Iraq

Ok this may be a first but its a place that always fascinates me and if asked where I'd like to go this year I'd often state Iraq. 'The land that is firmly rooted' that is Iraq is a cradle of modern civilisation with earliest known writings originating between its two major rivers, hosting one of the 7 wonders of the world and the country where jews were apparently enslaved before moses led them to Israel. So in all despite the destruction both by Saddam's rule and endless war Iraq would still have much to offer.

So i wonder is it possible to travel freely then and how safe would it be?. You could mention the possibility of kidnap but you could say that of a hell of alot of countries you might risk travelling across.

Dept of Foreign Affairs still advise against travel to Eye-raq.

However there does seem to be some level of tourists heading to Iraq, here is a link to a specialist travel agency (based in the uk) that might be able to sort you out http://www.hinterlandtravel.com/contact.htm

Also heres an account of a group of tourists who went to Iraq using the agency. I like the comment from the woman who sais she would rather be killed by a car bomb that die in a geriatric ward!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7957974.stm

North of Iraq is almost safe in places (the Kurdish areas) but avoid the big towns and also stay to well north of Mosul and Kirkuk, you might be ok in Arbil. Don't go further south it's very dangerous. If you do go make sure you watch what you eat and drink given the lack of drinking water. Also don't cross land borders except in the Kurdish north, and bear in mind it can take around a day to transit through the security checks at the International Aiport, it's actually recommended to book a night in a hotel within the security zone to make sure you dont miss your flight. Overall I wouldnt recommend going as the risks are massive.

Pretty much agree with edmundo's whole post.

Read a book there - When Friday Comes; Football in the War Zone by an English journalist, James Montague, who travelled to various Middle Eastern countries including Iraq. He only went to Kurdistan, and his plane pretty much nose dived into the airport to avoid any possible air missiles.

Could also try The Four Letter Countries: The Zany Adventures of the Alphabet Traveller by David Jenkins. Both will give you an idea of how the authors approached the idea of going to Iraq as opposed to specific, guide-book advice, but are well worth a read anyway.

If you are thinking of going soon (i.e. next 2-3 months) send me a PM, but I would really advise against it. You can go to the countries next to it (Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Syria) and have a similar experience and be in zero danger - literally Iran is probably the saftest country for tourists (assuming you enter correctly with visas etc)

Funnily enough I read an article on the BBC website about this a few days ago: Is Iraq the next holiday hotspot?

I briefly considered going this year but decided the danger involved meant it just wasn't worth it. My LP Middle East book (pub. May 2009) mentions that they were unable to travel to Kurdistan independently and that the sections on Arab Iraq were based on experiences as a war correspondent and that they were off limits to travelers.

My own thinking was that, while I don't want to travel to all the exact same places everyone else does, and I want to properly get off the beaten track, why risk my own health and possibly my life going to Iraq now when I can always go in a few years when the situation (hopefully) improves. Why not go to Iran, or Syria for the same kind of historical experience, in the same region, but with far less danger? I do admire your desire to go there, but I think that there is a fine line between wanting to have new experiences well outside your comfort zone, and placing yourself in a situation you're not able to deal with.

If going somewhere will make you uncomfortable about your own wellbeing then I don't think you should go. At the end of the day, you want to enjoy travelling, it's supposed to be fun, and when you take out the border waits, the endless train journeys and the roughing it, if it's not something you enjoy, you're not doing it propertly- why pay money to put yourself in a high risk situation and to spend your whole time worrying about your security?

If you do decide to go, make sure you're fully clued up on what's going at at any given time. Things change fast in in the Middle East, especially in a country which is a war zone. The BBC's Middle East section is a useful starting point, but personally I'd also recommend:

LP's Thorn Tree Forum: Middle East General, Iraq
Al Jazeera: http://english.aljazeera.net/
Collection of ME news links: http://www.headlinespot.com/international/middleeast/

Mosaic do a great daily news podcast which has stories from around the whole region: http://www.linktv.org/mosaic/

I also have pdf's of LP Guide to Iran (July 2008), if you want to PM me your email address.

Click here. They'll send you there free.

Agree with TCM, Iran and Syria are far more interesting to visit right now. You could get a flight into Jordan or Syria and sightsee in both. Jordan is amazing, great people and so much to see, while Syria (being a bit odd) is full of historical sights and good food. Iraq is still too unstable to visit and while there are adventure tourists, a mate of mine (ex-Garda from Mayo) is doing a stint as security investigator there and he said, in November last, that the country is the same as when he went in 2006, which isn't exactly good news.

Tony Wheelers (lonely planet founder) has a book out called Bad Lands where he visits outlawish places and the like. Def worth a read. He went to Iraq - but Kurdistan part, which is so much safer

Morgan Spurlocks books about Osama Bin Laden was not a bad effort too. The movie (which I didnt see) was panned by the critics but I thought the book was surprisingly well written, and to be fair to him he did stick his neck out and actually go to Afghanistan, Iraq (Kurdistan) and right up to the Pakistan border region.

Also might want to download the excellent series of Banged Up Abroad Series 6 episode 4 where it follows a Canadian journo who gets kidnapped and is lucky to escape with his life - not once or twice, but many times - showing that it might be just pure luck that one survives in Iraq at all

I know I wouldnt fancy it at all - but wouldnt one method of survival be to wear an Iraqi football shirt?:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bennocelt

I know I wouldnt fancy it at all - but wouldnt one method of survival be to wear an Iraqi football shirt?:)

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For anybody tempted by the notion of searching for an Iraqi football shirt online you'll be disappointed. I think I searched for an Afghan shirt too. I remember an Iranian shirt which had Iran emblazoned across the front. I was hoping to get an Iraqi shirt of the same irk.

Actually my call to consider Iraq as a potential destination is not as mad as it seems. The Times got there a year and a half before me. In reading the article I think you'd have to leave much to your imagination with regard the once splender of Babylon which would be one of my more particular reasons to want to travel to Iraq.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/tra...cle4347211.ece

[QUOTE=Harpsbear;1311357]For anybody tempted by the notion of searching for an Iraqi football shirt online you'll be disappointed. I think I searched for an Afghan shirt too. I remember an Iranian shirt which had Iran emblazoned across the front. I was hoping to get an Iraqi shirt of the same irk.

Iraq shirts for sale here
http://www.uksoccershop.com/categories/5_297_311.html (based in scotland)