Double Dutch World Safari 2010 to 2020
Hi All,
It has been a long journey, a very long journey, our journey of dreaming and our journey of planning. Eight years of dreaming and two years of planning. We commenced our journey in January 2010; the journey of our life.
We woke the morning of our departure and we had a strange feeling leaving our house, knowing we will not be back for at least nine months. It never changes, the rush of excitement we get every time we purchase a plane ticket, pack our bags and leave to explore unfamiliar territory. This time, it is even more special. That day it was the first day of a 10-year around the world adventure. We are planning to come home every year, leaving our truck at the place we are visiting at that time.
It is now just about Easter March 2013 and we have completed Stage 1-2-3-4 and 5 of our adventure and covered a distance of nearly 155,000km (almost enough to circumnavigate the globe twice at the equator). Sofar we have enjoyed every minute of it.
We visited 74 countries until the end of Stage 5. The world has so many breathtakingly beautiful places and during our around the world 4WD adventure, we have been very privileged to have experienced everything these countries have to offer. We were exposed to so many different cultures, scenery and beautiful people. For most part, the world we travelled so far is a remarkably kind and benevolent place. We'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who made Stage 1-2-3-4 and 5 of our 4WD adventure so fascinating and rewarding - from fellow travelers and gracious hosts in so many countries, to the myriad of locals who waved, smiled and welcomed us wherever we went; and to the 3617 friends, family and strangers who have followed our travels on-line and sent us emails of thanks and support. Thank you, we are grateful for the many ways in which you have enriched our journey! Our Mitsubishi Fuso FG 84 is now for sale and our new truck is ready to continue our around the world trip. The Fuso FG 84 4x4 being a light truck has done a perfect job as a 4WD truck in Africa and South East Asia (This is after we had lot of issues in the first part of our trip all modified by the truck experts in Europe in 2010) Why another truck? We really wanted to carry a bit more gear and a motorbike, hence we found a Mercedes Atego 4X4 that we fitted out with extra water, storage for our motorbike but the living part remained the same as per our Fuso. Our new website should be up and running in the next month with the new truck on display. For those interested in the progress of the new truck, just email me on outbush@westnet.com.au . or visit our website www.doubledutchworldsafari.com (this website is being updated and should be ready around the end of April 2013) or on facebook robert.vandenhoven@facebook.com
Our next journey starts in May this year and we will travel via the Ukraine-Russia-Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan-Turkmeinistan-Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Kyrgystan-Tibet-Nepal to India and Bangladesh.
Below I have included Stage 1 2010 of our World safari ( Borneo) which we did in a rental 4WD while our truck was shipped to South Africa from where we started Stage 2 of our World safari.
But first some comments and misconceptions about Africa:
As we travel alone People always come up to me and say: but Africa is so dangerous? My first response is: have you been there or do you get this information from others or internet? You will find that 99% of those have not been there either. I heard on US TV people stating that Africa is a country or that it never snows in Africa! Of the many so called “overlanders” most have never been outside their own continent or country. Did you know that Africa has 54 countries? Europe-USA-China-India and Japan all fit into Africa. In fact the USA would fit 3 times into Africa. Travelling in most parts of Africa is no more dangerous than in other parts of the world. Petty theft is probably the most common crime. However it happens to those who walk around like billboards. (showing jewelry-camera’s-cash and other expensive gear). Obviously you avoid areas where there is war or famine. Unfortunately for Africa bad news is news the media loves. Imagine if the media would hone in on all the muggings/robbery’s, car chases etc in Chicago-New York or LA, who would like to go there? Obviously you would not visit southern Sudan, Congo or Somalia at present. But this part is only a very small part of Africa. In places in Africa I felt a lot safer than walking in some of the major cities in Europe or the USA.
Africa has a huge history, from the rock-hewn churches of Ethiopia, Egyptian and Sudanese Pyramids, Tribes such as the Kalahari Bush Man in Botswana, the Mursi People in South West Ethiopia, to the Zulu People in South Africa and the Himba Tribe in Namibia. In southern Africa the wild life is amazing and national parks are second to one. Foreign Aid? Well we have our doubts about the results and the waste of money here. It appears to me that decisions are made by those who fly in and fly out, staying at 5 star properties at high cost. Corruption is the next big slice of expenditure. Just work out how much some of those people earn and add the cost of first class airfares etc. Having said this, there are people who do make a difference but this are the volunteers who donate time and make a difference in the communities. Not those who base themselves in Amsterdam-New York or Toronto.
