Solo Overland Travel And Transit

South America : Africa : Middle East : Asia 

Within all the interior regions of Africa, South America and Asia, there's always some form of bush transport available. If there's a dirt track that a set of wheels can drive on, then locals will definitely use it to their best advantage. Climbing on the back of trucks, bush buses, or being squashed up into vans becomes a normal day occurrence in transit. It's the same with river or lake transport that has enough water to float a boat downstream - always packed over the limit, ready to sail. Some local transportation may appear to be totally outright dangerous within Western eyes, but certainly not the case to locals that use it every day.
​There are times that the risk factor multiplies, but then if it's the only available transport, it could be a long wait until something else comes along. Highway carnage, accidents, breakdowns, blown out tyres and engine failures are all a part of the solo overland travel experience using local transport-Hey, welcome to the real world of solo overland travel. ​

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So many today have the habit of jumping on quick flights in countries to reach destinations within the same country. The obvious reasons for doing so equates it to either having short limited travel schedules, or avoiding the hassles of using local overland transportation. This is where it defines those who are actual vivid overland travellers, or being half-pie wannabes that haven't the courage or esteem to motivate themselves, even if they were inside a used paper bag trying to find a way out. We all know Western beach party goers commonly use selective air travel from one safe zone to another safe zone, avoiding any type of overland travel as much as possible. Colombia, Senegal and India are classic examples of this.
Those who want to call themselves real overland travellers won't take internal flights. They will travel and transit overland through thick and thin, completing their journeys, no matter how long it takes!

Overland transit routes through continents rarely change, although today within various regions, volatile skirmishes, terrorism, Islamic insurgency, drug smuggling, and increased banditry has created an array of Red Zones scattered across the African continent. South America has always had its own reputation and history of lawlessness, These regions may or may not be advisable routes to transit through. This will depend on timing, available transportation, and the overall safety levels and risk factors involved. Getting fresh information crossing through Red Zones is only by being close to these regions. Gathering the latest information from locals who have first hand knowledge is always recommended. Definitely not inside the covers of any one year old lonely planet book - containing outdated information, and certainly not from couch potato travel bloggers relaxing on beaches sipping Pina Coladas, who have zero capabilities of doing the hard yards. Most "travel bloggers" have no intentions of travelling through untamed territories on their own. The most important thing to understand, is that, Red Zones don't stay in the same area. Red Zones multiply, spread, move around, regroup, and overtake territories that may have been once labelled as safe zones. Taking anything for granted outside "safe zones" will most certainly scare the crap out of many, when least expected at a moments notice without warning. Take my advice seriously if you want to survive unscathed, and to leave continents with all the baggage contents one came with. 
​For the latest updates on earthquakes, volcanic activity and weather conditions these 3 active links will keep you informed anywhere on the planet.

  Stuck on a Crossroad - Going it Alone - It's A Personal Choice

​From the southern Pacific, there's no way out, but to use long haul flights reaching Africa, South America or Asia. Once arriving into any continent, jumping on internal flights within the continents is definitely out in the cold - unless it’s a full on war or a dangerous Red Zone region. Africa, South America and Asia all contain roads and tracks to reach from one point to another. Jumping on anything with wheels on it heading in my direction will do the job. At times, it can take days on end to grab lifts, or become stuck within remote isolated regions. Transiting on board worn out bush-buses, trucks, thrashed 4x4’s, listing slow boats, or in beat-up nomadic desert sand taxis becomes very normal. Over crowded transport, blown engines, breakdowns and road blocks is a part of any rugged overland journey. Forget about time schedules - who's in a rush anyway?

As a westerner, it's as though time's lost when the clock’s ticking waiting for a lift somewhere well of the grid in isolated regions, but then has it? Some of the most amazing experiences while transiting are all those periods twiddling the thumbs waiting for a ride. It's here at the crossroads en-route in the middle of nowhere, where locals gather chit chatting among themselves. It's the aromas of chai, the smell of coffee, the swirls of bull dust, the noise and intrusions, thirsty mosquitoes and fly blown meat, women openly breast feeding, and fully charged children asking endless questions without shyness. This is where one has no acceptations, only the enjoyment of chilling with the company of locals. These are the moments that are never forgotten transiting through countries across continents. One becomes accustomed to living out of the box well away from comfy tourist zones, which at times may feel hostile or unadaptable to some. In these types of isolated environments you don’t have a choice anyway. The above scenarios don't hit home, or have little value until returning back to Western civilisation.

There are plenty of overland travel companies operating different package tours that transit up and down and across continents. Overland tour operators normally use main bitumen highway routes. They're like an off-shore western taxi service for Westerners. Imagine the hassles between a group of say 20 westerners for 1-3 months every day, 24/7. Personally, that would drive me right up the wall, and would be worse than being locked up in an Iranian jail cell - which I've experienced. It's also the organised time schedules that are either way too short, or in directions that stick to touristy routes for anything constructive well-off the beaten track. Crossing entire continents on main road routes may sound and feel inspiring, but it’s the regions scattered in the middle of nowhere that are much more interesting to visit. There are many Westerners who travel this way, and enjoy their 1st overland travel experience without the stress and paranoia of being independent and alone. 
Overland tour companies operating through Africa, South America, and Europe to Asia are more like get-together party hangouts for Westerners, who prefer to travel in groups amongst themselves - very similar to deep sea ocean cruises. Some at later stages may develop their own itinerary, and realise that it’s far more exciting to associate and interact with local atmosphere moving across continents in their own time frame. This is what a major part of solo overland travel is all about - interacting with total strangers through countries and continents without hesitation. When travelling solo, many doors open where they wouldn't if it was a crowd. Time limits are endless in any direction, seriously think about the multitude of possibilities going it alone.

