For the past few weeks, headlines all over the world have been dominated by the so-called Arab Revolution, a wave of anti-government protests across the Middle East. I'm living in the Ethiopian Muslim community of Harar and locals here are absorbed in the events. Sitting in ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Ethiopia
The Arab revolution: the reaction of one Muslim community
For the past few weeks, headlines all over the world have been dominated by the so-called Arab Revolution, a wave of anti-government protests across the Middle East. I'm living in the Ethiopian Muslim community of Harar and locals here are absorbed in the events. Sitting in ...Harar tour: a walk around one of Africa's most unique cities
After a few days in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa and a long Ethiopian bus trip, I've made it to Harar, my home for the next two months. I'll be exploring the culture and history of this unique city and making road trips to nearby points of interest.
Harar is a medieval ...Getting to Harar: riding the bus through eastern Ethiopia
It's good to be back in Ethiopia again.
I've noticed some changes since my last trip to Ethiopia. More high-rises are going up in the capital Addis Ababa and ATMs have finally appeared. The Internet is faster too, although it isn't the full broadband promised by the ...Top five sights of Ethiopia: traditional tribes, rock-hewn churches, and medieval castles
As I mentioned on Monday, I'm moving to Harar, Ethiopia, for two months to explore the ancient and unique culture in that medieval walled city. Before settling in, I thought I'd share some of the most popular places to visit in the country. Many of them were covered in my ...Harar, Ethiopia: Two months in Africa's City of Saints
What makes an adventure traveler return to a place he's been before? When so many other destinations beckon, why spend two months in a town you've already seen?
Because there's so much more to see. Harar, in eastern Ethiopia between the lush central highlands and the ...Delta airlines puts elderly woman on wrong flight due to boarding pass mix-up
In a Top 10 of phone calls you probably don't want to receive from an airport official: "Your grandmother was found in baggage claim."
Eighty-year-old Nefissa Yesuf's Sunday Atlanta to Dulles flight didn't go quite as planned. CNN reports that airline and airport staff ...Top five travel gadgets NOT to take on your next trip (and what to pack instead)
I'm in the throes of packing for a two-month journey to Ethiopia. I try to pack light, other than the inevitable pile of books. While some tech freaks pack a lot of travel gadgets, I find these to be more of a hindrance than a help. Here are five things that you might want ...Books! Travelers share what to read on the road
There's nothing like a trip for catching up on your reading. Even if you've filled your schedule with dawn-to-dusk sightseeing, there are still quiet moments at the hotel or by the pool, not to mention those long flights. So what's best to read while traveling? On Saturday ...The burqa and niqab: can travelers get used to anything? Should they?
Travel broadens the mind, at least for most people. As we explore different cultures and beliefs we see that for the most part they're OK. While there are always local customs we just can't follow, in general the more we travel, the more accepting we become.
But how ...Traveling from Africa's lowest to highest point
Traveling through Africa is always an adventure, but a British man, fresh from a stint in the Peace Corps, has found a way to add even more excitement to a journey through the wildest continent on Earth.
Last week, Kyle Henning set out on a journey that he has dubbed as ...Axum Tej: Ethiopian honey wine comes to the U.S.
Ethiopian food is getting better known in the West. With its interesting blend of spices and unique ingredients such as teff, a nutritious grain, there's a lot going for it. What isn't so well known, however, is tej, the Ethiopian honey wine.
While tej is available by ...Ten Great Adventure Travel Destinations For 2011
With another holiday season behind us at last, it is time to start looking to the year ahead and firming up our travel plans. If you haven't already made your preparations for 2011, and you're looking for something a bit more adventurous this year, then perhaps we can ...Gadling's 2011 New Year's travel resolutions
It's that time of year again. A time when we all make certain promises to ourselves, in an attempt to make our lives more organized, our bodies stronger or leaner. We vow to spend more time with loved ones, give back to others, or ditch that cubicle job. And some of ...My year in adventure travel: a look back and a look forward
Happy Boxing Day everybody! As I sit here stuffed with my mother-in-law's cooking after a traditional Spanish Christmas, I'm thinking back on all my travels in 2010 and looking forward to 2011. One of the best parts about my travel year has been sharing it all with you. I ...Ethiopian Jesus
It's Christmas, when the Christian world celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. The Muslim world celebrates too because in Islam Jesus is considered a prophet.
Christianity has spread all over the world. One of the best things about travel is the different world views it ...Gadling's favorite destinations for 2011
We travel a lot, to destinations both well-known and unfamiliar. In our defense, it is our job to travel like mad, to explore the world and then write about our discoveries.
Though most travel writers find something or other of interest in most places we visit, there ...Adventure travel meets faith: cycling to Mecca for the Hajj
Two Muslims from South Africa mixed adventure travel and spirituality this year by cycling to Mecca for the Hajj. Natheem Cairncross, 28 and Imtiyaz Haron, 25, cycled through South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Turkey, Syria and Jordan. ...Ethiopia tops list of African nations improving quality of life
Ethiopia suffers from a bad image thanks to the war and famine of the 1980s. As my series on travel in Ethiopia showed, however, this is a land of friendly people, beautiful nature, and fascinating historic sites. Infrastructure is slowly improving and the Ethiopians are ...Archaeological discovery reveals China's link to Africa
A Chinese and Kenyan archaeological team has discovered evidence that Chinese traders visited Kenya in the 15th century. A coin minted between 1403 and 1424 and a sherd of porcelain dating to the early Ming dynasty were found in the remains of a village. The excavation by ...Khat: the legal high of East Africa
East Africa is addicted to leaves.
Khat (also pronounced "chat" or "qat") is a leafy shrub found in the mountainous areas of East Africa. It's a major cash crop for Ethiopia and a popular high in the whole region. For the Somalis, as well as the Hararis in Ethiopia, it's ...