Overlanding for 1 or more years is very different from your average Off Road weekend trip, or yearly holiday.
Stage One Borneo completed 2010
Borneo is one of the last remaining areas on earth where development for the sake of tourism has not destroyed the potential wonders of the area. The Borneo jungles contain some of the oldest undisturbed areas of rainforest in the world. Some of the best and most spectacular areas of rainforest have been incorporated into National Parks, which to some extent, are a good enough reason to make the effort to visit Borneo. In Sarawak, we travel up river by boat and watch the changing panorama of longhouses, forests, towns and farms to catch the essence of travelling in the Borneo of old. We drive to the various tribal areas. Borneo was the home of some of the last of the world’s headhunters. We do not have to worry as its 50 years since the last heads were taken by some members of the Iban tribes of Sarawak. Relics of the head-hunting days we still see and we stay overnight in some of the villages. We stayed overnight in a Longhouse - the original condominium or apartment block. The population of whole villages lives together in one long building which has separate living, eating and sleeping quarters. We enjoy a meal and a drink of rice wine with the local people while we get to know some of their culture. We visited the very rich sultan of Brunei. Nearly 70% of the land area is covered by unspoiled rainforest, which is home to many varieties of flora and fauna found only on the island of Borneo. A large proportion of the country's dense rainforest is situated in and around the Temburong district. Sabah is known for its sandy white beaches, clear water, beautiful corals and mountain peaks. Sabah is dominated by the mountains, and Sarawak is riddled by rivers.
AFRICA 2010
There are 54 countries in Africa each with numerous dialects, tribal groups, traditions, landscapes and wildlife species. Many people refer to Africa as if it is a country. It is a continent and includes 54 independent countries with South Sudan being the latest to join. Each has its own currency-national anthem-music-history-food-cultures- currency and language. In fact over 2000 languages are spoken in Africa and more than 1 billion people live in Africa. Africa is bigger than most of us think.
Along with its vast distances, unpredictable transport and quirky rules and regulations it can be a very daunting continent.
OUR JOURNEY STAGE 2
SOUTH AFRICA TO EUROPE COMPLETED 2010
Visit our website for photos and more details www.doubledutchworldsafari.com
For years we have been watching National Geographic and now we have ourselves discovered the beauty of Southern Africa! We Explored Kruger National Park, the Okavango Delta, climbed dunes in the Namibia Deserts. We visited Victoria Falls on both the Zambia and Zimbabwe side. In Zimbabwe we visited Mana Pools National Park, and Hwange National Park, hired a boat on Lake Kariba and visited the Zimbabwean Ruins. We camped at Lake Malawi, visited the gorillas in Rwanda, saw the big five at many locations, beach bummed in Mozambique, visited Zanzibar and Cape Agulhas the most southern point in Africa. We covered Ethiopia, the second most populous country in Africa. We saw many tribes but the most interesting were the Mursi people in the Omo Valley. We visited Lalibela with its magnificent rock hewn churches. We straddled the border with Somalia in the Afar region and we stayed in the medieval City of Harar. We visited Sudan, the largest, yet one of the least visited countries in Africa. Much of the Middle East and Africa has a reputation for warmth and hospitality but Sudan is in a league of its own, it was a joy to travel there. It is common to be invited to stay at someone's home and most rural Sudanese would never dream of eating in front of you without inviting you to join them. Talking the afternoon away over a glass or five of tea is a serious national ritual, which extends to dealings with officials. We left Africa via Port Sudan; in fact it was just south of Sudan and called Suakin. The ferry brought us overnight to the rich country of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is one of the most extraordinary and diverse destinations in the world. We only were able to get a 3 day transit visa but in those 3 days we experienced genuine Arabian hospitality, culture and tradition. This country we like to visit again. 2014 will be a possibility coming back from Oman. Jordan, another Middle East gem with images of the ancient Nabataean city of Petra, carved from the rock over a thousand years ago, has made an unforgettable impression as well as the remote desert canyons, immense and still. We explored splendid desert castles, spend a few nights at the haunting wilderness of Wadi Rum, floated in the Dead Sea, and spend a few days at the Red Sea coast. Syria like Jordan is very interesting and easy overland touring. Everywhere you go in Syria you will be amazed by some of the mosques and public bazaars (markets) with huge amounts of wonderful Roman and Byzantine ruins in addition to the Crusader castles and other monuments. Places such as Damascus, Palmyra, Bosra, Homs and Aleppo are just incredible. (it is such a shame that a lot of this culture is being destroyed at present).
