After a packed 10 days in Qatar and Bahrain I flew over to Israel to meet my brother who was flying in from Italy where he lives. I was initially concerned about coming from Arabic countries straight away to Israel and also receiving an Israeli stamp. In actuality Israel no longer seems to stamp passports, rather they give you a printed ID card which they check when you leave the country. After 10 minutes of solid grilling with random questions, … [Read more...]
Greetings from Doha, Qatar – Just Another Beautiful Sunny Day
With no causeway over the open sea yet built between Bahrain and Qatar - the most convenient way between each country is via plane. It is a very short flight - something like 130km with maybe 30 minutes in air. My flight was empty - the few people on this Qatar Airways flight each had their own row as well as several rows of extra empty space around them. We were given little candies upon takeoff. Doha Airport is large, modern, gleaming and … [Read more...]
An Insiders Perspective: Night tour of Bahrain
In doing some research prior to my travel to Bahrain I stumbled upon a website advertising private tours. I emailed the owner, Hanan (she no longer offers tours) but she kindly agreed to meetup after work. This was a real insiders tour from someone who grew up in Bahrain and knows the island extremely well. Her diversity of interests, local knowledge and passion for both travel and for Bahrain were clearly evident. We immediately drove to some … [Read more...]
Tiny Al Dar Islands, Bahrain
Looking to capitalize on some unseasonably December weather in Bahrain I decided to make a day trip from Manama to the tiny Dar Islands, just off the coast of an industrial section of the country called Sitra. You come to these islands for relaxing and to enjoy the water - taking breaks from the searingly intense summer heat. A variety of activities are offered - including diving for pearls, kayaking and snorkeling. And there is a special … [Read more...]
Bahrain, A Diversity of Experiences on a Tiny Island
Today I headed out to explore the island with my driver Babu. Babu, like many expats who have come to Bahrain is from India - and came here to take part in the construction boom a number of years ago. He worked his way to supervisor - the boom ended and now works with the hotel I am staying at to drive people around the island. He asked me how difficult it was to get a visa to the USA. I had to tell him for a single man like himself, it could be … [Read more...]
Touchdown at Sunset, Lets go Explore Manama, Bahrain
I touched down gently at the Manama airport just prior to sunset after making several short regional flights, glad to have arrived to some warm and humid weather after rain and cold temps came to California the prior week. The last time I was in this area it was 47 degrees when I landed, sometime in September. The heat can be brutal in the summer here but by this time of year the temperatures have subsided considerably. I soon found myself … [Read more...]
The Glamour of Dubai – Guest Post
Drenched in money, glitz and glamour, Dubai is a millionaire’s dream. However, us mere mortals aren’t left out when it comes to visiting this spectacular Middle Eastern destination, with more and more budget friendly accommodation springing up. Thankfully so, as there’s so much to see and do, it would be a shame to miss it. Flights head east all year, with reasonable fares to be found. Lower the cost even further, and add in a world of … [Read more...]