Asia Truly...a different world. Kazakhstan, Japan, and everything in between. Mekong River, Central Asia deserts, sticky rice, ancient traditions, temples, tuk-tuk... |
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07-12-2007, 04:40 AM
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#21
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Hiked the Inca Trail
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Columbus, OH USA
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Great photos Adam! That is some amazing stuff. (Love Spotty the dog )
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"Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you." ~ Aldous Huxley
Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer (an ad in the Smithsonian)
Travel is the enemy of bigotry.
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07-12-2007, 02:41 PM
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#22
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Members
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Loving your updates and pics. Sounds like a fun trip.
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07-14-2007, 11:09 PM
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#23
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**Wacktose Intolerant**
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Currently back in Canada... Saving and plotting my next adventure!
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Wow, what an amazing trip so far! I've never really been that interested in the middle east, but I have to admit. You definitely have my interest peaked!!!
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07-16-2007, 06:22 AM
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#24
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TPunk Recognized
Join Date: May 2005
Location: London, England
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Well Esfahan really is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and for the first time in Iran I've been staying in the same hotel as some other tourists, so it's been nice to discuss our experiences.
Despite this being a fairly touristy city (as far as touristy goes in Iran), the locals are still just as friendly, if not more so. Walking down by the river at night where locals have picnics and drink tea is a fantastic experience as I just keep getting invited to sit with them, share food and talk. I was also invited to an English class at a local educational institute yesterday and spent a couple of hours talking to a class full of people, answering their questions about life in England and hearing about their life in Iran, which was an incredible experience.
The landscape and architecture here is just amazing, which you will hopefully be able to see from my photos soon. I've uploaded some from North-Western Iran but it will take a bit longer until I can upload the Tehran and Esfahan pics. The heat is becoming draining though, walking around during the day just soakes my clothes in sweat which isn't particularly pleasant, and I'm going to Shiraz tonight though which is another 8 hours south, so we'll see how it goes there.
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Where I've been: Albania, Australia, Belguim, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Jordan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Morocco, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovenia, Somaliland, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Transnistria, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Ukraine, Uruguay Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Vietnam, Yemen
Where I'm going: Cyprus (June 2013)
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07-18-2007, 08:15 AM
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#25
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TPunk Recognized
Join Date: May 2005
Location: London, England
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Went to Persepolis today! Mike, you would absolutely love this place. I'm not a huge history buff but I found these ruins just incredible. I also had the biggest compliment I could possibly receive today, an Iranian (the most friendly people I have ever met) said I was very friendly :D.
So I spent the morning at Persepolis and then started talking to some locals who were going to another ruin further up the road. They invited me to eat with them (we had a huge picnic) and then they drove me to Naqsh-e Rostam, which is a site where 4 tombs have been built into a cliff housing 4 kings. I then had to hitchhike back (the people I went there with were going straight to Esfahan and I needed to get back to Shiraz) and got picked up by a couple of guys who stopped to buy me dinner on the way home! Completely unexpected and they wouldn't take any money from me for the meal or the lift (it's customary to give a small tip to anyway who picks you up here).
Tomorrow night I'm off to Yazd, then will take an 18 hour bus through the desert to Mashad, and then on the 26th I'll be the first T-Punk in Turkmenistan!
It seems both Internet Cafes in Shiraz refuse to let me upload any pictures .
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Where I've been: Albania, Australia, Belguim, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Jordan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Morocco, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovenia, Somaliland, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Transnistria, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Ukraine, Uruguay Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Vietnam, Yemen
Where I'm going: Cyprus (June 2013)
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07-19-2007, 02:40 AM
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#26
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TPunk Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Columbus, Ohio USA
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Wow...Pesepolis! That's the number one Persian ruin I wanted to see. That's amazing, too, how friendly everyone is. Of course, if you were to tell an ordinary American on the street you were going to hitchhike around Iran, they'd all assume you'd be abducted and killed.
Keep the updates coming, Adam! This is great...
worldwidemike
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Check out my travel web page at:
Worldwidemike.com
"Life is not measured in the number of breaths we take, but by the places that take our breath away..."
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07-19-2007, 07:50 AM
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#27
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french touch
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Québec
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Quote:
Originally Posted by worldwidemike
Keep the updates coming, Adam! This is great...
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I agree, it's captivating !
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people are people
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08-26-2007, 11:26 PM
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#28
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TPunk Recognized
Join Date: May 2005
Location: London, England
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Hey guys, sorry for the lack of updates but the Internet in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan was practically unusable and now I'm in Kyrgyzstan but am very ill and actually trying to get back home as the medical care here is laughable, they've just made me worse. Don't worry though, I'm OK! I'll update you all when I know more, and of course will complete the travelogue, I've had an epic time .