Do the USA-China-India-Europe and Japan all fit into Africa? The USA alone will fit more than 3 times into Africa. With the media honing in on wars and revolutions it is no wonder that the myth about Africa being very dangerous is common. If Sydney, Amsterdam, Chicago, Berlin, Rome, Madrid or Moscow were judged by its news papers, you would not visit those places either. Obviously you do avoid certain countries and a beach holiday in Somalia or Libya at present is not the thing to do. But given the size of this continent there are many perfectly safe places to visit. Violent crimes against tourists are very rare and we felt safe in Africa camping out bush; in fact I would prefer to be in the middle of Africa then in the middle of Amsterdam at night. Did you know that South Africa is an incredible wealthy country? Its GDP is higher than Belgium and Sweden! Did you know that Egypt-Nigeria and Algeria are all richer on paper than Denmark and Norway? Like in the rest of the world, in Africa middle class people also commute to work every day and are not happy with paying tax. Did you know that millions watch their kids play soccer every weekend? We all know that millions of lives are lost in Africa not because the continent is infested with scary illnesses but due to lack of access to childhood immunization programs and basic health care. Africa has enormous history; Egypt with its monuments, Timbuktu (Mali), San Bushman in the Kalahari Desert, Lalibela and the rock hewn churches, unknown pyramids in Sudan, Leptus Magna in Libya, Cyrene in Libya, Stone Town ( Zanzibar) Slave tours-Robben Island and the Battle fields in South Africa for some recent history, Djenne in Mali, Dogon area in Mali, Fez and Marrakesh in Morocco, Aksum Steele in Ethiopia, Tobruk in Libya and the Zimbabwean Ruins in Zimbabwe just to name a few. Africa’s wild life is known the world over. Did you know you can see Rhino’s within 5 kilometers from the centre of Nairobi? However it is a myth to see wild life roaming in towns or on the streets. National Parks allow you to see them roam freely and there are plenty of them. South Africa is my favorite destination for wildlife viewing, not just from a scenery point of view, but more importantly from a cost point of view. Kenya and Tanzania have become so commercialized and so busy that the feeling of driving around in a big zoo has taken over. Mobile phones have really taken Africa by storm and you see tribes texting one another about issues and gatherings. Did you know that it snows in Africa? We have had snow in South Africa and Lesotho. West Africa is mostly hot, but southern and Northern Africa experience cold weather, frost as well as hot summers. Eastern Africa has a tropical climate with warm oceans, rainy and dry seasons.
For us Africa was a travel destination influenced by the chance of viewing wildlife. And there is no doubt that Africa is the ultimate continent for spotting game. But since we have now spend 2 years in Africa we will now say it is the people of Africa that are the center of our travel stories. More importantly after 2 years we know we will return to Africa spending money with the locals ensuring the money stays where it belongs.
The countries we visited during Stage 2 in 2010 were;
South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique, Botswana. Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi. Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Holland.
Once we crossed into Turkey the fuel went up to Euro 2.50 per liter!! We followed the Mediterranean coastline via Antalya and Bodrum which are the most popular “sun and sea” tourist destinations. The sandy beaches are splendid and the sea, especially at the Aegean coastline, is the most amazing. Turkey hosts the most archaeological sites in the world. Anatolia is the birthplace of many civilizations, empires, historic figures and legends. One of the oldest known human inhabited areas is in Çatalhöyük, Konya dating back to 6500 BC. Ephesus (Temple of Artemis), City of Troy, Cappadocia and the cave church of St.Peter are among some of the countless important sites to visit in Turkey. After Turkey we entered the EU and from there on no more difficult border crossings until Holland. (All EU countries, so no carnet or stamps or visa required)
Next Stage 3 Europe to West Africa 2011
Cheers
Robert and Clary Van Den Hoven . Website: www.doubledutchworldsafari.com Facebook: robert.vandenhoven@facebook.com Email: outbush@westnet.com.au
Hi All,
It has been a long journey, a very long journey, our journey of dreaming and our journey of planning. Eight years of dreaming and two years of planning. We commenced our journey in January 2010; the journey of our life.
