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Category: Africa » (Page 6 of 8)

The Turtle Expedition: Mongolia

2018.12.17 /

Mongolia!! The name of this landlocked Asian country has a magical ring to it. We could not think of Mongolia without our minds drifting on the image of the legendary Genghis Khan. Born in the 1160s, he spent his early life assembling a dedicated army of nomads from the immense grasslands of the Gobi, at 500,000 square miles, the fifth largest desert in the world. His fierce warriors were relentless. They could ride day and night, making a slice in their horses’ neck to drink the blood. By 1279 Mongols had gained full control of all of China, undeterred by the Great Wall. See how well walls work?

Read more of Gary and Monica Wescott’s overland adventures through Mongolia in October 2014

Mongolia # 1 – Land of Genghis Khan

Mongolia # 2 – Heading west on the Main Highway

Mongolia # 3 – Heading west to Olgii

Mongolia #4 – Olgii’s Golden Eagle Festival – Day 1

Mongolia #5 – Olgii’s Golden Eagle Festival – Day 2

Mongolia #6 -Monika’s Birthday in Olgii

Mongolia #7 – Visas and Suspension

Why You Must Travel the Silk Road in Your Lifetime

2018.10.04 /

History is full of long and legendary highways but none – frankly – come close to the Silk Road. It’s not just the magnitude (at least 4,000 miles, in more than 40 countries) but the mythic potency of the project. The world was cleft into east and west in the Middle Ages.

But long before, the Silk Road – which has existed in one form or another since the fourth century BC – breached any such divide. While trade was its raison d’être – Chinese silk, of course, but also salt, sugar, spices, ivory, jade, fur and other luxury goods – the road forged deep social, cultural and religious links between disparate peoples.

And

The Silk Road was not a road, but a network. The central caravan tract followed the Great Wall, climbed the Pamir Mountains into Afghanistan, and crossed to the Levant. Along the way were spurs branching off to river ports, caravanserai, oases, markets and pilgrimage centres. Journeys demanded meticulous preparation: the Silk Road and its tributaries cut through some of the harshest, highest, wildest places on Earth.

Read More at The Telegraph (paywall)… 

 

UNWTO report confirms another record year for tourism, for most

2018.09.21 /

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s 2018 Tourism Highlights, the total number of international tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) grew 7 percent from 2016 to 2017.

International tourist arrivals reached a total of 1.323 billion in 2017, some 84 million more than the previous year and a new record. The sector has now seen uninterrupted growth in arrivals for eight straight years.

2017 was the eighth consecutive year of above- average growth in international tourism following the 2009 global economic crisis. The growth in the travel and tourism industry has been fuelled by the global economic upswing, resulting in strong outbound demand.

By region, Europe and Africa saw bigger than average growth of 8 and 9 percent, respectively. By subregion, North Africa and Southern and Mediterranean Europe saw the greatest increases in 2017, reflecting strong demand for destinations along the Mediterranean.

When looking at sheer numbers, Europe continues to lead with almost half of the world’s total international arrivals, at 671 million. Europe was also home to six of the ten most visited countries in 2017, with France remaining in the lead.

Spain overtook the USA for second place as international tourism to the USA was down almost 4%.  Continue reading

Lebanese woman jailed in Egypt over offensive video

2018.09.18 /

An Egyptian court has sentenced Mona el-Mazbouh, a Lebanese woman, to eight years in prison over insulting Egyptians in a video she posted online.

She was charged with “deliberately broadcasting false rumours which aim to undermine society and attack religions.”

The sentence comes after she posted a 10-minute video in which she used profanities to describe her holiday in Cairo where she says she was sexually harassed.

She calls Egyptians the “dirtiest people” and Egypt “the country of pimps … of beggars.”

El-Mazbouh later posted an apology video, saying “I definitely didn’t mean to offend all Egyptians.”

The video was made and posted while she was traveling in Egypt and she was arrested in May prior to leaving Cairo.

Read more at news.co.au, Euronews

 

The world’s safest countries to visit

2018.06.27 /

The Gallop organization, a research firm based in the USA, asked citizens of 142 countries about their confidence in local policing, feelings of safety while walking alone and personal experiences of crime.

Gallup interviewed more than 148,000 people for the 2018 report. Gallup’s rankings are based on residents’ own sense of security.

1. Singapore

2. (tied) Finland, Iceland, and Norway

5. (tied) Hong Kong and Uzbekistan

7. (tied) Canada and Switzerland

9. Indonesia

10. (tied) Denmark, Slovenia, Luxembourg, Austria, China, Netherlands, Egypt

More at CNN

Watch: Flashes of the Altai

2018.06.19 /

Three friends set out for the far western corner of Mongolia to combine mountain biking and packrafting adventure. The goal was to traverse the Mongolian Altai over 12 days. The only inhabitants of the region are Kazakh nomads.

Safari Botswana

2018.05.25 /

From the Okavango to Chobe to the Kalahari, Botswana is home to some of the best wildlife in the world. This is a quick glimpse into what you may encounter while visiting this beautiful country.

Shot and edited by Tyler Fairbank.

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Please tread lightly, pack out your trash, and treat every person and location with respect.

Please do not bury waste or wipes – even those that are biodegradable. Always pack out bags, sanitary wipes, and feminine hygiene products to minimize impact on the environment and the spread of disease.

If you find any errors, have any tips, or see anything that might need improving, please let me know.

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