“The heart and soul of this ancient city is the medina, a bona fide labyrinth of some 9,000 streets and alleyways. Within its fortifed walls is a hive of markets and makers, artisans sewing bright fabrics or hammering elaborate silverware. Women in hijabs pluck the choicest figs from a well-stocked cart, and wide-eyed cats wait…
“We spent a couple of days in Arrowtown, a welcome distance from the summer crowds of nearby Queenstown. Retaining its gold-rush charm, the main street is a cluster of heritage-style shops and original miners’ cottages, making it easy to imagine the lives of families who emigrated here to make their fortune panning the Arrow River…
“It’s the car that distinguishes the Great American Road Trip from all other journeys — here, what you drive has as much significance as where you’re driving. It was surprisingly easy to acquire our shiny black Mustang; most rental car companies now accommodate this need for recreational scene-setting. One of my travelling companions, The Driver, turned…
“Hotel Budir is a perfect example of the fact that even in a country so extreme, there is opportunity. It’s about being creative with whatever is available. “We always try to think, what can we do that’s a little bit different?” Jóhannes explains. “What can we take and make our own?””
TREK & MOUNTAIN: “While Mohammad fell asleep by the fire, wrapped in his djellaba, Mbarek prepared a tajine. He apologised to us, embarrassed about the camels. “Pas de problem,” we said. “C’est la vie!” Spirits high again, the guitar was played and we took turns to concoct silly songs about missing camels. We didn’t bother erecting…
