A Historic Time for Libya

October 20th, 2011 | By Lee | 5 Comments »

What a day to be alive! It’s a truly historic day for Libya and the world. A strange day as well filled with emotions for many around the world that have ever been affected by Moammar Gadhafi or witnessed the atrocities that he and his brutal regime committed. I feel a strong sense of connection with the Libyan people after my August visit and I felt compelled to write my thoughts and feelings after this historic and strange day. But the most important thing is that Libya and the world are free of the horrible tyrant forever who has blood on his hands for the past four decades of murder and terror.
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African Overland Trucks

October 19th, 2011 | By Lee | 16 Comments »

Nouakchott, Casablanca, Timbuktu, Arusha, Khartoum, Lilongwe, Swakopmund, Freetown, Bujumbura, Conakry, Fez, Lalibela, N’Djamena, Mombasa, Sfax, Ziguinchor, Laayoune, Brazzaville, Yamoussoukro, Abu Simbel, Harare, Lubumbashi, Mbabane, Ngorongoro, Douala, Ouagadougou. These names sound made up. They sound like a fairy tale that parents tell kids about far, far away lands and other dimensions. They sound exotic. And truth be told, most people, including many of you reading this right now, don’t know where half of these places are. That’s because they are all in Africa. They encompass the whole of the Dark Continent. They are places most people will never see. They are places most people would have no idea how to see, even if they wanted to. In reality, there is only one way to see all of these places without dealing with an unheard of logistical nightmare. A Trans-African overland truck.
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Sinai, Jordan and Israel

September 8th, 2011 | By Lee | 7 Comments »

So the past 10 days or so have been pretty hectic for me as I have been very, very busy. Since I last posted on Luxor, I have been to: Hurghada; Sinai Peninsula; Jordan; Israel; Moscow; Abkhazia and am now relaxing in Sochi, Russia. Except for Hurghada, Sochi and Abkhazia, all of those were repeat places so I was able to re-visit some favorite places quickly and spend some quality time in new places like Abkhazia. For this post, I am going to quickly go over Hurghada through to Israel which includes the uncanny Petra and will post about Russia and Abkhazia next post as I am behind on my blog and want to get out and enjoy my last day in Sochi on the beach. So here goes.
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Luxor and its Ancient Treasures

September 1st, 2011 | By Lee | 8 Comments »

“Royal Thebes, Egyptian treasure house of countless wealth, who boasts her hundred gates, through each of which, with horse and car, two hundred warriors march.” – Homer, The Iliad, Book IX

From the days of Amenhotep to the days of Napoleon to modern day people like Thomas Cook, ancient Thebes or the modern day Nile River Valley and specifically Luxor have captivated people the world over. Egyptomania is truly mesmerizing. Seeing these ancient treasures kept secret for centuries up close and personal is a visceral feeling of fulfillment. You are experiencing the oldest of treasures and of history that we have here on Earth. It is a very powerful place to be; to see the great River Nile in all its glory; to feel the power of the bygone eras; and to make yourself a small part of the history of the cradle of civilization. Luxor for me was just that; it was awesome.
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Libya for my Birthday

August 30th, 2011 | By Lee | 15 Comments »

It seemed only fitting that Libya, during a historic time of great turmoil, strife and defiance would be the last sovereign nation for me to visit. It was a decision that I really didn’t even give a second thought to. I knew how to do it, where to do it and what to say. I had talked to people who had been; I had read several blogs and stories about people doing it and I was ready. I didn’t know what to expect when and if I got through the border so I didn’t have any set plans and didn’t even have a way of getting there. As usual though, it all worked out for the best and I can honestly say that my short time in Eastern Libya was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
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Swakopmund and Walvis Bay

August 24th, 2011 | By Lee | 3 Comments »

Swakopmund or Swakop as it is commonly called has been high on my list of places to go ever since I heard about its adventure fueled tourism. It is known as the adrenaline capital of Namibia and rivals Victoria Falls for the adrenaline capital of Africa. It also happens to be a beautiful German influenced seaside resort that may resemble something you’d see on holiday on the German Baltic or North Sea more than an African town. Aside from Sossusvlei, Swakop was my top priority and when it came down to deciding between Swakop and Etosha National Park; it was an easy decision. And as usual, it worked out great and I had a blast.
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Sossusvlei and the Namib Desert

August 22nd, 2011 | By Lee | 10 Comments »

Namibia is essentially the Africa you dream about. Vast open spaces; wild animals walking around; unreal vistas; and towering desert sand dunes going all the way out to the icy Atlantic Ocean. Amongst all these attractions is the top destination for tourists in Namibia; Sossusvlei. It is everything you could ask for and more in a destination. You can hike up to the top of the worlds highest sand dune and gaze out over the whole Namib Desert, as you ponder the steep sprint down into Deadvlei for some of the most unforgettable scenery on Earth. This is where I found myself the other day on day two of my three day camping trip into the Namib Desert and Sossusvlei.
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Angola and Cabinda

August 21st, 2011 | By Lee | 4 Comments »

Angola is one of those places in the world that brings with it a sense of mystery, a sense of curiosity and a sense of fear of the unknown. To most people, little is known about Angola. You may know they recently came out of a decades long civil war. If you’re a sports fan, you may remember Angola for the being the first country the original Dream Team played at the Barcelona 1992 Olympics where they lost by some 60 points to Michael Jordan and company. Or perhaps you may know that Angola hosted last year’s Africa Cup of Nations and it was marred by the shooting of the Togo National Team bus in the exclave province of Cabinda. You may know they are the largest producer in all of Africa; even bigger than Nigeria. You may know they have one of the most corrupt governments on Earth. You may know that Angola is considered the worlds most expensive country and Luanda the worlds most expensive city. You may know one or two of these things but likely, you’ve never even heard of Angola, Cabinda or at least have never paid any attention. That appears to be just how the government wants it though.
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Much Ado About Algeria

March 19th, 2011 | By Lee | 14 Comments »

Algeria is one of those places that you really don’t know much about. It kind of has a mystery to it. You know it’s one of those big North African countries but you never hear much about it and certainly if you hear anything at all; it’s probably negative. Algeria was the last stop on my current African adventure and a country that had been elusive to me in the past. Not even two years ago I dealt with a complete fiasco with the Algerian Embassy in Washington and was in fact denied a visa for no reason. So going in, that was really all I had to go on and that was a terrible experience. Luckily for me, I did go and discovered that Algeria has a ton to offer and while I may not be moving there, it surely was a nice and as it turned out, exciting place to spend a few days.
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Hunting Pirates in Somalia

March 16th, 2011 | By Lee | 17 Comments »

When you think of quiet, easy, relaxed, beautiful beach destinations for a holiday; what’s the first place that comes to your mind? That’s right! Somalia! With long stretches of untouched beaches that curve all the way around the horn of Africa and overlook pristinely clear pirate ridden water in the Gulf of Aden, who wouldn’t want to visit this unspoiled paradise? You can have your own soldier for only $15 a day that will follow you around with a sub machine gun; eat raw camel meat right off the dilapidated streets; and haggle your way to a great deal on some designer sandals in the dusty markets…I am kidding of course, well sort of, but Somalia, amidst all its confusion, designation as a failed state and lack of government actually has something to offer the adventurous and seasoned traveler. But first you must understand what you’re getting yourself into and the dangers that exist.
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