middle east

[nootje]

Starting friday im off with a friend to do some backpacking in the middle east. Starting in Tel aviv we're planning to go to Jerusalem, Haifa, Nazareth, jerash, ammam, the dead sea, Aqaba, sharm el sheik, hurghada, luxor and cairo... I guess that paints a rough path we're going to follow.

I know that backpacking isnt exactly the way of travelling that a sartorial person would undertake but since we cant afford our own train of carriers its the best way to see as much as we can in three weeks.

My question is, are there any must see sites that ive missed in the above and is there stuff that we really should'nt leave home without in that region?

 

[RyJ Maduro]

Originally Posted by nootje

My question is, are there any must see sites that ive missed in the above and is there stuff that we really should'nt leave home without in that region?

Kalashnikov.

 

[West24]

nothing you shouldnt leave home with in israel. not really sure about the others. if you can try to go to acco. its just north of haifa. if you go to the old part, its a fortress surrounded by walls where napoleon tried to take over and was fought off. its very interesting. anything else you need to know you can pm, also talk to globetrotter, he would know more.

 

[zupermaus]

Do check out Islamic Cairo, the worlds greatest surviving medieval city. Its one of the poorest parts of Cairo, but also the safest urban area in the world apparently, so don't be put off (Cairo as a whole has stupidly low crime rates). However do be aware of tourist touts, especially people on camels - don't even take a picture.

 

[nootje]

acco and islamic cairo noted, thanks!

 

[Walter]

Originally Posted by nootje

acco and islamic cairo noted, thanks!

If you are that close, you should not miss Lebanon. Great country, with its mix of communities, good food and sites like Baalbek.

 

[lithium180]

Originally Posted by Walter

If you are that close, you should not miss Lebanon. Great country, with its mix of communities, good food and sites like Baalbek.

Pretty tough to get to Lebanon without going through Syria (or possibly Cyprus?) first. And impossible to get there from Israel as far as I know. All of my friends who've backpacked through the former two have gone to Syria first.



As someone said above, I don't think there's much from the Western world that you can't get once you're in Israel and Jordan.

Have a great time!

 

[West24]

i dont think its a good idea to go to lebanon or syria with an israeli stamp on your passport.

 

[dopey]

Originally Posted by West24

i dont think its a good idea to go to lebanon or syria with an israeli stamp on your passport.

That is ridiculous. It is not like High School where if you sit next to one person at lunch, the other guys won't let you sit with them.

 

[globetrotter]

let me try to do this briefly-

J'lem - see the old city, church of holy sepecure, dome of rock, western wall, walk around the walls. yad vashem - must do. rockerfeller museum. eat at stakiat hazot on agripas, and go to the open fod market on agripas.

tel aviv - go to the sicillian ice cream place on ibn gvirol, go to the beach, hit some clubs, what ever is in now.

haifa - go to akko and see the old city, the bahai garden is pretty spectacular. I would go, from haifa, and see the ruins at armigedon (miggido) and possibly bet shan.


I would go to the dead sea, possibly see masada, while you are in J'lem.

you can cross into Jordan by bet shan


jarash is fanstastic, Amman isn't that spectacular, but it is a nice city. I would recomend eating at Reem resteraunt, and having a few water pipes in the outdoor cafes, prefereably in shmesani


don't miss petra, seriously, I would skip amman, aqaba and jarahs before I would miss petra


aqaba is ok, nothing that special, though


in sharm el sheikh, spend at least one evening in the "city center" - not so big, but pretty wild. if you are into russian hookers, you may find it a nice place to be. I had a technical training there last year, and all of the students were running out every night to the brothels in town.

Cairo - obviously the pyramids and the Egypt museum. if you want a little cheap luxury, stay at the shepard hotel in Cairo. I would suggest that you plan a full day at the museum, and a full day at the pyramids. take a guide for the museum, it is worth it. have dinner on a boat on the nile.

 

[lithium180]

Originally Posted by dopey

That is ridiculous. It is not like High School where if you sit next to one person at lunch, the other guys won't let you sit with them.

Actually it is. If you get an Israeli stamp on your passport there is no way you are getting in to Syria or Lebanon.

A good place to search for common backpacking questions with up to date answers is the Thorn Tree message board:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/index.jspa

 

[West24]

Originally Posted by dopey

That is ridiculous. It is not like High School where if you sit next to one person at lunch, the other guys won't let you sit with them.

thats pretty naive of you to think.

 

[nootje]

thanks globetrotter! , ill make sure to post some pics when I get back

 

[West24]

theres a nice reseraunt/hookah bar on the beach in tel aviv.

 

[Walter]

Originally Posted by lithium180

Actually it is. If you get an Israeli stamp on your passport there is no way you are getting in to Syria or Lebanon.

A good place to search for common backpacking questions with up to date answers is the Thorn Tree message board:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/index.jspa
When you go to Israel and you plan to go somewhere else in the region, ask them to put their stamp on a separate page. They will. I would not want an Israeli stamp in my passport anyway. (too much hassle if you then want to go to arab ountries)