Damscus 22/08/08

Sleeping in, Rami wakes me letting me know his brother has made brunch. Staggering out to his verandah, feeling slightly dodgy, a big stack of Syrian Pizza things is there to greet me. Superb!!!

Heading down to Rami's shop we sit for a quick chat before returning to his verandah for nagile and Olympics. I can't believe my eyes, an Australian, who Adel and I nicknamed Zoolander after the heats, is jumping for a medal in the pole vault. It's his last attempt at 1.90 with one other jumper to go. Holding my breath a big cheer erupts from my lungs as he hits the mat safely.

Very sporting I know but all my willpower suddenly goes into ensuring the Russian flops...

Flop, flop, flop...

The Russian flops!!! Brilliant :) Zoolander picks up Australia's first mens track and field gold in 60 years. Well overdue, bloody good effort Zoolander! Then just to top it off he goes and jumps 1.96 for an Olympic record. Champion!!!

After a good few hours lounging around Alaa shows up and we grab a taxi out to Adel's Australian and New Zealand party being held in the UN compound. With cheap drinks (not that I have to buy any as whenever anyone finds out what I'm doing their straight to the bar to shout me a beer), lot's of people and heaps of food its a wonderful night.

Midnight strikes and a friend, who a few days ago also invited me to a party tonight, calls to see what I'm doing. I was going to give it a miss but I might not get another chance to see her and having never been to Jetset I decide to check it out.

The event is a going away do for a Russian girl whom I've never met, and with Russians in abundance the atmosphere is great. After catching up with Rana I end up chatting with one of the Russian diplomats...

"So, Ben. What do you think about the situation in South Ossetia?"

"I'm actually with the Russians on this one. I quite like the idea of states being able to align themselves where they like..."

He smile and nods approvingly and I continue...

"Yes, just like Chechnya"

"Aaaaaaahhhhhh" He lets out an almighty roar as his fingers close around my throat. Luckily for me he sees the funny side and soon lets me go :) Drinking with Russians is never pretty and by the time I'm ready to go I'm plastered...

Catching a taxi back to Rami's he lets me know he's still ten minutes away. Spotting a small pick-up truck across the road I can't resist...

I wake to my phone ringing...

"Ben, where are you?"

Rami can't believe his eyes when my head pops up from the back of the truck. Luckily he finds it incredibly amusing and I can see why communities where alcohol is only consumed in moderation, if at all, must think all foreigners are completely mad :)

Rami's English teacher, also a Palestinian, has dropped in to visit. Soon enough he asks my opinion on Israel and not having learned my lesson from the Russians I happily give him a drunken version of my thoughts. He listens intently and seems more interested in just listening to my opinions rather than having a debate. Luckily for me in this state :)

Pilgrimage from Damascus (Rowda) to Damascus (Philistine Camp) 21/08/08

I seem to have a bit of a routine happening, wake up, do some typing, make a coffee, put on the olympics, sit on the couch :) A wonderful start to the day...

The difference today though is I'm walking again, only six or seven kilometers but still a move. Packing up all my gear and saying a big "thank you" to Fay I get to it. Stopping briefly at the internet cafe for breakfast it's pretty hot when I emerge onto the streets. Luckily not as hot as the last two days but still hot enough to make it unpleasant...

It's strange walking through a city I lived in for four months. The streets are all familiar but now being summer, are also different. I am impressed with the greenery around, in winter everything is dull and lifeless and I wasn't expecting much difference this time around. A pleasant surprise.

Walking past the Four Seasons, up to Hijaz station then due South towards Philistine camp it isn't long before the heat and the pollution start getting to me. Standing at a massive intersection gasping for air whilst getting smothered in diesel fumes it feels like my lungs are slowly filling with toxic mud. Thank God I only have another few kilometers to go... :)

The walk up Philistine Road is great. The people are all extremely welcoming and many kids come running out wanting their photo taken, even though this is still a suburb of Damascus it has the feel of a village.

Rami and Suphi are waiting when I arrive and couldn't look more pleased to see me, they are extremely happy I accepted their invite to stay out here a couple of nights. Alaa makes an appearance and we head to Suphi's house for lunch.

Over the winter I did a couple of lunches with Suphi's family and it's a always pleasure. Suphi's mum is an amazing cook and his dad, being very knowledgeable on international affairs, is always keen for a chat. I have to laugh at his summary of the Arab world today...

"Yes, the Arabs have a very good history...and a very bad present" :)

I have arranged to meet some friends at a bar so after a little rest Rami, Alaa, Suphi and I head into town. It turns out the taxi driver is one of Rami's relatives and he's a pretty entertaining guy...

"Ben, do you drink whisky?"

"Sometimes"

Reaching under his seat he turns with a big smile bearing his prize...a bottle of booze...

"Do you want a glass?"

Laughing "Yeah sure"

It just so happens he already has a glass full with ice on his dashboard. Rami takes care of filling it up...

"Enough, enough...you will kill me"

The driver turns "No problem, no problem"

Well, straight whisky isn't the way I normally like to start a night out but hey, what can I do... :)

Damascus is incredibly cheap for most things but a night out isn't one of them. The cheaper bars will charge $4 a beer while the higher end bars will charge $10. Coming from outside Syria this sounds reasonable but a good way of highlighting just how expensive it is here is comparing it to a meal. A cheap restaurant will charge $2.50 a meal with an expensive restaurant charging $10, basically one beer at a night club is the equivalent to one meal at a good restaurant!

There is one high end place that I want to check out though, Z Bar. Everyone said it wasn't worth going to during the winter because they don't open the roof, but luckily for me Wasseem and Farah have a reservation tonight and are happy to drag me along. We try to get some more people booked in but it's full :( Not to worry though, some other friends are having a house party so the boys are more than happy to socialize there...

Z Bar is amazing and I'm glad I made the effort. Perched atop the Omayad Hotel the view over Damascus is awesome and catching up with a lot of old friends it's a great night.

Talking to a cute young Korean student I decide to walk her home and passing a small park we stop for a chat. Glancing at the sky I'm amazed not a single star can be seen, just this slightly orange glowing fog :) Tai Hey has to get up early to go sightseeing so we say our farewells and I catch a taxi back to Rami's. He also had a late night and having just returned himself meets me when I pull up.

As we walk back to his house I have a moment of horror...

Where's my backpack with my camera and video camera???

This is the very reason I almost never take it out with me :( Thinking back I'm sure I had it until the park. Grabbing a cab Rami accompanies me and we and head back into town.

It's getting light by the time we reach the park but my confidence is still high, there is hardly a soul on the streets. Jumping out of the taxi I race across to where we were sitting, have a moment of panic when it's not under the seat, then success! It's lying on the ground to the right of me :) Breathing a big sigh of relief I jump back in the taxi and head home for bed...

Damascus 20/08/08

The heat ensures I'm not getting much of a sleep in, by 8am it must already be over thirty! Once again setting myself up on the couch, with the computer and the Olympics I don't end up moving till lunchtime.

One of the problems with Syrian internet is the government has blocked any site which might entertain, educate or in any way be useful to anyone (slightly exaggerated ;) ), including my blog! But I do know of one internet cafe which gives almost unrestricted access. Catching a taxi down tot he old city I'm disappointed to find the software they use doesn't work on my Mac :( but oh well, I'm only here for another few days...

I still end up spending a good couple of hours playing around before heading back to the apartment. Adel is an occupational therapist working here with UNRWA and I manage to convince her I need a massage ;) Absolutely divine! Thanks heaps :)

I have many friends I'd like to catch up with in Damascus but I'm being incredibly lazy. And also, for some reason I'm not in a very sociable mood. It's great to be able to just sit and relax for a few days...

After a fabulous Dahl dinner Adel crashes out leaving Fay and I sitting on the balcony discussing world affairs. Being a journalist for Syria Today, the major English language publication in the area, she is well informed making for an interesting sparring partner.

