Monthly Archives: November 2015

Oman – November 25 – December 4 2015 Travel Tips. 1. Accommodation is extremely expensive. There are no hostels and all accommodation is in hotels. The cheapest are about US$70/night (and there aren’t many of these places). Try to not … Continue reading →

HISTORY Early History. As far back as 5000 BC, southern Oman was the center of the lucrative frankincense trade trading for spices with India and carried by caravan across all of Arabia. Procured from the aromatic sap of the frankincense … Continue reading →

HISTORY Early History. The earliest significant settlements in the UAE date back to the Bronze Age. In the 3rd millennium BC, a culture known as Umm Al Nar arose near modern Abu Dhabi. Its influence extended well into the interior … Continue reading →

It is hard for most people in Western countries, where church and state are rigorously separated, to understand that for Muslims, there’s little distinction between politics, culture and religion: each flows seamlessly through the other. Recognizing the religious integrity of … Continue reading →

UAE – November 18-27, December 4-5, 8-14, 2015 For most people, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) means just one place: Dubai, the sci-fi-esque city of iconic skyscrapers, palm-shaped islands, city-sized malls, indoor ski slopes and beach resorts. But beyond the … Continue reading →

For centuries, the great civilizations of East and West were connected by the Silk Road, a fragile network of shifting intercontinental trade routes that threaded across Asia’s highest mountains and bleakest deserts. The heartland of this trade was Central Asia, … Continue reading →

HISTORY Early History. 40,000BC – Neanderthal man remains found in cave near Samarkand. 3,500BC – Botai Culture of N Kazakhstan domesticated horses and horse-based nomadism becomes the dominant steppe culture. Cultural continuity begins in the late 3rd millennium BC, with … Continue reading →

Confidence tricks – alongside small bags going missing – are perhaps the biggest annoyance and danger to any traveller. These type of tricks are a mainly urban phenomenon. ‘Do you remember me?’, ‘My daughter goes to university in your home … Continue reading →

Uzbekistan Nov 5-17 2015 This is Central Asia’s cradle of culture for more than 2 millennia, the home of an arsenal of architecture and ancient cities, all deeply infused with the bloody, fascinating history of the Silk Road. In terms … Continue reading →

TIPS & OBSERVATIONS 1. Currency. Denominated Turkmen Manat (DTM). 1€ = 4.1 DTM This is a black market money country – the official rate is 1$US = 3.5 DTM. The black market rate is $1 = 18 DTM. As a … Continue reading →