We woke the morning of our departure and we had a strange feeling leaving our house, knowing we will not be back for at least nine months. It never changes, the rush of excitement we get every time we purchase a plane ticket, pack our bags and leave to explore unfamiliar territory. This time, it is even more special. That day it was the first day of a 10-year around the world adventure. We are planning to come home every year, leaving our truck at the place we are visiting at that time.
It is now just about Easter March 2013 and we have completed Stage 1-2-3-4 and 5 of our adventure and covered a distance of nearly 155,000km (almost enough to circumnavigate the globe twice at the equator). Sofar we have enjoyed every minute of it.
We visited 74 countries until the end of Stage 5. The world has so many breathtakingly beautiful places and during our around the world 4WD adventure, we have been very privileged to have experienced everything these countries have to offer. We were exposed to so many different cultures, scenery and beautiful people. For most part, the world we travelled so far is a remarkably kind and benevolent place. We'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who made Stage 1-2-3-4 and 5 of our 4WD adventure so fascinating and rewarding - from fellow travelers and gracious hosts in so many countries, to the myriad of locals who waved, smiled and welcomed us wherever we went; and to the 3617 friends, family and strangers who have followed our travels on-line and sent us emails of thanks and support. Thank you, we are grateful for the many ways in which you have enriched our journey! Our Mitsubishi Fuso FG 84 is now for sale and our new truck is ready to continue our around the world trip. The Fuso FG 84 4x4 being a light truck has done a perfect job as a 4WD truck in Africa and South East Asia (This is after we had lot of issues in the first part of our trip all modified by the truck experts in Europe in 2010) Why another truck? We really wanted to carry a bit more gear and a motorbike, hence we found a Mercedes Atego 4X4 that we fitted out with extra water, storage for our motorbike but the living part remained the same as per our Fuso. Our new website should be up and running in the next month with the new truck on display. For those interested in the progress of the new truck, just email me on outbush@westnet.com.au . or visit our website www.doubledutchworldsafari.com (this website is being updated and should be ready around the end of April 2013) or on facebook robert.vandenhoven@facebook.com
Our next journey starts in May this year and we will travel via the Ukraine-Russia-Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan-Turkmeinistan-Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Kyrgystan-Tibet-Nepal to India and Bangladesh.
Below I have included Stage 1 2010 of our World safari ( Borneo) which we did in a rental 4WD while our truck was shipped to South Africa from where we started Stage 2 of our World safari.
But first some comments and misconceptions about Africa:
As we travel alone People always come up to me and say: but Africa is so dangerous? My first response is: have you been there or do you get this information from others or internet? You will find that 99% of those have not been there either. I heard on US TV people stating that Africa is a country or that it never snows in Africa! Of the many so called “overlanders” most have never been outside their own continent or country. Did you know that Africa has 54 countries? Europe-USA-China-India and Japan all fit into Africa. In fact the USA would fit 3 times into Africa. Travelling in most parts of Africa is no more dangerous than in other parts of the world. Petty theft is probably the most common crime. However it happens to those who walk around like billboards. (showing jewelry-camera’s-cash and other expensive gear). Obviously you avoid areas where there is war or famine. Unfortunately for Africa bad news is news the media loves. Imagine if the media would hone in on all the muggings/robbery’s, car chases etc in Chicago-New York or LA, who would like to go there? Obviously you would not visit southern Sudan, Congo or Somalia at present. But this part is only a very small part of Africa. In places in Africa I felt a lot safer than walking in some of the major cities in Europe or the USA.
Africa has a huge history, from the rock-hewn churches of Ethiopia, Egyptian and Sudanese Pyramids, Tribes such as the Kalahari Bush Man in Botswana, the Mursi People in South West Ethiopia, to the Zulu People in South Africa and the Himba Tribe in Namibia. In southern Africa the wild life is amazing and national parks are second to one. Foreign Aid? Well we have our doubts about the results and the waste of money here. It appears to me that decisions are made by those who fly in and fly out, staying at 5 star properties at high cost. Corruption is the next big slice of expenditure. Just work out how much some of those people earn and add the cost of first class airfares etc. Having said this, there are people who do make a difference but this are the volunteers who donate time and make a difference in the communities. Not those who base themselves in Amsterdam-New York or Toronto.