Catching up on some last minute writing it's time for bed. Tomorrow I'll be walking once again...

Damascus 19/08/08

Waking surprisingly early I'm straight on the computer. Adel has already left for work and I can hear Fay's alarm going off every ten minutes, maybe she needs some help... ;)

"Good morning. Do you want me to make you a coffee?"

"Aaaarggghhh. Yes please!"

Fay goes to work and heading down to a local cafe with wireless the morning is spent catching up on emails and watching the Olympics. Arriving home around noon I crash out again and don't reemerge into the world until 3pm.

I'd promised Rami I'd come and visit today so dragging myself off the couch I jump in a taxi and head to Philistine, one of the Palestinian camps on the outskirts of the city. Funnily enough, before reaching Damascus whenever I heard someone talking about "Palestinian camps" I imagined tents in the middle of the desert. I was very surprised to find the "camps" are actually thriving little towns :)

Rami owns a hairdressing salon and it isn't long before he has me bundled up for a haircut and a shave. Cheers mate :) Inviting me to his house for lunch we have a great feed of stuffed capsicums, soup, grapes and funny wonton things which are awesome. Lying on the couch smoking nagile, drinking tea and watching Argentina demolish Brazil in the soccer, it's a wonderful way to spend the afternoon.

Heading back the apartment Wasseem and Farah ring to take me to dinner. These two are awesome, two of my best friends from living here and picking me up we head down to the English pub in the Sherraton. Nice choice guys, cheers :)

After another great feed I have one more stop to make before calling it a night. A few more friends are meeting in the old city for a beer so after making my way down there and catching up on all the goss it's I'm ready for bed...

Pilgrimage from Dummar to Damascus (Rowda) 18/08/08

Excited knowing I'll be walking into Damascus today I'm up and about early. The problem is the store owners aren't and I'm starving...

I seem to have completely lost the highway, which isn't a bad thing, but it means I now have no idea where I am or where I will enter the city. I always imagined walking into Damascus through Mezze, but with the Mezze apartment buildings in view 8kms north it's not to be.

Taking a rest outside a military facility a police car pulls up behind me. The officer doesn't even say a word and just motions for me to follow. Without realizing I've set myself up on the lawn of a police station :) Entering a small office another officer is at his desk watching television...

"Here, take a seat"

I sit, waiting for the questions to start regarding why I'm sitting with two cameras on their front lawn across from a military facility, but both seemed captivated by the TV. It's then that I realize Noor is on and I know I'm safe. This Turkish soap is watched with religious zeal by men and woman alike throughout this part of the world. I don't know if this is just an urban rumor circulated within foreign circles but the word on the street is Noor shows three episodes a day which all run on from each other. I join them watching for ten minutes before politely taking my leave...

"Where are you from?"

"Australia"

"Welcome. Welcome"

There focus returns to the television and that's that :) Reaching a small river, which I never new existed, I a locate a small shop for a breakfast of chocolate and juice. This will give me the energy I need till Damascus...

A beautiful restaurant perched over the river appears before me and I can't resist stopping for a rest. The owner comes for a chat and I notice some backgammon boards on the counter...

"Can you play?"

"What, you can play backgammon?"

"Yes, do you want a game?"

Laughing "Okay, sure"

Unfortunately he doesn't know the game I play, rather another version I know the rules of but haven't much strategy. He obviously wasn't expecting that I could play anyway so he's not too disappointed when he beats me convincingly.

The walk up the river valley is wonderful and before long I make Al Umawiyeen square...

Aaaaaahhhh....Back in Damascus :)

Finding a cafe for lunch I sit and wait till 3pm, when Adel will arrive home. Adel and Fay are two wonderful young woman who are here in Damascus for the long haul. They rent an amazing apartment in Rowda and are kind enough to let me stay a couple of days...

Walking to their house Adel is waiting and it's great to catch up, neither of us can believe it's been five months since we last met! She is about to take a friend down to a juice bar, which I was meant to go to for the entire time I lived here and never managed to, and I happy to tag along.

Wasseem use to work a juice bar in England and bought the concept back here. His shop is amazing with literally hundreds of different juice cocktails to choose from. Divine!!!

Arriving back to the apartment Fay's home and we decide to do dinner, settling on Chinese it's a short taxi ride to Mezze. The meal is superb, enjoyed with a couple of glasses of wine and great conversation it's a perfect evening...

Pilgrimage from El Manara to Dummar 17/08/08

The orchard workers have been at it a while by the time I fully wake, checking my watch I'm surprised it's still only 7am. My hosts from last night reappear to wish me luck and I get straight into it.

My spirits are high knowing I will be back in Syria by lunchtime. Lebanon has been amazing to walk through, the people couldn't be more friendly or the nature more beautiful but there's always a slight unease in the air meaning I'm never fully relaxed. The heavily controlled environment in Syria is suddenly feeling very appealing ;)

A young guy stops and invites me for coffee. Even though his house is a little out of my way I can't resist, he is just too friendly :) The whole family is in his backyard when we arrive and they couldn't be more welcoming to this strange young man that's just been dragged in off the street. Getting a quick tour of the farm they let me know I'm welcome to stay anytime I'm back in the area. Cheers guys :)

The border is closer than I thought and before long I'm in no-mans land between the two countries. A huge line of trucks is banked up on the side of the road waiting to pass the Lebanese border and I don't even need to make Syria before I get my first invite for tea :) The truck drivers are well prepared with little picnics set up and it doesn't look like they are in any hurry...

"So, how long will you guys stay here?"

"One day, maybe two"

"One or two days!!!" I couldn't understand the reason why they wait so long but it's a bit bizarre, no wonder they look so well set up :)

Winding my way upwards the Syrian border finally comes into sight with a big "Welcome to Syria" sign perched on the ridge. Even though the immigration offices still aren't in sight a soldier walks out of the hills and stops me a meter into Syrian territory...

"What are you doing?"

"Walking to Damascus?"

He doesn't look happy and keeps asking a question I can't understand, I finally I realize he just wants to check that I receive a stamp from the Lebanese immigration. Finding the correct page in my passport leaves him with a big smile and he waves me through.

Another kilometer down the road I pass a military base. A young guy about eighteen spots me from the gate and rushes out to see what's going on. He's another one of these kid soldiers who gets incredibly freaked out by my presence, but I have to say I'm glad the Syrian's haven't seen fit to give this one a gun... :)

"Forbidden! Forbidden! What are you doing?"

"Walking to Damascus"

"No!!! It's forbidden! You can't! It's forbidden! Where is you passport?"

I get the feeling I'm going to be driven the last kilometer and start wishing I met this guy before walking up the hill ;) An older soldier comes out to see what the fuss is about and feeling uneasy about the look in the kids eye I give my passport to the him instead. He starts flicking through and both of us can't help laughing as the young guy continuously attempts to snatch it out of his hands. It is very comical but finally he succeeds and with his prize in his hands turns to me...

"Follow me!"

I have a moment of panic realizing the kid might be the officer, not good! Following him toward the entrance another officer appears causing my escort to snap to attention so fast the air cracks...

"This man is walking!!! He is from Australia!"

The officer takes my passport, gives my a quick look up and down, hands the document back to me without even glancing at it and dismisses me with a wave and a big smile. I do feel a bit sorry for the kid, who's still acting like a flagpole, that his prize catch is so easily released, giving him a friendly smile I turn and continue on...

Now that I've past the gate the soldiers in the hills must realize I'm not a threat to anyone and it's a bit surreal listening to them call out from around their posts...

"Welcome to Syria" "Hello" "Hello" "Welcome" "How are you" "Hello" "Welcome"

A small group leaves their positions and comes running down for a chat. They are intrigued with my story and wish me well. Before long I'm standing in front of the immigration officer waiting to be interrogated as he flicks through my passport...

