Definition of forum: a public meeting place for open discussion.

Open discussion Wayne is not bickering.

Mezo.

North Iraq / Autonomous Region Kurdistan has its own government, own parliament, own constitution, own police force, own military (the peshmerga), own flag, own hymn, own passport stamp, own visa regime, own diplomatic missions (in 13 countries plus the EU) and - most importantly - their own oil wells, even plenty of them. Between 1991 and 2003 they had their own currency.


It is f...... great to travel in a Cayenne, best 4x4 ever, but I travel in all sorts of cars all the time. Crossed the Pamir in a Tajik Ssangyong Musso, and West Africa in a Gambian 1.500€ Nissan Patrol, and Stalin's Dead Road in a Russian UAZ. All on my blog.

If there wasn't this deep social envy thing on the HUBB, I'd tell a trick how anyone can drive a Cayenne / Range / Mercedes ML around the planet, not pay tax, and make money with it. But hey, sorry ...

Yes, CD- or in our case CC-plates are really useful at borders (driving time from Salzburg to Batumi: 26 hours), but only if you can back it up with a diplomatic passport. Of course anyone could do this, but few people do ...

And thanks again for your post about entering North Iraq from Iran ( http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...der-iran-60055). That motivated me to take that route :-)

:rofl:

Based on the most recent unhelpful comment (deleted as it serves no useful purpose other than to demonstrate the ignorance of the poster) this thread appears to have run it's course. Hence it'll be closed until if/when the site owner deems it appropriate to re-open it.

I try to stick to the mantra: Nothing useful to say, then say nothing. Could the guilty party follow the same advice please?

Thanks.

Unlocked again...

travelbug
 

anyone know how to get a hold of travelbug? looks like he's been banned and i have some questions for him?

Why did he get banned?

I did think some of his posts in there wording were arrogant in nature (not sure if that's the right word as i am just a commoner) but everyone is different and has different views and opinions

No one gets paid to spend there time contributing to this travel forum and the information posted on here from experienced travelers like travel-bug makes it the best place for up to date information.

I understand this forum has rules but if banning someone like travel-bug who has inputted alot to this forum and has a deep wealth of knowledge due to traveling to "non tourtist" type areas due to a mod not agreeing with a post then i don't feel that's right and its a big loss to the Hubb :funmeterno:

Well at least we still got lonely planet and CNN doh

Why somebody gets banned isn't a topic that will ever be discussed on a reputable open forum like the hubb. And when this question pops up, it's worth pointing out that the really offensive material has already been removed, so what's left by the poster looks innocuous.

Just to stress that all bans by mods have to be okayed by the site owners. In this case the site owners did the banning, not any mod.

Mods aren't paid anything either. The hubb is a community where it's appreciated if people are respectful towards each other.

Could this thread now please return to the topic of travel in Iraq?

There are Christian groups that frequent and live in these areas,try to contact them,many can be found at the refugee camps outside the areas and give you info as you need .

If they are the same questions which you have asked in this thread:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...910#post491070

Then I have answered them for you.

Iraq situation
 

We are currently in Dohuk and have come from Erbil last week. Locals are are bit on edge but life goes on as usual. Skirt around Mosul thru the mountains and have a great ride. The U.S. have of course over dramatised the situation and we are just as likely to be at risk in any large western city .