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Where I've been: Albania, Australia, Belguim, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Jordan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Morocco, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovenia, Somaliland, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Transnistria, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Ukraine, Uruguay Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Vietnam, Yemen
Where I'm going: Cyprus (June 2013)
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08-27-2007, 06:05 AM
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#29
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french touch
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Québec
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Sorry to hear that you're not feeling well, and that your trip may be shorten, but I'm sooooo glad to hear from you. I was starting to worry a lot... Take care of yourself .
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people are people
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08-27-2007, 08:57 AM
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#30
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TPunk Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Columbus, Ohio USA
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Take care of yourself, Adam. Good luck getting home...and recovering. Can't wait to read the full report!
worldwidemike
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Check out my travel web page at:
Worldwidemike.com
"Life is not measured in the number of breaths we take, but by the places that take our breath away..."
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08-27-2007, 10:17 AM
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#31
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Minister of Offense
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: San Fran Disco
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Have you bumped into Borat yet?
High fiiiiiive!
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08-27-2007, 11:51 AM
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#32
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Artist of Life
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Ottawa, Canada aka O-town
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Hope you get better buddy.... best of luck getting home.
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Vincent: "So what you gonna do?"
Jules: "Well, basically, I'm just gonna walk the earth."
Vincent: "What you mean 'walk the earth'?"
Jules: "You know, like Kane in 'Kung Fu'...go places...meet people...get in adventures."
Trips (only counting recreational travel):
FIRST TRIP (2005): FIRST EUROTRIP EVER! UK, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Holland
SECOND TRIP (2007): First Solo Trip! Greece, Turkey, Syria, Spain
2008: China (Beijing, Shanghai, Yangshuo) ...right before the Olympics!
2009: Japan & HK, Southern Spain
[size=1]2010: All over Lebanon, Ibiza (Spain), Oktoberfest (Germany), Thailand.
2011: India (Goa), Jordan, Jerusalem, San Sebastian (Spain), Amsterdam (again), London, Driving from Vancouver to L.A. (stopping in Portland, Seattle, San Fran and all the little stops), Montpellier (France), Geneva and Lausanne (Switzerland)
"Bite off more than you can chew, then chew it."
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08-27-2007, 01:33 PM
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#33
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Long Beach, California
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I think I met you in Cappadocia at Kose pension. What a small world! Hope you start felling better. Sandy
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08-28-2007, 10:28 PM
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#34
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TPunk Recognized
Join Date: May 2005
Location: London, England
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Haha, you did indeed! How are you? That town in Eastern Turkey was rubbish, nothing there at all, I stayed for all of 5 minutes before getting the bus to Dogubayazit.
My insurance company have agreed to fly me home either tomorrow in economy or on saturday in business class. As much as I'd love to fly business, I really need to get home as quickly as possible.
__________________
Where I've been: Albania, Australia, Belguim, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Jordan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Morocco, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovenia, Somaliland, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Transnistria, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Ukraine, Uruguay Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Vietnam, Yemen
Where I'm going: Cyprus (June 2013)
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08-29-2007, 09:07 AM
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#35
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TPunk Emeritus
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Leigh On Sea, Essex
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God whats wrong with you? Hope you get home safely!
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I have two skins, one to lie on and one to cover myself with; the earth and the sky. (Masai proverb)
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what goes around comes around
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08-31-2007, 11:16 AM
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#36
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TPunk Recognized
Join Date: May 2005
Location: London, England
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I'm now home! Got back yesterday afternoon after a 10 hour flight from Bishkek to London via T'bilisi and went straight to hospital. They did blood tests and took x-rays and concluded that I have Mononucleosis! So it's going to be a month of complete rest and hopefully I'll be recovered in time for University at the beginning of October.
I'm constantly very tired at the moment, but will upload the rest of the pictures and write a travelogue as soon as I can.
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Where I've been: Albania, Australia, Belguim, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Jordan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Morocco, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovenia, Somaliland, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Transnistria, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Ukraine, Uruguay Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Vietnam, Yemen
Where I'm going: Cyprus (June 2013)
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08-31-2007, 06:04 PM
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#37
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french touch
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Québec
Posts: 3,246
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Who's that lucky turkish girl who gave you this ?
Nah, just glad to see it's nothing "too serious". Rest well, and when your energy level gets better, tell us more about Central Asia.
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people are people
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09-03-2007, 09:09 AM
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#38
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TPunk Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Columbus, Ohio USA
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Get well, soon...looking forward to reading the report...!
worldwidemike
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Check out my travel web page at:
Worldwidemike.com
"Life is not measured in the number of breaths we take, but by the places that take our breath away..."
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09-09-2007, 11:40 AM
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#39
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always trippin'
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: The Island of Rhode
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Welcome home, and hope you make a quick recovery! Looking forward to photos and more stories!
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Check out my band!
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11-14-2007, 07:08 AM
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#40
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french touch
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Adam, I hope you don't mind : This is such a mine of informations that I've moved your thread out of the travel update forum into the Asia one, and copied the Middle East segment into a new thread : Middle East road reports.
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