block states the post Communist honeymoon has long been overtaken by the harsh daily reality of free
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Driving to Aleppo
In November 2011 as part of the Petra Challenge I drove from Newcastle to Jordan, crossing from Turkey into Syria and staying in Aleppo. Later, continuing onwards via Beirut and Damascus to Amman. Driving a British car across Syria’s land border is at the best of times potentially problematic. In the middle of a period
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Benghazi by Bus
Last month I travelled to Benghazi, the de facto capital of ‘Free Libya’, in a manner that would make Simon Calder proud. Over two days, a succession of coaches, buses, minibuses, share taxis and otherwise incentivised hotel porters helped me cover the 791 miles (according to the RAC’s trip planner…) from Cairo to Benghazi. En
The Irresponsible Traveller 