Features

Into Iraq – A Traveler’s Journal – Part 2

Another day in Kirkuk. I go out in the morning to speak to people about their reactions to Saddam’s first television appearance since his dental exam. While watching the broadcast, there was no sense of celebration, but a silence that was hard to interpret. Saddam-era television was rife with controlled propaganda, using his image repeated…

Into Iraq – A Traveler’s Journal

June 27th 2004 I arrive at Attaturk International Airport in Istanbul. This is the fourth time I’ve flown into Attaturk from New York, but I’ve never seen such a high level of security, which is due to the NATO Summit being held here. TV monitors show mass demonstrations on the streets of Istanbul, protesting President…

India and Pakistan: An afternoon at the circus

Cross late in the afternoon from Pakistan into India through the Wagah border point, complete immigration and customs formalities, walk a further couple of hundred metres down the road and you’ll find crowds of people, predominantly Indians, assembled outside a large closed gate. They are not touts awaiting tourists leaving Pakistan; you’ll find them a…

Essaouira New Year

“Ourghh, God”. It was December 31, 1999 and after a month of touring through Morocco I had finally fallen victim to the curse of the third world. For me the catalyst was a chicken kebab roll. That was three days ago. I moaned, clutching my stomach and rolled over to the least painful position. My…

Nigeria: Life Down on the Delta

A Little Overview The Niger Delta… The mention of this wild land conjures up images of destitute, lawless millions; massive industrial complexes and lush green areas that can easily conceal both oil spills and bodies. Why is this Africa’s answer to South Louisiana, USA? Now, for an individual with a truly ambitious exploratory nature, this…

The Bus Toilet Incident

During my travels have I come to accept the fact that the unexpected and unimaginable, can and will happen. But still, some things I just don’t count on. I was travelling by bus from the north of Thailand to Bangkok. We had just left a rest stop when my stomach started to move. In a…