Thanks Julıan and Alex and Peter

Will see how it is looking on the ground around mid May. Should be ok. Julian / Alex where are you heading??
Cheers
Adastra

Hi Dicky,
Sorry chánged plans a bit and decided to go back to Capadocia for a couple of days. I struggled to let you know as i had not earned enough posts to send you a direct reply. Hope i make another journey into southern Turkey and make a visit in the future so thanks again for your kind offer.

Julian

we have come back up through cental turkey, try and get to Capadocia, to Istanbul then Serbia, Hungary and now in Austria. Syria seems so far away but so worth it. The people are lovely and the genuine way we were treated is what bike travel is all about. Probably would have been better if we had made Homs our base. Aleppo great but we had to ride many miles each day to visit the sights.

It's nice to hear people having great time in places were western authorities try to make us avoid such trips. And I'm one of those who changed their mind, well it was also a money issue with the carnet, and will end up travelling west rather than east.

We'll be excpecting your ride reports and pictures, travel safe

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Hi Julian,

Thanks for letting me know. Sounds as though you had a great trip. Safe onward travels.

Cheers,

Dicky

Hi Julianww,
as i understand you are currently in Austria. If you are in Vienna right now send me a PM and we can meet for a or so. I'm going to Greece, Turkey and possibly Syria on the second of May. My Journey will last for three months.

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Hi to all,
here is a travel advice for Syria issued by the British and Foreign Commonwealth Office dated 04.25.2011

We advise against all travel to the Syrian Arab Republic. This is because of increasingly violent disturbances in urban centres across the country, including the capital Damascus, and reports of live gunfire by security forces resulting in an increasing number of deaths. In light of the deteriorating security situation, British nationals in Syria who have no pressing need to remain should leave now by commercial means.

British Nationals who choose to remain in Syria or visit against our advice should be aware that it is highly unlikely that the British Embassy will be able to provide a normal consular service in the event of a further breakdown in law and order and increased violent civil disorder. British nationals should therefore plan accordingly.
It is likely that road networks may be blocked during disturbances or demonstrations. In recent days several major highways including Tartous-Latakia, Latakia-Aleppo, Homs-Aleppo and Damascus-Jordan have been temporarily closed because of demonstrations or disturbances. There has also been an increase in the number of security force checkpoints on major road routes.

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Lobster09

Fresh from TV BBC world news less than an hour ago, the land borders have been closed..!

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Geoffshing

'Security is a product of one's own imagination, it does not exist in nature as a rule, life is either a daring adventure or nothing.'

Bummer...looks like Syira is off the travel plans thanks for the update though.

Just hope it doesn't spread to Iran. I'll visit there first and then see what's happening.

Lobster09 was faster than me. Reports in Greece also mention the land borders closing from all sides plus there's lack of electricity and communication possibilities.

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Hey you HUBB-ers,

In Syria now, and situation very very confusing. So far I've stayed here for about a week and no problems whatsoever. Beautiful country, perfect riding and the people I've met were really some friendliest ever.

Unfortunately, the situation is quite unpredictable nowadays. Land border with Jordan seems to be closed as off today (all hear say though); other borders I'm not sure. Cannot really imagine that the border with Turkey is closed, as I haven't heard of problems close to there. Big cities close to Lebanon seem to have problems. Tourists from several countries have been advised by their embassies to leave the country as soon as possible. But being here, it's actually quite impossible to get any info that feels reliable.

Anyway, I'm off to Crac de Chevalier and as long as the land border with Jordan is closed off I'll stick it out in the ever-so-quiet Lebanon.

If your here or in Lebanon, give a shoutout, and we'll swap stories.

Enjoy!

Oh uhm, based on all of the people I've spoken to the city of Homs is a no go for now. Taxi drivers for backpackers will avoid it at all costs, taking detours through the mountains.

Hama: some say it's safe others say it isn't.
Damascus - old city: some say it's safe others say it isn't.
Pick as you like.


Oh, and just so you know: (limited) popular belief has it that all problems are instigated by the Lebanese and -of course- the Americans.........


Enjoy!
S.

Turkish boarder gates are open,trucks and busses going in and out Syria.
Local people hate Americans,French and Jewish. As most protestors ride bikes,
its forbidden to ride in the big cities and all bikes are tightly under police control and checkings.
No warning done yet by Ministry of Turkish Foreign Affairs to the rescue teams.
If you are still in Syria and goes worst, better keep yourself in small towns close to Turkish bordergates for more safety.

Best wishes
m.zeki avar

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Mehmet Zeki Avar
''Borderlines divide countries,HU friendship finds a way to reunited"
https://www.facebook.com/mehmet.avar.12?ref=tn_tnmn

Well, uhm yeah, it's me again.
Met a Scottish cyclist today and he told me he had stayed the night in Homs and it was rather quiet there now, not even tense.
So I went and will stay in Homs tonight and can confirm that it's not that quiet, but not tense either. It's kinda bizar.
I have not had any problems at the check points, there was a check point as I entered the city, and no fuss about me being on the bike. The only times I've been stopped, was because they wanted to see (and admire) the bike. I guess things are all different when you're (clearly) a tourist. Local bike riders... indeed, I don't think I've seen (m)any today here in town.

So, if you're planning on coming to Syria... Small towns are probably not a problem, but DO stop when someone ask you to. Bigger towns/cities: stay informed and be very careful on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Now, I don't want come across as the naive idiot, but for tourists it still appears to be quite okay. I will definitely be staying for a couple of days, no worries!

Enjoy!

It's turning ugly - seriously not recommended.

Amongst others:
BBC News - Syria: Can Assad defeat the protesters?

The risk is if the military really do decide to close down the country, then you could get trapped behind exclusion zones and closed borders.

Also consider what might happen as people accumulate at the borders. Prepared to spend days/weeks camped at a border crossing?

Ah well, for me SY and JD are off the itinerary. Time for Plan B!