"So, you are studying in Damascus are you?"

"Yes"

"Welcome"

A minute later I have a new visa and can't believe how fast he was. But this is a pattern I've noticed while traveling. If I come in and out of a country two or three times within a short period the questions become more and more serious, then suddenly after the fourth or fifth they don't care at all. I suppose they figure if I'm doing something wrong it was someone else's job to pick up on it ;)

The first thing I notice walking down the highway is a change in the hills, going from steep and rocky to...a different steep and rocky. Hard to explain in words but definitely a change ;) And the best news is it's almost all downhill to Damascus.

I wouldn't mind a hotel tonight so when a turnoff to Al Dimas appears I go to investigate. I get many strange looks walking through town but the people who do stop couldn't be more friendly. The first restaurant I pass sells mini pizza things so sitting on the footpath a have a snack. Some locals drop by bearing drinks and small snacks and when I go to leave they don't let me pay :)

Continuing on through town I decide to get a proper meal before leaving, I don't know what I'm likely to find elsewhere. I have the choice of roast chicken, chicken kebab, or roast chicken. I try to find someone to sell me half a chicken but no luck. A whole chicken or nothing...

"If you don't want a whole chicken wait ten minutes and the kebab will be ready"

The kebab hasn't even started cooking yet so I don't quite trust Hani's estimate...

"No, trust me! I know, I'm the shop owner. Ten minutes...one hundred percent"

Laughing "Okay, can I have a Pepsi while I wait?"

Finishing my drink fifteen minutes has past and the kebab still hasn't started cooking...

"Five minutes! Five minutes! It will be ready in five minutes I promise"

"Sorry mate, I'll keep going but thanks anyway..."

One thing that takes a lot of getting use to as a Western man in an Arab country is the colorful way friends greet and talk to each other. The amount of "My baby", "My sweetheart", "I miss you", "I love you" that is thrown around between friends is quite disturbing to the uninitiated. But sometimes I still get completely thrown...

"Ben, I love you. I love you"

"Thanks"

"Ben, you me friends, yes?"

"Yes, friends"

"I will miss you. I will miss you. Do you have a telephone number?"

"Yes, of course...here" We swap numbers...

"Okay, you will call me, yes? Call me just to say "Hani I love you"

"Okay, I will call..."

To this point the conversation may sound a bit extreme but I have to say from my experience it is "reasonably" normal. His next action completely stumps me though...

Grinning like a cheshire cat he traces a heart in the air "Hani Ben Looooooovvvvvve"

I'm speechless. Opening and closing my mouth a couple of times he's left me with absolutely nothing to say. With his grin still plastered from ear to ear I just smile, wave and disappear :) The problem is that this is not meant in any way other than friendship. Whenever I've pointed out to my Arabic friends that to a Westerner they sound extremely gay they are shocked, it doesn't even come into their reality. In Australia this same conversation would go something like...

"Hey mate, your alright. Here's my number, if your ever in the area again let me know, we'll go for a beer or something..."

Stopping for tea and a chat with a few fruit sellers along the way I'm pleasantly surprised when rounding a corner Damascus comes into view. It's still 20kms away but still, I must have covered good kilometers today.

Feeling pleased with myself I find a plantation of small trees to set my camp up for the night. It's been a while since I set camp in daylight...

Pilgrimage from Barouk to El Manara 16/08/08

Waking early knowing there are houses nearby I'm on the road by 7am. The temperature is perfect and the clean mountain air works quickly to clear my head. With a gorgeous view over the surrounding hills the morning couldn't be better and it isn't long before I reach the entrance to the national park.

There's not a sole to be seen and it's wonderful to have the whole place to myself. The climb is hard but after a couple of rest I finally make some good sized cedars :) I have to admit, coming from Australia I was expecting cedars as far as the eye could see but it's not the case. Patches of small cedar are common with larger ones scattered around. Yusouf told me last night there are some trees so wide a car would disappear behind them, so I keep my eyes peeled.

The tar road ends next to the biggest patch of trees so far, I take it this is one of the main tourist attractions. There are two paths heading into the tress but still no super sized cedars to be seen. After a quick investigation I decide to continue on until I reach the big ones :)

Two kilometers later I'm horrified when the national park finishes! I don't believe it!!! If there was some traffic I'd hitch back but it isn't to be :( The super size cedars will have to wait...

My other problem is I was expecting some tourist facilities up here and have already run out of water. The hills are completely empty which leaves me slightly concerned, especially as the roads aren't matching up to my map.

Clearing a ridge I'm pleased an army checkpoint comes into sight. I'm incredibly lucky they are here as not only do I get to fill up my water but left to my own devices I would have headed down the wrong side of the mountain :)

The really good news is I've reached the last ridge and am closer to my destination than I thought. From here it's all downhill. I can see Joub Jannine, where I want to stop for lunch but the road winds and winds and winds and after a couple of hours I still haven't reached the bottom.

Absolutely exhausted I stagger into a service station collapsing on their couch. I don't know why I'm so buggered but glancing at the clock I realize I've been walking 5½ hours with only small breaks. And I still have 5kms to go...

Pushing on I can't believe my luck when 500m down the road I come across Chateau Kefraya, a winery :) And not just a winery...a winery with a great looking restaurant attached. Perfect!!!

Getting a few funny looks as I find a table I figure they don't get too many backpackers walking in off the street. The menu looks great and isn't too expensive...

"Beef stroganoff, a salad and a glass of red please"

"Sorry, we don't serve wine by the glass"

"Hmmm, do you have half bottles?"

"Yes, of course. I recommend the rosé"

Okay, he's twisted my arm. Half a bottle it is ;) "Sounds great"

The meal is good but being mass produced for tour groups it's is a bit disappointing, the good news is though the wine is great. Figuring if they have one good wine they must have more it's time for the best part of any winery tour...the tasting :)

And I have to say that I'm impressed with the quality of their entire range, with the price to match. Since leaving Europe good wine has been hard to find but if this winery is anything to go by wine lovers won't be disappointed holidaying in Lebanon...

Feeling very pleased with myself I don't make it far before some kids come running out of a tent village wanting their photo taken. I'm happy to oblige and soon enough I've been invited in by the parents for tea. Having a quick chat I set off only to make 200m before again getting dragged in off the street :)

By the time it gets dark I'm in another little town attempting to locate a restaurant. The only place open is a sandwich shop and after eating such great food over the last week it seems rather fitting to spend what is likely my last meal in Lebanon eating a felafel role by candle light, as once again here is a blackout :)

Leaving the village a group of young kids, probably thirteen or fourteen stop for a chat. They are intrigued by my adventure and every time we say "good bye" they find another excuse to run back up the road to chat.

I can see the lights of a big village and figure this is likely to be where I'll locate the highway to Syria. Finding a small road heading in that direction I veer off...

"Ben! Ben! Where are you going?"

I wait for one of my little mates to catch up "This isn't my road?"

"No...The road to Syria is down there. Trust me, I've lived here my whole life. Go down this road until the big intersection then turn left"

"Okay, thanks"

"Good bye"

Luckily someone was looking out for me :) I head off on my new route but don't make it far before I yelling starts up behind me again...

"Ben! Ben!"

Waiting once more the same guy runs up accompanied by one of his friends...

"Here take this. For energy"

They hand me a pack of chips and a juice...champions!!! Thanks guys :)

The walk is pleasant but gets broken up by road blocks that have started appearing regularly. The soldiers really don't know what to make of me but after hearing my story they all think it's great. The best thing is there are no warnings from anyone as I leave, this does wonders for my confidence :)

Around 10pm I think I've hit the jackpot spotting what appears to be a hotel or public baths, just what I need! My joy is short lived though...it's a hospital :( A couple of the doctors are sitting around on the front stairs happy to chat, suddenly one of the points to the moon...

"Look at that!"

