  Lebanon
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 2894 Lebanon Tips.4610 Lebanon Photos.0 Lebanon Videos. Lebanon Pages by coceng
 coceng's Lebanon Travelogues | | | |
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| Page Views: 225 Last Visit to Lebanon: April, 2005 | How It All Started ! by coceng - last update: May 15, 2005 |
The Original 2 Countries :
JORDAN
EGYPT
Yep ! It's likely that I would be going to Jordan & Egypt next year ! (At the time of writing this, it was still 2004...)
What Arnaud !? No more Europe !? (smirk)...
Well, it's something new for me ! The world is a vast place right ? I want to see everything...(smile)
Reading about these 2 countries as I'm writing this...
I need a visa for Jordan (this is new to me...) & I could stay for 15 days only in Egypt...( and this is new to me too !).
It's not WHY I want to go there ! It's so obvious...The Ancient City of Petra; The Pyramids; The deserts...the oasis etc etc.
BUT is it SAFE to go there !?
Coming from another Islamic country (Malaysia) doesn't guarantee me a safe journey around Egypt !
Not looking like a male Caucasian doesn't mean Egyptians won't be staring at me !
Read about the tourists massacre in '97; Read about the violence around The Nile Valley; Read about the 'police escorts' in & around some places...Read so much about these 'cautious' things already...
That really makes me can't wait to reach there !
Anyway, still too early in my planning...
I keep you guys,... POSTED !
3rd September 2004 : Went to the travel agent; Asking for open-jaw ticket - flying to Amman & back from Cairo. The best suggestion is fly by JordanAir, to Amman...Qatar Airways from Cairo to Amman & JordanAir back to KL...Roughly USD 600 !
I might stick with these routes if I couldn't find other alternatives...
10th October 2004 : Started to buy guidebooks on Egypt & Jordan; Planned the itineraries attentively...
1st November 2004 : I found something ! Another country that I want to see ! ISRAEL !
Sadly as a Malaysian, I am prohibited from entering Israel...This is printed on all Malaysian passport holders.
Started to ask my travel agent; Also asked as many travel agents as possible around KL. They all said it's possible that i could enter...
Started to tell some friends about me going to Israel ! They all collectively said, "Are you CRAZY ?!"
I said, "Maybe..."
Yet...I am still doing research on this 'prohibited' trip !
A VT member even asked me to lie about my religion just so that I could enter her country ! No way madam ! I am proud of my religion !
15th December 2004 :
Good news for me in trying to enter Israel ! Some travel agencies here can help me in obtaining visa, via their connections in Amman, Jordan. Hhmm, looks really promising ! Wonder what it would be like in Israel !
Started to write to some Israelites, on VT & also get in touch with people living in Israel on other sites...They could see me ! They could show me around !
27th January 2005 : I am in touch with some trusted people around Jordan, Egypt & israel...Chatting with them about my plan.
I even made a call to somebody in Israel just to prove that I can ! Really nice talking with you Avraham !
Unfortunately, this 'secret' plan of me visiting Israel has been exposed by a VT member !
I didn't know about this until a few VT members forwarded me the forum...I wrote to that person about the forum question & I just didn't even bother to even open & read his reply !
I was pi**ed !
29th January 2005 :
I decided that I don't want to enter Israel after all...Why ? Figure that out yourself !
Sorry to all people that I had made plans with...hopefully I'll see you guys in Israel one day !...BUT errr, Pedro, if you are reading this, our plan is still ON, okay !
19th February 2005 :
Walking in front of my travel agency, I could see people were asking about the new prices of MALAYSIAN AIRLINE TRAVEL FAIR !
I walked by...thinking that my plan with JordanAir & Qatar Airways are just perfect... |
20th February 2005 :
I went to see my travel agent at 10 am & seriously talked with him. He suggested that i should fly into Beirut (Lebanon) & from there find my way to Jordan & Egypt !
My mind just clicked ! I had something in my brain !
I asked how much if flying 'open-jaw' to Beirut & out from Cairo ? He said less than USD 500 !
I said, "BOOK ME !"
Came back home, I started to plan : Flying to Beirut, cross over to Damascus, then down to Amman, ferry crossing in reaching Cairo !
VOILA !THE 4 COUNTRIES FOR THIS TRIP TO THE MIDDLE EAST WILL BE :
LEBANON
SYRIA
JORDAN
EGYPT 28th February 2005 :
My 'leaves' were approved by my boss although sarcastically she asked me very nicely, "Why not taking 2 months, my dear ?"
I didn't answer I just smiled...
2nd March 2005 :
I collected my flight ticket...
14 March 2005 :
I got my visas to Lebanon & Jordan : For Syria, the consulate issued me a letter confirming me that I do not need a visa to enter Syria for 2 weeks' stay; For Egypt, I do not need a visa for staying up to 2 weeks' stay...
4th April 2005 : Went to the airport & took my flight to Beirut ! Please click...
MY JOURNEY STARTED... |
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 Comments for coceng about Lebanon | | | | |
magor65 Thu Nov 24, 2005 12:19 UTC
Lebanon and other countries of the Middle East are on my wish list. I visited Israel a couple of months ago and hope for more. | stappm Wed Jul 6, 2005 05:14 UTC
Great Page - I cannot wait to get to Lebanon! thanks for the tips! | matcrazy1 Fri Jul 1, 2005 14:12 UTC
Good job! Nice pictures, good suggestions and very good warning tips :-) |
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