Overlanding for 1 or more years is very different from your average Off Road weekend trip, or yearly holiday.
Stage One Borneo completed 2010
Borneo is one of the last remaining areas on earth where development for the sake of tourism has not destroyed the potential wonders of the area. The Borneo jungles contain some of the oldest undisturbed areas of rainforest in the world. Some of the best and most spectacular areas of rainforest have been incorporated into National Parks, which to some extent, are a good enough reason to make the effort to visit Borneo. In Sarawak, we travel up river by boat and watch the changing panorama of longhouses, forests, towns and farms to catch the essence of travelling in the Borneo of old. We drive to the various tribal areas. Borneo was the home of some of the last of the world’s headhunters. We do not have to worry as its 50 years since the last heads were taken by some members of the Iban tribes of Sarawak. Relics of the head-hunting days we still see and we stay overnight in some of the villages. We stayed overnight in a Longhouse - the original condominium or apartment block. The population of whole villages lives together in one long building which has separate living, eating and sleeping quarters. We enjoy a meal and a drink of rice wine with the local people while we get to know some of their culture. We visited the very rich sultan of Brunei. Nearly 70% of the land area is covered by unspoiled rainforest, which is home to many varieties of flora and fauna found only on the island of Borneo. A large proportion of the country's dense rainforest is situated in and around the Temburong district. Sabah is known for its sandy white beaches, clear water, beautiful corals and mountain peaks. Sabah is dominated by the mountains, and Sarawak is riddled by rivers.
AFRICA 2010
There are 54 countries in Africa each with numerous dialects, tribal groups, traditions, landscapes and wildlife species. Many people refer to Africa as if it is a country. It is a continent and includes 54 independent countries with South Sudan being the latest to join. Each has its own currency-national anthem-music-history-food-cultures- currency and language. In fact over 2000 languages are spoken in Africa and more than 1 billion people live in Africa. Africa is bigger than most of us think.
Along with its vast distances, unpredictable transport and quirky rules and regulations it can be a very daunting continent.
OUR JOURNEY STAGE 2
SOUTH AFRICA TO EUROPE COMPLETED 2010
Visit our website for photos and more details www.doubledutchworldsafari.com
For years we have been watching National Geographic and now we have ourselves discovered the beauty of Southern Africa! We Explored Kruger National Park, the Okavango Delta, climbed dunes in the Namibia Deserts. We visited Victoria Falls on both the Zambia and Zimbabwe side. In Zimbabwe we visited Mana Pools National Park, and Hwange National Park, hired a boat on Lake Kariba and visited the Zimbabwean Ruins. We camped at Lake Malawi, visited the gorillas in Rwanda, saw the big five at many locations, beach bummed in Mozambique, visited Zanzibar and Cape Agulhas the most southern point in Africa. We covered Ethiopia, the second most populous country in Africa. We saw many tribes but the most interesting were the Mursi people in the Omo Valley. We visited Lalibela with its magnificent rock hewn churches. We straddled the border with Somalia in the Afar region and we stayed in the medieval City of Harar. We visited Sudan, the largest, yet one of the least visited countries in Africa. Much of the Middle East and Africa has a reputation for warmth and hospitality but Sudan is in a league of its own, it was a joy to travel there. It is common to be invited to stay at someone's home and most rural Sudanese would never dream of eating in front of you without inviting you to join them. Talking the afternoon away over a glass or five of tea is a serious national ritual, which extends to dealings with officials. We left Africa via Port Sudan; in fact it was just south of Sudan and called Suakin. The ferry brought us overnight to the rich country of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is one of the most extraordinary and diverse destinations in the world. We only were able to get a 3 day transit visa but in those 3 days we experienced genuine Arabian hospitality, culture and tradition. This country we like to visit again. 2014 will be a possibility coming back from Oman. Jordan, another Middle East gem with images of the ancient Nabataean city of Petra, carved from the rock over a thousand years ago, has made an unforgettable impression as well as the remote desert canyons, immense and still. We explored splendid desert castles, spend a few nights at the haunting wilderness of Wadi Rum, floated in the Dead Sea, and spend a few days at the Red Sea coast. Syria like Jordan is very interesting and easy overland touring. Everywhere you go in Syria you will be amazed by some of the mosques and public bazaars (markets) with huge amounts of wonderful Roman and Byzantine ruins in addition to the Crusader castles and other monuments. Places such as Damascus, Palmyra, Bosra, Homs and Aleppo are just incredible. (it is such a shame that a lot of this culture is being destroyed at present).