We all glance up and can't believe our luck to be witnessing an eclipse! Awesome!!!

The shadows slow progress is a bit too slow for my liking so I take my leave and continue walking, keeping one eye upwards to ensure I don't miss the climax. With only a thin section left to cover I spot an orchard which looks perfect for camping. A quick glance around ensures the coast is clear and I go to investigate.

Some movement catches my eye from an apartment building next door and I can see a man leaning over watching me. Better go explain...

"Is it okay if I camp in there?"

"Camping? No, but you can camp down there" He points to the orchard on the other side

"Cool, thanks"

I start to set up and the guy comes down to invite me to watch the eclipse at the picnic table round the back. We sit and chat waiting for the last little piece of the moon to disappear, but it never does :( Finally around 1am we call it a night and lying in my tent I can't help thinking what a perfect pilgrim's day I've just experienced...

Pilgrimage from Naame to Barouk 15/08/08

Urrrrgh! What a night...

Between the mosquitoes, the heat and jumping out of my skin at every little noise I'm not even certain I managed a minute of sleep. But finally the room starts to brighten and I know dawn isn't too far away. Packing up my gear I head to the highway ready to face the day...

Now, I'm not completely mad :) Like I was saying yesterday, I might be scared right now but the world hasn't changed...only the way I'm viewing it has. If I can continue to interact with the world the same way I have for the last eight months then I know the world will continue to treat me the same. But saying that, if i have any bad experiences today I'm straight back to Beirut ;)

And I'd like to take this opportunity to give you my view on fear. The way I see it, the universe gave humans the ability to feel and the ability to rationalize. We should use them both. Feelings give us an indication of the state of the world as experienced by our individual minds. They are the filters in which the world interacts with us and we interact with the world. Fear gives us a warning that something might not be right, we then have the opportunity to think rationally about the situation and then make a decision. I believe too many people react solely based on fear, forgetting to utilize their God given ability to rationalize...

A perfect example of this is SARS. When this disease first came into the headlines I was planning a trip to Asia with my girlfriend. Almost every day we were warned by friends and family not to go because of the dangers of this horrendous new disease. It was my girlfriends first major overseas trip so we went to visit a travel doctor before leaving. The appointment finishes...

"Do you know you are the first people I have had through here in a month that haven't asked me about SARS!"

"Why would I be worried about a disease that hasn't even killed 100 people when we are going to countries which have diseases that have killed millions?"

The doctor couldn't agree more and went on to explain he also tells people they have nothing to worry about. Funny, the experts say there is nothing to worry about and yet irrational fear leads thousands of people to cancel their holidays...

The road is quiet and the temperature is perfect for walking. All in all a great morning. A young guy is walking towards me on the same side of the road. Taking a deep breath I catch his eye, smile and nod...

"Good morning"

The warmth in his smile immediately reassures me and cheers me up immensely...

"Good morning"

I stop for breakfast and explain what I'm doing to the owner. He couldn't be more happy for me and with no "be careful" or "you can't do that it's dangerous up there" my confidence starts to return.

Turning East towards the Shouf my roads starts to ascend into the mountains. With my new found confidence my cameras reemerge from the pack and I'm once again walking with a bounce in my step.

My only problem is it's hot. Incredibly HOT! By the time I stop for brunch my shirt looks like I have worn it swimming. A couple of young guys come to chat, inviting me back to their house for tea. Unfortunately it's a bit out of the way so I have to decline, but thanks guys :)

Staggering into Deir El Qamar around 12:30 I'm pleased with my progress, it's always a great feeling to manage 20kms before lunch. This place use to be the capital of Lebanon and is a bit of a tourist hub. The town center is cute but the highlight for me is the huge plate of spaghetti I'm served for lunch. Awesome :)

Continuing into the mountains my progress becomes slower and slower while my breaks becoming more and more frequent...but I'm determined to make Barouk before calling it a day. Stopping at an internet cafe I'm pleased no end when I emerge to find I'm now in the clouds. Much better walking conditions :)

Night falls and finally around 21:00 Barouk comes into sight. Passing a restaurant the owner, Yusouf, invites me in for a drink and explains that the entrance to the National Park, where I'll find the cedars, is only 5-6kms away.

Finishing the day with a steep hill is never much fun but unless I want to camp in the middle of town I don't have much choice. Struggling to reach the edge of the village I find a perfect camp spot and call it a night...

Pilgrimage from Beirut (City Center) to Naame 14/08/08

Waking early, wanting to do some last minute things on the net I'm not too impressed there's a blackout. It seems to be a bit of a regular occurrence in these parts :( Packing my gear, I grab a taxi over to Max's for breakfast so I can check out his maps...and to see if he can convince me to take a slightly longer route to Damascus :)

"See, this honey is from the Shouf mountains. Delicious isn't it. You have to go!"

"Okay, where's your map. Give me a look..."

Heading to the lounge room Max spreads the map on the floor...

"The way you have planned to go is straight over here, but this is boring and highway the whole way. Now, you have hardly seen anything of Lebanon so you have to walk around Beirut along the coast here, past Pigeon Rock, then follow the coast to here. Then head into the mountains, through the Shouf valley and over to Syria here..."

I look closely and figure he is probably right, looks like a much more enjoyable walk. Even though it will add a day or two extra I will finally get to see some cedars!

"Okay, you've convinced me" :)

Saying a big "Thank you" for breakfast and his advice, I head off to find a taxi back to the hotel.

Last time I was in Beirut I discovered THE most disgusting public toilets on the face of the planet, located in the bus station right near my hotel. Now, I have seen some shockers before and I'm sure many of you complain about the state of the public toilets in your area but this was something else!!!

Imagine a toilet where the bowl gets so full shit starts leaking over the sides. Then imagine that people start shitting on the floor till the toilet cubicle floor is completely covered. Then imagine that people keep using the public toilet, shitting on the floor until it reaches the entrance. Then imagine that someone goes and puts stepping stones all the way back to the original cubicle so another two inches of shit can be piled on top!!!

Unfortunately, last time I didn't feel the need to get it on film but I've come to the conclusion it will make a good U-Tube video. I head down to relocate this extraordinary phenomena but it's locked :( Judging by the smell emanating from within it still hasn't been cleaned, hopefully I will never find out...

The coastal walk is stunning and I'm surprised how few people are swimming considering the size of the city. Hitting pigeon rock confirms I made the right decision in coming this way. Amazing!!!

Passing a military road block the scenery suddenly changes. The beach hotels, fancy restaurants and highrise disappear, replaced with shacks, workshops and factories. Stopping for lunch I notice prices have gone back to normal as well :)

Invites for coffee suddenly start coming in abundance and even though the people to the north are welcoming, the warmth and enthusiasm displayed down here is hard to match. Passing a mechanic shop and feeling like a break Ahmed and Hanan invite me in for a drink. I try to refuse the beverage, Arabic coffee served in a cup normally used for nescafe, knowing if I finish my heart will likely stop, but refusing isn't an option ;)

A missile is positioned in the middle of the road and I'm only half sure it's for ornamentation...

"Can I take a photo of that?"

"Sure, go ahead"

After taking some pictures we sit and chat and I find out Ahmed is Syrian while Hanan is Turkish. Finishing the coffee I prepare to leave when a guy walks up to us...

"Come with me"

"Nah...I'm alright, cheers" :)

"No, come with me!"

Laughing "No, I'm fine. Thanks"

He grabs me by the arm and rather unceremoniously lifts me to my feet...

"Come"

I look to my hosts to see their reaction and find them staring blankly into space, ignoring everything going on around them. The penny drops. This guy isn't inviting me for a Pepsi, I'm probably having my first run in with Hezbollah. Time to show a bit more respect :)

I give him a big smile walk with him a short distance down the road...

"I hear you have been taking pictures of this area"

"Yes"

"Show me"

Grabbing the camera I start top flick through, impressed that apart from the missile they all look harmless...

