I don’t know Qatar though I have spent a few hours in Doha awaiting a connecting flight. As Qatar Airways has a direct flight to Maldives, I decide to make a brief stop-over in this rich Gulf country after Lebanon. Read more
Middle East 3: Qatar January 4 – 6, 2016
Categories: My Middle East / Near East / Central Asia trips
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Middle East 2: Lebanon January 2 – 4, 2016
January 2 &3, 2016: Tyre, Maghdouché, Sidon & Baalbak, Lebanon; January 4-6, Doha, Qatar
 Temple of Jupiter (R); Temple of Baalbak (L) |
 Tyre, World Heritage Site |
Categories: My Middle East / Near East / Central Asia trips
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Middle East Lebanon December 29, 2015 – January 4, 2016
December 29, 2015 – January 1, 2016: Beirut, Jeita, Harissa & Byblos
 Byblo Old Harbor, |
Tyre, World Heritage Site |
I have always been fascinated by Lebanon, home to a civilisation going back to around 3500 BC. Being one of the oldest countries in the world, it boasts a rich pre-Biblical history with five World Heritage Sites. Read more
Categories: My Middle East / Near East / Central Asia trips
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Europe 7: UK December 15 – 29, 2015
Happy 90th birthday
I come to the UK this time for my god-mother’s 90th birthday. My brother Lawrence who has not seen her for over 30 years, brings his wife Sally to visit her too. We had a short driving holiday in Wales before visiting friends in Sheffield and Birmingham. I have a peaceful and relaxing Christmas in Taunton. Read more
Categories: My Europe trips
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Europe 6: Stylish Sweden December 10 – 15, 2015
Uppsala, Stockholm & Sigtuna
 Woodland Cemetery, a World Heritage Site |
 Drottningholm Palace, a World Heritage Site |
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Europe 5: Swedish Lapland December 2 – 9, 2015
Northern Sweden: Abisko and Kiruna
I have been to Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmo for work a dozen times but have never gone beyond Uppsala. Abisko, about 200 km north of the Arctic Circle and an hour by train from Norway, is said to be a good spot for viewing aurora borealis (also known as Northern Lights). Hence, I continued my Arctic Circle journey from Narvik to Swedish Lapland. Read more
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Europe 4: Nordic Norway, November 27 – December 2, 2015
Lofoten & Narvik November 27 – December 2, 2015
Lofoten is world-famous for its awesome landscape and scenery: dramatic mountains and peaks, open sea and sheltered bays, beaches and untouched land, wildlife, fishing and Northern Lights. It has been on my list for a long time.
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Europe 3: Sailing in Norway, November 19-27, 2015
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 Best Orca Viewing |
I am always curious about how people in the subarctic areas live through the cold dark winter. For new experiences, I decide to join a week-long sailing trip ‘Whales and Aurora Borealis Expedition to Senja‘ on board Noorderlicht from November 20-27 and stay on for a couple of weeks in Lofoten, Norway and Abisko, Sweden, both of which are close to the Arctic Circle. Read more
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Europe 2: Ferrara, Trieste & Taunton, November 15 -19, 2015
 Castello Estense, Ferrara |
 Trieste |
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Europe 1: Madrid, Ravenna & Modena, November 10-14, 2015
Happy wandering in Madrid, Ravenna & Modena November 10 – 14, 2015
 Ravenna, Capital of Mosaics |
 Modena – Palazzo Communale, Plaza Grande & Cathedral |
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