Travel

“Not all those who wander are lost.” J.R.R. Tolkien

 Susie of Arabia

Finding Nemo in the Kingdom: Red Sea Wonder

Finding Nemo in the Kingdom: Red Sea Wonder

SUSIE OF ARABIA: Did I have the stamina for snorkelling in the Red Sea? Yes and it was so worth the trip.

 sarah walton

The Magic and Majesty of Petra at Night

The Magic and Majesty of Petra at Night

THE HEDONISTA: Forget the tackiness of Petra by day, just appreciate its true wonder by candlelight

 The View From Fez

Minister’s Gaffe ‘A Blow’ To Moroccan Tourism

Minister’s Gaffe ‘A Blow’ To Moroccan Tourism

THE VIEW FROM FEZ: It’s just the sort of remark that Moroccan tourism could have done without. Will Mustafa Ramid learn?

 thehedonista

Armchair Travels: Gourmet France en Dubai

Armchair Travels: Gourmet France en Dubai

THE HEDONISTA: Each bite holds the adventure, terroir, culture, simple pleasure, even that tick on the bucket list others can only find in grander things.

 Shelina Zahra Janmohamed

The Beach Holiday: Finally, I’m A Convert

The Beach Holiday: Finally, I’m A Convert

SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: I’ve never seen the point of sitting, doing nothing on a beach. Now I do.

 sarah walton

‘What I’ll Miss About Islam’: A Dubai Expat’s View

‘What I’ll Miss About Islam’: A Dubai Expat’s View

THE HEDONISTA: When the day inevitably arrives and I wave goodbye to the Middle East I’ll miss many aspects of life here.

 Kim Willis

Interview: A Guide to Visiting the Real Palestine

Interview: A Guide to Visiting the Real Palestine

KIM WILLIS: Through the tours visitors see the reality of life in the West Bank and Israel, uncoloured by any ‘perspective’; they can make up their own minds about the issues.

 thehedonista

A Silent Grandeur: Wafi, Dubai’s Forgotten Mall

A Silent Grandeur: Wafi, Dubai’s Forgotten Mall

THE HEDONISTA: Shop assistants mimic the foyer’s statues. A janitor sweeps the floor. It is already clean. He buffs it. But it is already polished.

 Kim Willis

How Safe Is It To Travel as a Woman in Morocco?

How Safe Is It To Travel as a Woman in Morocco?

KJ, THE VIEW FROM FEZ: It’s a fascinating place but as a woman you may be worried travelling alone.What precautions should you take?

 Steve Royston

Jerusalem Postcard: Tears, Trinkets, Traffic

Jerusalem Postcard: Tears, Trinkets, Traffic

STEVE ROYSTON: “When we enter Jerusalem, you will be surrounded by people who will try to take your money. I know these people…”

 James Mullan

News Analysis: New Age ‘Attack’ on Pyramids

News Analysis: New Age ‘Attack’ on Pyramids

As if Egypt doesn’t have enough problems at the moment its most famous tourist attraction has been the focus of a bizarre online campaign.

 Steve Royston

Istanbul Postcard: Still Arguing After 18 Centuries

Istanbul Postcard: Still Arguing After 18 Centuries

STEVE ROYSTON: Spiritually, today’s Istanbulus are not so different from their Byzantine predecessors – they still delight in debate and intrigue.

 Susan Al Shahri

Enchanting Mirbat: A Paradise to be Lost

Enchanting Mirbat: A Paradise to be Lost

SUSAN AL SHAHRI: The little known Mirbat is home to some of the most beautiful unspoiled white-sand beaches in Oman, while its bays are home to an incredible variety of marine life…

 Layla

Time for Re-Think on Tourism in Saudi Arabia?

Time for Re-Think on Tourism in Saudi Arabia?

LAYLAH: You’ve got to really want to go, be willing to put up with a lot of red tape and meet strict entry criteria before being allowed entry to the Kingdom. Is it time for a re-think?

 Brit in Beirut

Driving in Beirut: The ‘Rules’ of the Road

Driving in Beirut: The ‘Rules’ of the Road

BRIT IN BEIRUT: Indicator lights are for the weak. Do not expect your fellow drivers to use them. If they do, it’s done to lull you into a false sense of security…

 Mich Cafe

Pigeon Rocks: Re-Discovering the Beauty of Beirut

Pigeon Rocks: Re-Discovering the Beauty of Beirut

MICH CAFE: Many places were out of bounds during the Civil War so it came as an enormous pleasure to wander freely during my recent trip.

 thehedonista

Summer to Snow, Ridiculous to The Sublime

Summer to Snow, Ridiculous to The Sublime

SARAH WALTON: “Us from Dubai are only occasional snow dwellers, and so I enter the fields in pink borrowed gear that results in the nickname “marshmallowzilla”…

 Alexander McNabb

Beautiful Shemlan and the ‘British Spy School’

Beautiful Shemlan and the ‘British Spy School’

ALEXANDER MCNABB: Looking out over Beirut from Shemlan never fails to take my breath away.

 Mich Cafe

Beirut: Stone Figures Come to Life, Spark Debate

Beirut: Stone Figures Come to Life, Spark Debate

MICHE CAFE: I love these huge figures. They make you stop, think… And the idea of public works of art, open for all to see and appreciate, or disparage – is brilliant.

 The View From Fez

Morocco: Tourists Knocking at the Kasbah

Morocco: Tourists Knocking at the Kasbah

THE VIEW FROM FEZ: If you can stay in a rajah’s palace in Rajasthan, then why not a kasbah in Morocco? The answer is they are mostly falling into disrepair…