"Ok, delete them all"

"All! I'll delete the ones from this area but I'm not deleting them all"

"Delete them all or I'm taking the camera"

Our eyes lock...

"Only this area"

"Delete them or I'm taking your camera!"

"Only this area"

He can't help braking a small smile...

Giving me a dismissive wave "Just start deleting them"

Phew :) I don't mind losing this afternoon's photos but four days worth would be a bastard. After checking my passport and walkie-talkieing in the details the guy comes back smiling...

"Don't worry. This is just normal, you have nothing to be afraid of"

"No problems" I do actually understand :)

"Okay, stand here. We have to search your bag"

I sit down and my heart starts to race, now I'm really wishing I didn't finish that coffee. I'm not worried for my own safety but rather for all my equipment and the last few weeks video. I really doubt they will be interested in having a video night with five hours worth of my holiday just to see if I have anything suspicious. Much more likely they will just destroy them :( And also, with two video cameras, a still camera, a laptop, fifteen video cassettes and a bag full of wires I probably don't look like a normal backpacker. I'm sure they will not hesitate to confiscate anything they feel is unusual...

I have money stashed in three different locations throughout my bag and they find them all. Looking closely to see if any gets taxed any I'm pleased with their professionalism, they guy doesn't even look twice at the big wad. After thoroughly searching all the smaller pockets he opens the main section and my heart feels like it's about to explode. The first thing he spots is my computer...

"This is a laptop?"

"Yes"

"Okay, wait here. Someone is coming to talk with you"

I breath another sigh of relief. After discovering my laptop the rest of my bag gets left unsearched. A big four wheel drive pulls up and the driver speaks perfect English. We go through all the formalities, he has a quick look through my computer then he tells me to hop in the car.

"How do you like Lebanon?"

"It's a beautiful country! And the people couldn't be more friendly, it's great"

"Yes, welcome to Hezbollah Lebanon"

I can't help but laugh. And I have to admit I'm also slightly relieved. Before this I was just assuming they were Hezbollah, but really they could have been anyone...

"You are not scared?"

"I know I'm not doing anything wrong so I've got no reason to be scared"

Which is true. If I really believed that Hezbollah were a bunch of blood thirsty madmen hell bent on beheading as many foreigners as humanly possible I wouldn't be walking around the south of Lebanon :)

"So where will you finish your walk?"

"In Jerusalem"

He leans over and turns the radio on. Obviously as much as he wants to discuss about that :)

"I'm going to be walking through the Shouf mountains towards Syria. Does Hezbollah mind me walking around?"

"No, not at all. You are welcome. I will take ten minutes of your time then you are free to walk wherever you want"

"Thanks"

Driving for about ten minutes we pull into a carpark, the guy turns to me...

"Do you know where you are?"

"I'm pretty sure this is the same road you picked me up on, just farther south"

Shrugging "Bring your two cameras, the laptop and your phone. Leave your bag here"

Heading into a little office another guy is smiling when I enter...

"Welcome"

"Thanks"

"Now, what are you doing here?"

I give him my story and he seems convinced, he takes my phone, passport and laptop into the next room. I sit and wait...

"Benjamin"

"Yes"

"We will take a copy of your passport to keep on file. This is normal. You don't need to be afraid"

"No problems"

"Now Ben, do you know where you are?"

"Aaaah, no" Mental note...When walking in a country with numerous heavily armed groups controlling various regions do some research... ;)

"You are in Ash Shiyah. You can't just walk around taking photos here. Why were you taking photos?"

Laughing "I only took photos from the highway, I'm not sneaking down side streets or anything"

Smiling back "Okay Ben, look! Here in Ash Shiyah, in Tripoli, in Beirut and in the Shouf you can't take photos whenever you want. In Lebanon always ask before you take photos"

"Okay, lesson learnt"

The driver comes over with my computer and sits next to me. we start flicking through some photos and he has his arm around my shoulders, very cosy :)

"Do you know Wasseem?"

I know about twenty Wasseems and my mind starts racing as to who he means or whether he is just fucking with me. Suddenly I remember one of my friends from Damascus rang yesterday...

"Yes, from Syria"

The guy doesn't respond and we continue to flick through the photos...

"Okay Ben, you can go now. If you have any problems come and see us, do you think you can find this place again?"

Shrugging "Probably, don't know"

"Then maybe we will see you again"

We all wish each other luck and I collect my bag from the car. Jumping in a taxi it isn't long before I'm back where I was originally nabbed. Ahmed seems pretty happy to see me but Hanan gives me a small wave and looks like she's wishing I would disappear quick smart. Don't blame her really :)

Making another five kilometers along the highway a guy about twenty-five pulls up on a scooter while I'm talking on the phone...

"Please, hang up and call back later?"

"Okay, no problem" I assume this is another Hezbollah check...

"Have you been questioned by anyone today?"

"Yes, I was just questioned by Hezbollah about an hour ago"

"Are you Tony?"

"No, Ben"

"Give me your passport"

Dropping my bag I hand him the document. He quickly flicks through then points into the bag...

"What's that?"

"Video cassettes"

"No, that!"

"My wallet"

"Give me a look"

I hand him my wallet and he does a quick search. Suddenly he scoops the money out and I snatch the wallet back, then make a grab for the money only to end up with a few receipts. This guy is obviously not Hezbollah. I take another swipe at my money...

"Ben, Stop!"

Our eyes meet and he takes a step back, lifting his shirt to display a big knife...

"Do you want me to kill you?"

"Aaaaah, no"

"Good"

He hops on his bike and rides off...

"See you tomorrow"

"Yeah mate, see you tomorrow" Wanker...

So there it is. After more than 6000kms I've finally been robbed :) Bit of a bastard but one of those things that I'd resigned myself to happening. Just like in Turkey I'd resigned myself to the fact I would probably get bitten by a dog and I think it is just pure luck that I didn't.

And I have to say I'm very lucky this guy only got $20. The whole journey I've probably walked less than 100kms without my cameras in hand but after my run in with Hezbollah earlier my cameras are safely packed away :) Saying that though, if this guy had turned up asking silly questions at any other time I wouldn't have even paused long enough to give him a response. Instead I ended up giving him my wallet :)

So with my nerves really on edge I continue on. Two kilometers later a police car pulls up...

"What are you doing?"

Sighing "Walking to Damascus"

"What!?! No, what are you doing?"

"Walking to Damascus"

"Where is your passport?"

I hand it to him and he talks to his mate...

Giving me a hard stare "Benjamin, what are you doing here?"

"Just walking"

"Do you have something illegal in your bag?"

Laughing "No"

"Do you have a camera?"

"Yes"

"Give me a look"

I hand him the camera and I think the fact it's point and shoot makes him lose interest. I obviously don't look like a journalist with that...

"Okay Ben, you really can't walk here, this place is very dangerous! Take a taxi back to Beirut and if you want to walk to Damascus walk the highway"

"I'm going to go see the Cedars in the Shouf mountains"

"There are guys out here who will kill you over ten dollars. You can't walk around here!"

I don't want to tell him I just met one, I figure that will just reinforce the idea that I'm going to get killed and they will probably physically put me in a taxi themselves. Can't blame them really, if I'm found on the side of the road bleeding to death I'm sure these two will be the ones cleaning up the mess :)

I decide to see how dangerous they really think it is out here, regardless of the fact I just got robbed in broad daylight that might have just been an anomaly...

"Am I safe to walk around here in the day time?"

"In the day time you are fine. A night...wow!!! Don't do it!"

I think I'll take that advice... :)

"Okay Ben, do you want me to stop a taxi for you?"

"No, thanks. I can get one"

"Go back to Beirut, walk the highway! My grandmother is from Jerusalem. Good luck and God bless"

I have to admit, the thought of going back to Beirut is extremely tempting...

Do I feel safe out here?