Do the USA-China-India-Europe and Japan all fit into Africa? The USA alone will fit more than 3 times into Africa. With the media honing in on wars and revolutions it is no wonder that the myth about Africa being very dangerous is common. If Sydney, Amsterdam, Chicago, Berlin, Rome, Madrid or Moscow were judged by its news papers, you would not visit those places either. Obviously you do avoid certain countries and a beach holiday in Somalia or Libya at present is not the thing to do. But given the size of this continent there are many perfectly safe places to visit. Violent crimes against tourists are very rare and we felt safe in Africa camping out bush; in fact I would prefer to be in the middle of Africa then in the middle of Amsterdam at night. Did you know that South Africa is an incredible wealthy country? Its GDP is higher than Belgium and Sweden! Did you know that Egypt-Nigeria and Algeria are all richer on paper than Denmark and Norway? Like in the rest of the world, in Africa middle class people also commute to work every day and are not happy with paying tax. Did you know that millions watch their kids play soccer every weekend? We all know that millions of lives are lost in Africa not because the continent is infested with scary illnesses but due to lack of access to childhood immunization programs and basic health care. Africa has enormous history; Egypt with its monuments, Timbuktu (Mali), San Bushman in the Kalahari Desert, Lalibela and the rock hewn churches, unknown pyramids in Sudan, Leptus Magna in Libya, Cyrene in Libya, Stone Town ( Zanzibar) Slave tours-Robben Island and the Battle fields in South Africa for some recent history, Djenne in Mali, Dogon area in Mali, Fez and Marrakesh in Morocco, Aksum Steele in Ethiopia, Tobruk in Libya and the Zimbabwean Ruins in Zimbabwe just to name a few. Africa’s wild life is known the world over. Did you know you can see Rhino’s within 5 kilometers from the centre of Nairobi? However it is a myth to see wild life roaming in towns or on the streets. National Parks allow you to see them roam freely and there are plenty of them. South Africa is my favorite destination for wildlife viewing, not just from a scenery point of view, but more importantly from a cost point of view. Kenya and Tanzania have become so commercialized and so busy that the feeling of driving around in a big zoo has taken over. Mobile phones have really taken Africa by storm and you see tribes texting one another about issues and gatherings. Did you know that it snows in Africa? We have had snow in South Africa and Lesotho. West Africa is mostly hot, but southern and Northern Africa experience cold weather, frost as well as hot summers. Eastern Africa has a tropical climate with warm oceans, rainy and dry seasons.
For us Africa was a travel destination influenced by the chance of viewing wildlife. And there is no doubt that Africa is the ultimate continent for spotting game. But since we have now spend 2 years in Africa we will now say it is the people of Africa that are the center of our travel stories. More importantly after 2 years we know we will return to Africa spending money with the locals ensuring the money stays where it belongs.
The countries we visited during Stage 2 in 2010 were;
South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique, Botswana. Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi. Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Holland.
Once we crossed into Turkey the fuel went up to Euro 2.50 per liter!! We followed the Mediterranean coastline via Antalya and Bodrum which are the most popular “sun and sea” tourist destinations. The sandy beaches are splendid and the sea, especially at the Aegean coastline, is the most amazing. Turkey hosts the most archaeological sites in the world. Anatolia is the birthplace of many civilizations, empires, historic figures and legends. One of the oldest known human inhabited areas is in Çatalhöyük, Konya dating back to 6500 BC. Ephesus (Temple of Artemis), City of Troy, Cappadocia and the cave church of St.Peter are among some of the countless important sites to visit in Turkey. After Turkey we entered the EU and from there on no more difficult border crossings until Holland. (All EU countries, so no carnet or stamps or visa required)
Next Stage 3 Europe to West Africa 2011
Cheers
Robert and Clary Van Den Hoven . Website: www.doubledutchworldsafari.com Facebook: robert.vandenhoven@facebook.com Email: outbush@westnet.com.au