| ABOUT
THIS TRAVEL
Iraq-
Syria
18 days, April- May 07
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WHICH
ARE THE KURDISH BORDERS??
Kurdistan is not a state but a nation, hence not identified
by official borders but it refers to the area where the
Kurdish ethnic group lives. Kurdistan is mainly in the
south- east of Turkey and north of Iraq, but Iran and
Syria are interested as well. The typical question:
Are Kirkuk and Mosul in Kurdistan?
At the time of writting (May07) the answer is NO, but
the Kurdish unofficial border brushes both the town for
30km.
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Kurdistan
map
click on to enlarge
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When:
20th April- 08th May, 2007
How I moved: buses and shared
taxis are the rule, since neither trains nor domestic flights
inside Kurdistan are operative. Private taxis are quite expensive
and often the only choice (if you want to bypass Mosul or Kirkuk);
anyway they get affordable if you can share with travel-mates.
Freezing
or baking?: wonderful temperature in April- May when
a sweater is enough. In winter it gets below zero (no heating
in the hotels!) while in summer it's a furnace. Anyway the mountains
can be a fresh relief!
Where
I slept: cheap accommodations ranging from 10$ ot 20$:
dull and basic rooms with shared bathroom, but furnished with
TV and satellite, funny isn't? In some towns just one hotel,
but likely you'll be the only one guest
What
I liked: the people and their hospitality; it's truly
great! To breath the Kurdish pride and see Kurdistan in a unique
moment in his history. I loved the non-existing bribery.
What I disliked:
what is a hassle is at the same time vital for the stability
of Kurdistan and for your safety: I mean check points and questioning
wherever you are (read
the story). We can't blame them though. The worst was the
iraqi-turkish border crossing: four bloody hours!
How much
daily: Iraqi Kurdistan is not for free!. Accommodations
are around 15$, eating is a cheap stuff, but transportation
can take most of your budget (Dohuk-Erbil 13$). At the end it
turned out hard to live with less than 45$.
Dangers/
hassles: at the time of writing
inside Kurdistan it was relatively safe, while Mosul and Kikuk
were off-limits: take into account you are likely to pass through
or very near them.. Things change quickly up there, so keep
updated (LP
thorn tree iraqi section) and travelling outside the Kurdish
region it's a quick way to commit suicide.
What
to bring: your passport always with you and
firm nerves when passing around Mosul. Awareness of where you
are, where you can go, and where you CANNOT GO!!
Print out the
info I collected travelling and in the net!
THE
TRAVEL IN IRAQ
I flew directly from Wien to Erbil, the
capital of the Iraqi Kurdistan. The flight was by Austrian Airlines,
but since the end of August 2007 it doesn't operate anymore.
Outside Erbil airport a brand new German bus took me for free
till the first checkpoint (around 2km). Here I agreed a lift
by car to the 15km further city centre. In Erbil I felt at ease
and, while hanging around, I got acquainted quite soon with
a Kurdish guy. Together we visited the citadel, the parks, the
bazaar and finally he invited me at his house for dinner.
After few days I headed south to Sulaimaniyah by minibus (4h).
Here, after visiting the bazaars, I arranged with a taxi driver
a trip to the Gosha mountain for a great view of the town.
From Sulaimaniyah it took the whole day (and at least
15 checkpoints) by minibus to reach the nice Gully Ali Beg waterfalls
in the Zagros mountains along the Iranian border. Here the road
enters a several km long narrow gorge whose bottom flows a turbulent
river. I spent the overnight in Dyanah, where, when the soldiers
came in the hotel to take me to the police station, I had the
feeling that travellers weren't a daily stuff here. (read
the story).
Next leg was the multiethnic Dohuk: a very safe and nice
town (visit the dam!) near the Turkish border, a kind of hub
for the trade between Turkey and Iraq. Further I did a daytrip
in the green mountains to visit the village of Amadiyah. Again
I ended up at the police station to be questioned :-)
By a mix of taxi, minibus and bus I reached the tourist well-known
town of Mardin in Turkey, passing the awful border point
that took 4 long hours. In Mardin I almost felt at home, since
I saw the first western tourist from the beginning of the travel.
[In Syria]
Alby
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