Absolutely not :)

But this is one of the funny things with fear. I know the planet is exactly the same as it was five hours ago when I didn't have a care in the world, I've just had a bad evening. Rather than run away I'll find somewhere safe to sleep before it gets dark and see how I feel tomorrow.

Continuing on I don't make it far before a resort appears before me. What luck :) Perfect for some peace of mind. I don't really care what the price is as tonight I need it! But I'm pleased when the sign above reception indicates a single is $50...

"Do you have a room available for tonight, one person?"

The receptionist turns to the guy behind the desk who in turn looks to another guy sitting in the corner...

"How much should we charge him?"

Shrugging "$50"

"No, we can get more..."

They obviously assume I can't speak any Arabic and can't read their sign. The guy behind the desk turns to me with a big smile...

"For you $75"

"I'll give you $30"

He doesn't look impressed and I probably don't either...

"If you want the room you can have it for $60, that is it. If you don't want to pay $60 then you can go"

Probably not the best day to walk out on principal but fuck him! Don't like the guy anyway so I turn and leave. If there's one resort along the beach here there must be more...

But twenty minutes later it's starting to get dark and I still haven't had any luck. Spotting an apartment building under construction I run over for a look. Finding a great room on the fourth floor I set myself up, ensuring that I can't be seen from any of the windows.

Laying there, trying to get to sleep I realize I'm terrified. For the first time on the entire journey I'm pleased to say I'm overrun with complete, jumping at shadows, irrational fear...

Do I wish I had taken the hotel or gone back to Beirut?

Absolutely!

But the decision has been made. Now it's dark I'm not going anywhere till morning, curling up I attempt to sleep...

One thought keeps running through my head...

"Yep Max, "Go South". Great choice mate!" ;)

Beirut 13/08/08

For some reason I wake incredibly early and with nothing else to do jump on the net. Turning on the TV I find the Olympics and happily wait for Ladile to wake...

She doesn't :) So around 10am I go give her a prod...

"Do you want to go for breakfast?"

"Urrrgh, no way! I'm going back to sleep. And my friend will pick me up after she finishes school in half an hour..."

She instantly crashes back out and sleeps till her friend arrives. Saying "Thanks and goodbye" she leaves me to it and I continue to play on the computer while watching the games.

Feeling extremely hungry I head into town to locate some spaghetti. The meals wonderful and a very content pilgrim heads back to his apartment. I open the computer and before I know it I'm out cold.

Waking to the phone ringing I see it's Max, the German guy I met in Latakya...

"Hey there, do you want to go for a beer tonight?"

"What's the time?"

"Seven"

Wow! I must have been tired, the day has disappeared. Arranging to meet Max at 20:30 I go for a shower and try to make myself feel human.

Beirut is an incredible city!!! Once again all the bars are packed and there is a fun energy in the air. Max's friends are good value, one of the guys plays in a Death Metal band and it isn't long before he drags me to the next bar to meet the rest of the crew. The singer is Armenian and reminds me so much of Christos from Greece.

Talking about the fate of Lebanon the conversation turns to a the possibility of a united Arabistan...

"Aaaaah, couldn't think of anything worse!!!"

Laughing "Why is that?"

"Armenians have a hard enough time here when we are 4% of the population. If all the Arab countries unite we wouldn't be any percent at all!"

Different sides to every story isn't there... ;)

Pilgrimage from Beirut (City Mall) to Beirut (City Center) 12/08/08

We all sleep in again and by the time we leave the house it's after 10am. Ryan and Jen offer me a lift down to the main road, deciding on the way they can't let me leave without trying the "best (something) in the world". Driving down to their local take-away they shout me breakfast...

I have tried a lot of toasted sandwich looking things in my life and this one definitely rates up there! Absolutely awesome!!! A perfect way to start the day, cheers guys :)

Finding a service taxi going to City mall is a bit of a mission but finally I succeed. It's always a good feeling to start walking knowing I only have 5-10kms for the day. The highway is busy, making for a noisy smelly morning and spotting a big road turning off, I head West.

My hotel is located on the northern coastline of the peninsular, which I thought would be extremely easy to find but before I know it I've lost the coast and have highways going everywhere. Time to ask for directions...

The good news is my hotel is only 3kms away so it isn't long before I'm at their doorstep. One of my friends use to live in the apartments, owned by the hotel, across the road so I ask if they have a room free there. I'm in luck and with a big room and wireless internet $20 a night is a bargain :)

Setting myself up, I have a quick shower before heading out to explore my area. Beirut is an extremely beautiful city with a wide variety of architecture. The military presence is quite strong though and the main restaurant district is completely cordoned off. No cars allowed inside and armed soldiers search every bag before entry.

And the best thing is I get sushi for lunch. Wonderful!!!

Heading back to the apartment Ken, my flatmate makes an appearance and invites my to a movie showing in the evening. Sounds great :)

And it is! The movie is Korean and is being shown in Club 43, a cool little place located in Gemayze dedicated to promoting religious tolerance throughout Lebanon. They have regular meetings discussing the problems facing their country and the Christian members often attend prayers with their Muslim friends while the Muslim members attend prayers with their Christian friends. Sounds like such a simple thing to do but it's amazing how radical this idea is to many people. It reminds me of a time in Nicaragua when I was spending time with some young Israelis...

I had been hanging out with these guys for a couple of days, they were great fun to be around and appeared to be extremely open minded. Coming home one day from wandering the town one of the guys looks incredibly distraught...

"What's wrong?"

"I've been crucified!!!"

Laughing "What?"

"I've been crucified!!! A woman down the street just crucified me!"

I look to his friends trying to get some help but they just laugh and shrug. He calms down and I find out he had just been blessed by an old woman in the street, which involved her tracing a cross on him with her hands. This simple act left him in a state of despair. How does it come to pass that a person feels so horrified from being blessed???

And it's this same distress I don't understand from a family whose children decide to attend prayers of a different religion. What are they all so afraid of???

On the way home Ken and I decide to go for one last beer and finding a nice little bar down a side street we grab a drink. It ends up being a good choice, before I'm chatting to this wonderful young woman by the name of Ladile. A complete nutcase but incredibly fun to talk to :)

She gets off the phone not looking so happy...

"Whats wrong?"

"My lift home just called and can't pick me up. I'm going to have to taxi home which is expensive"

"That's alright. I was planning on kidnapping you anyway" :)

Laughing "I am a Lebanese girl. You will NEVER find a Lebanese girl who will go home with you on the first night you meet"

"No seriously, my room does actually have two beds so if you do want to stay you are more than welcome"

"We'll see, but you know I have a boyfriend and nothing will happen"

"If you don't mind me trying I don't mind you saying no" :)

Shooting me a look like she doesn't quite know what to make of me she once again replies with "We'll see..."

Finishing my beer I let Ladile know I'm leaving and if she wants a place to stay she's more than welcome. Checking with her friend she must decide I'm harmless and takes me up on the offer...

"But you can't think badly of me for doing this. Lebanese girls never do this!"

It must be hard for young people in conservative cultures where simple things can be extremely damaging to their reputation. She is coming over to sleep in a separate bed and is still worried about what I will think of her. The Lebanese appear top be very open in many ways but the idea of sex before marriage is still a BIG no no...

Beirut (Perched on a Mountain) 11/08/08

I'm taking a day off today and am happy to sleep in a bit. Jen and Ryan do the same and don't end up leaving for work until around 10am. Positioning myself on the couch I'm extremely pleased I'm able to find the Olympics on TV. Combined with the wireless internet throughout the house I can tell I'm not going far today ;)

And by lunchtime I haven't. The furthest I've ventured is the kitchen to make myself a tea, but getting hungry it's time to take a little walk. A hundred meters is as far as I make before Pizza Hut comes into sight...Perfect :)

Ordering take-away it's straight back to the couch. And that's where I stay till Ryan and Jen come home at 19:30. Ryan prepares another fabulous meal which we enjoy over a couple of glasses of wine.

"Time for a bourbon" Ryan declares with a big smile...

"What makes a bourbon bourbon?"

Laughing "It's made in Bourbon"

Shit hey...don't know how I managed to get through thirty years of my life and miss that one :)

Ryan goes on to explain that there is a slightly different processes involved in the preparation and brewing of whiskies from different areas, which is why they all have a distinctive taste. Removing a couple of bottles from the cabinet he gives me a sniff...

"See, can you tell the difference?"

"Aaaah, no" :) My sense of smell has never been my best asset...

"Ooop...you've done it now! looks like we will have to taste them!"

Rushing to the glasses cabinet he returns with as many cups as he can carry...

This is looking dangerous... :)

Ryan is grinning from ear to ear as he begins filling the cups, obviously thrilled with the chance to show off his whisky collection and teach an ignoramus the subtleties of whisky tasting.

"So, am I meant to give it a sniff like wine?"

"Of course! Whisky is to enjoyed with all the senses" :)

And I have to say I'm impressed with the varieties of flavor whiskies posses. Amazing what a world I've missed out on always ordering my whiskies with coke ;)

With my whisky lesson finished it's on to the couch for a movie. And for my second cultural experience of the evening I manage to make it through my first ever Sherlock Holmes movie. Might have been the whisky but I even enjoyed it!

Pilgrimage from Juniyah to Beirut (City Mall) 10/08/08

Being Sunday Elie and the other workers start late and want to sleep in. Sounds great to me and I'm happy to lounge around till 10:30 when Elie makes an appearance. I only have fifteen or twenty kilometers to walk today so starting late doesn't bother me at all...

Sitting around chatting I find out why Elie is here working in a restaurant rather than in Dubai. The guy is having a bit of a rough trot to say the least. I don't know if it is fair to share all the details with you all but his story couldn't be much sadder, and is also a story that could quite easily happen to any of us. And what makes it so sad it the situation is entirely his own making, with a bit of bad luck thrown in...

What impresses my though is his dedication to his faith and his good will to others. I don't know what religion he is but almost certainly he's Christian or Muslim, and even though he doesn't know why his God made the things happen the way they happened he accepts there is nothing he can do now other than be thankful for what he has. A job, a roof over his head and friends. And even though he is going through as harder time as anyone on this planet has to go through he can still take the time out to help a passing traveller. To me this is someone who has a good understanding of what religion is all about. Cheers mate, you are a champion! :)

Making my way to Juniyah center I can't hep but be amazed at the amount of "Super Night Clubs" to be found. There's one every 100m. It's hard to believe they can all have people in them even on a busy night!

Stopping for a quick coffee Australia and Argentina are playing in the Soccer. Seventy minutes have passed and the score is 0-0. I'm impressed :) But my happiness doesn't last long. Five minutes later Argentina score and manage to hang on to win 1-0. This is one thing I'm a bit sad to miss, normally during the Olympics I hole myself up in front of the TV for the duration, I don't think I will catch too much this time around though...

It's then on to the highway for a long, straight, boring walk to Beirut. I have some Couchsurfers lined up to host me so reaching the outskirts of Beirut I give them a call and find out the best way to get to their house. The turnoff form the highway is only 500m down the road so walking there, I find a taxi and head up the hill.

Ryan and Jen are awesome. Both are American, have lived in Lebanon for five years and are very well traveled. They immediately make me feel at home and after a superb home cooked meal, a couple of glasses of wine and a good chat it's time for bed...

Pilgrimage from Batrun to Juniyah 09/08/08

Waking with the alarm at 5am I'm surprised to find the beach completely deserted. Where are all the party goers??? I was told the party would continue until nine or ten in the morning so there is no reason for them not to be down here...

But I'm not complaining :) Rolling back over I go back to sleep and don't wake again till seven. Still there is only a single fisherman to be seen and the view is stunning. A perfect camping spot...

Setting off around the coast it is one hotel after another. Restaurants, swimming pools, health clubs...it all looks very European. And the good news is it all looks very safe. :)

Finding a cute little cafe for breakfast the first thing that catches my attention is their choice of pet. There in a fish tank in front of me is a baby crocodile! The owner is extremely friendly and sits down next to me while I eat...

"What do you think of Lebanon?"

"It's great. The people couldn't be more friendly and the Mediterranean is stunning"

"Yes, we have a nice spot here. It is like a little oasis inside Lebanon that is not really Lebanon at all"

"Do you ever have any trouble here?"

"Never, north of Tripoli, south of Beirut and in the mountains there is trouble. The area in here is like a little sanctuary"

I don't know if this is entirely correct or not, but by all appearances I would have to agree with her. Sanctuary indeed...

Arriving in Byblos around lunch time I immediately start searching for spaghetti, only to find something just as good...Chinese! It's a bit expensive but I'm in need of a change and it's well worth it! Wonderful!!! And I even end up with enough to take for dinner :)

For some reason I was under the impression that the old city of Byblos is a couple of kilometers to the south. I almost leave town without checking out the castle I can see, thinking that the other ruins are likely to be far more impressive. Lucky I decide to stop because the old city is located right here...

Byblos is said to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world with the ancient city dating back to 8000BC! Many civilizations have left their mark here and it is well worth a look.

Heading off towards Juniyah I pass a couple of soldiers guarding an artillery graveyard. The young one calls me over looking extremely stressed out about my camera. He is another one of these young kids with a wild look in their eyes and someone I would prefer not to be holding a gun ;)

"What is that?!?"

"A video camera"

"Why are you here?"

"Just walking to Beirut"

"Where are you from? Give me your passport"

"Australia"

The anxiety instantly disappears from his face "Aaaah, Australia! Welcome! Do you have Facebook? I want to go to Australia one day. How can I get a visa?"

"Yes, I have Facebook. But as for a visa, it's pretty hard. I don't know how you get one"

We swap emails and he leaves me to continue on. I make another 7kms before trying to locate a hotel or restaurant with wireless. After a couple of attempts I find this great bar with swimming pool, an awesome view of the Mediterranean and internet. I sit and type, have a few beers then notice a couple of young guys playing backgammon. Waiting for them to finish I challenge one of them to a game and he completely demolishes me 5-1 :) But oh well, can't win them all...

A few kilometers down the road the sun starts to sink towards the horizon, finding a nice spot on the beach I sit, relax and enjoy the sunset while finish the rest of my chinese.

Stopping at another bakery for dessert the owners are great. I could happily spend the night chatting but after half an hour decide to make a move. And they don't even let me pay :)

Passing a Russian restaurant on the outskirts of Juniyah one of the workers is sitting on the steps and calls out as I go by...

"Come sit. Have a rest"

Sounds good to me "Sure"

Elie is a really cool guy. He's Syrian but normally lives in Dubai so his English is nearly perfect.

"Where are you staying tonight?"

"Don't know. I will camp somewhere on the other side of Juniyah"

"I have an apartment free here. If you want to stay you are more than welcome. I am renovating it right now so it's a bit of a mess but if you don't mind that you are welcome"

Champion!!! "That sounds great! Thanks" :)

The apartment is wonderful and after chatting for a short while I call it a night...

Pilgrimage from Tripoli to Batrun 08/08/08

Wanting to get going early the alarm goes off at 7am, but after the beers last night it's not going to happen. The alarm gets turned off and it isn't until 9am that I make a move.

I still don't have a map of Lebanon but knowing I need to stick to the coast till Beirut I'm not concerned. Hopefully I can't go too far wrong...

Not knowing what to expect as I head out of town, I'm slightly nervous making my way down the highway. It isn't long before I hit my first checkpoint, sandbags, APC, .50 calibre machine gun and all...

Taking a deep breath

Here we go again... :)

One of the best things the French left behind in Lebanon is the patisseries. Spotting a huge bakery I can't resist stopping for breakfast. A wonderful treat which gives me all the energy I need to continue.

Hitting the coast I'm pleased to say everything looks normal. Apart from that one road block there is very little military presence and with the relaxed atmosphere in the air I feel at ease. Let's hope it's like this all the way to Beirut...

Stopping for a drink I have to laugh at the sight in the car park. A mini-tank is parked with the cars :) Just to let me know things aren't completely normal... ;)

Getting another craving for spaghetti the Gods are smiling on me. I glance up to see a big sign "Pizza and Spaghetti" not 100m ahead. Perfect... :)

But it's not to be...

"Sorry, we only have pizza" :(

So, pizza it is and after a good rest I continue around the coast. The walk is nice, the view is magical and I'm feeling great.

I purchased some more Arabic lessons from the internet but all the connections so far have been too slow to download them. An internet cafe comes into sight and I go to try my luck. The download starts at a reasonable speed but I watch in dismay as it gradually gets slower and slower. But oh well, it's got to be done somewhere so might as well be here...

Four and a half hours later it finally finishes! What a mission!!! But what made the wait all worth while was chatting to the owner of the cafe. The whole time I was there he's on a flight simulator and I go to find out what the story is...

Turns out there is a complete virtual world you can get your plane license in and fly around...in real time! This guy has spent a total of over 1600 hours flying and over 150 hours being a flight controller. Yes, that's right...even the flight controllers are real people! The other planes in the air are all flown by real people and by all looks and appearances it is almost identical to flying in real life. You even have to complete all your safety checks yourself before taking off! Incredible!!!

I have been told there is a huge street party on in Batrun, where I was hoping to make it to tonight. But now I'm running late I will have to walk in the dark to get there. Not something I would be so keen on doing North of Tripoli but down here it feels a heap safer.

As it gets dark the buildings end and I'm left to follow the road, winding it's way around the headland. For some reason the smell of brown sugar is in the air and with the cool sea breeze the walk is magical. The occasional car zips past destroying my peace but all in all I'm glad I took this road rather than the highway. It may be a kilometer or two longer but well worth it.

The loud "thump thump thump" of the music can be heard well before I make it to the center of town and the streets are packed. Now I'm really wishing I came earlier to find a place to stay. The party is awesome but with my backpack I'm not keen to venture inside, finding a nice little bar to the side I stop for a drink.

The guys at the next table lean over for a chat and after finding out what I'm doing shout me a beer and offer to buy my ticket to the party. Champions!!! But unfortunately with nowhere to dump my bags I have to refuse. They let me know there is a quiet beach a kilometer north where I can camp so around 2am I drag myself away...

Locating the beach is easy and finding a perfect little clearing perched over the water I resign myself to the fact I will probably only get a few hours sleep. Being this close to such a huge party I'm sure there will be a crowd down here in the morning to watch the sunrise...

Tripoli 07/08/08

I wake, glance around, get the feeling it's still early and go back to sleep...

I wake, glance around, get the feeling it's still early and go back to sleep...

I wake, glance around, get the feeling it's still early and wonder why??? Checking the time I'm amazed it's after eleven! My room is almost completely light proof :)

The plan today is to do some writing, internetting, then head up to see the famous Lebanese Cedars. I spotted a cafe last night that had wireless so I head down there for breakfast. Breakfast is great but for some reason my computer doesn't work on their connection so finding another cafe I have a coffee and get to it.

Their wireless only works in spurts an after an hour I get fed up and try my luck elsewhere. I know there is an internet cafe near the hotel so heading back there it isn't until after four I'm finished with all my work. Oh well, Cedars another day maybe...

Finding a quiet little cafe in the central park I feel at ease sitting and drinking my tea. All the apprehension from yesterday has disappeared and I make the decision to continue my journey south. Tomorrow anyway...

"Hey mate. Where you from?"

"Australia"

"So am I!"

Turns out Abu Khulie is another Lebanese Australian here for the Summer, he spends six months of the year here and six months in Oz. We enjoy the next hour drinking tea and chatting...

"So, what do you think of this area?"

"It's nice. Very relaxed and peaceful"

"Have you seen the rest of the city?"

"Some...pretty wild"

Laughing "Yes, my house is a couple of kilometers to the east. Last week they were fighting in my street! I could see them from my apartment, very different from here. If you are free for dinner come out and have dinner up there"

"Sure, sounds good"

We arrange to meet at six and I head back to the hotel to relax. I was thinking of heading up north to try to get some photos and video as yesterday I hardly got any. I figured one run in with the military was enough for the day. But now Abu Khulie has invited me up to his place I will feel a lot more comfortable getting pictures with a local present...

Catching a taxi to the address given I'm a bit disappointed with what I find. It's definitely a big difference from the city center but still not looking like a war zone like up north. The pictures will have to wait...

All the locals are super friendly and super keen to come chat, ensuring before they leave they have bought me some kind of treat :) The street is filled with mechanic shops and it seems the local kids spend all their time tuning their cars and racing up and down the road, there is a constant squeal of tires in the background. Half of them don't even have license plates but nobody seems to care...

"Do they do this every day?"

Laughing "Every day?!? More like every hour of every day! Come back at two in the morning and they'll still be at it" :)

A couple of young guys take me for a walk to show me the view of the mountains. Passing a friend of theirs sitting in his car we stop for a chat. Another car pulls up next to us and the driver starts speaking harshly. The next thing I know my guide's friend has his pistol waving at the other guy out his window, but considering my guides are laughing I take it it's all in jest. The other driver reaches into his back seat and I'm expecting an AK-47, instead he comes up with a power drill and they proceed to have a mock gun battle. I then find out the guy with the pistol is the local policeman. Makes me feel much safer :)

Finishing the walk we eat dinner and saying a big "thank you" to Abu Khulie I head back to the hotel then back to last night's bar. A young woman is sitting next to me and we start to chat...

"You will finish in Jerusalem! Be careful, isn't it a bit dangerous over there to be walking around?"

"Probably not much more dangerous than Lebanon..." Better not be anyway ;)

"What do you mean?!? Lebanon isn't dangerous! Over there they are at war"

"In some places it looks like you are at war here as well"

"No it doesn't"

"Have you ever been for a look between here and syria?"

"But all borders have a military presence"

Laughing "Not like this"

"Lebanon is safe! I've lived in Lebanon seventeen years and have never heard of anybody getting shot"

Very un-diplomatically I fall of my bar stool in a fit of laughter...

Probably not completely fair to want to shatter her illusion but I decide to give the the option anyway...

"What are you doing tomorrow morning? If you want I will give you a tour of the north side of your city..."

She looks at me like I'm a fool, politely refuses then decides she has to go... :)

Solo saw me laughing and comes to see what I found so funny...

Shrugging "Yes, some people prefer to pretend there is nothing wrong here..."

So know I feel I have met almost every type of person there is to meet in Lebanon...and it only took two days! I have met people in support of Israel, people against Israel, people who like Israelis but don't like the government, pro-Syrians, anti-Syrians, people pro-Hezbollah, people anti-Hezbollah, Christians, Muslims, Australians, an Arab who thinks all Arabs should burn in Hell, people who think all Israelis should burn in Hell and finally, tonight, a young woman who lives on a completely different planet... :)

And I wonder why this place has so many problems...

I promised the old guy at the hotel I would be home by one, so some time around midnight I make a move. Walking back to the main road along the beach I'm in my own little world when suddenly I'm snapped back to reality...

"Hey Ben! Ben!"

Glancing up I see Abu Khulie and his friends sitting at a table next to the street. I remember him saying he comes down to the water front every night for ice-cream but we are all very surprised with the coincidence. He tells me this place sells the best ice-cream in the world so I can't resist his offer to shout me one. And I have to say his claim would be close, the ice-cream is superb! :)