Clocking up some serious overland transit milage passing through countries & continents beats fly-hopping hands down - period! Those who assume they've done some hardcore travel, but actually cheated, and flew instead, get zero kudo points - they know who they are. The millennial generation are a different breed of traveler, they actually have no excuse to complete crossing entire continents - But prefer the easy route across the sky country to country. Their problem is, the majority of millennials prefer to stick together inside comfy safe bubbles. Many count fly hopping as part of any travel journey experience - what? that's right, fly in, fly out, fly over, fly across, fly stopover. Trying to spot millennials transiting in dusty dirty bush-buses off-tarmac highways well away from their comfy zones is a rare sight.        

African Overland Transit Routes

Overland transit routes are in full swing even when volatile skirmishes or civil unrest occurs inside countries. The Sahel region, South Sudan, Cameroon, Somalia, DRC, Nigeria and Libya are examples of this. It's imperative to gather fresh up to date information that can be trusted, that allows calculated risks to transit through Red Zone routes. The most trusted sources of travel information is directly from locals on the ground, or foreigners (if any) who are travelling in the opposite direction informing of what's up ahead - never from travel guide books or bloggers with outdated information. Fresh on the ground facts and data will ensure any intended transit route can be calculated beforehand, and bypassed if necessary. This will lesson the chances of becoming a target along routes infested with bandit blockades, Islamic insurgency, sabotage, mugging, and hostage extortion.

Travelling through Red Zones regions in conflict is entirely at your own risk without any support, backup or help from outside assistance i.e. the Maghreb and Sahel regions, northern coast, central African region, and east Africa, 
Never think Western foreigners transiting through the above mentioned regions nothing will happen to them.
Off-course the couple in this link may have converted to Islam to save their skins, and whether the female was isolated and continually raped through her 15 months captivity, one will never find out until the couple cashes in with an over sensualised novel. It's all been done before - nothing new here! 
In the last few years different foreigners have made wrong decisions and calculations, and were either robbed, mugged, beaten, raped, or slowly tortured to death. Beware of your surroundings, where you stay, and who you chit-chat with. Watching to many Netflix movies and yuppie travel You Tube clips won't help when it's needed!   
On the bright side, there are many westerners who have completed solo travel journeys through volatile regions (like myself) without having a single incident.
Each overland transit journey has a different atmosphere from one day to the next that may or may not give a free pass without side-effects of negativity en-route. Nothing can be taken for granted, even if your gut instinct tells you so. It depends on the luck of the draw on any given day travelling through the middle of nowhere. It also depends where one is dropped-off, or where one decides to stay.

Solo Overland Travel & Transit

"A guaranteed eye-opening experience deep into the real world "

Are you sick and bored of looking at the same old orchestrated selfie snaps at tourist locations from the countless amounts of travel fluff-bloggers out there? Don't worry - you're not alone. Nothing is not what it really seems or sounds like in real-time reality browsing fluffy travel blog sites. How many times do you read comments like "fantastic", "so beautiful & amazing", "it's wonderful", "look at me in Rio", "ohh I love solo travel " ...
Travel bloggers writing and posting this fluff are worth a dime a dozen. They market themselves off just like fake news click bait. Normally, plastic bloggers have their faces glued to laptops tweaking SEO's, and spotted sitting in trendy cafes, or in up-market backpacker hangouts. I mean really, how many times can you re-post the same fluff jargon on social media platforms over and over again? Yawn. 
Carving out your own itinerary, and planning your own transit routes through Africa, or across other continents is far more satisfying. You get the real feel of down to earth atmosphere amongst the locals themselves. Why follow the crowd like everyone else? Don't be afraid going it alone. Activate yourself, and hit the highway using local basic transport zig zagging up and down across entire continents. There's certainly no looking back. Real solo overland travel is a guaranteed eye-opening experience deep into the real world we live in. Take advantage of doing it now while it's still possible. Africa is becoming strangled from all sides by increasing fuelled Islamic insurgency i.e. Book Harem, Islamic State, al Qaeda, al Shabaab (more in-depth data and info further down page)

Through the decades of full-on solo overland travel journeys, which still continues today, I've actually never seen or met any travel fluff bloggers in the middle of nowhere, transiting in fly-blown vibrating bush-buses for days on end, filled with dust and dog fart aromas crossing through a continent. Those who want to call themselves a real  "solo travel blogger" should at least complete some hardcore overland travel first - on their own accord. Only a very small handful of solo travel bloggers from out of thousands out there can pat themselves on the back.
​Below are a few links from various sources about scam travel bloggers (ghost writers, and purchasing tens of 1000's of fake followers) Life Lessons : Anxious Adventure : Instagram : Fluff Selfie : Maple Searup : Moose Café : Instagram Scam Artist : Blogger Influencer Ban : Travel Blogger Scam artist

My overland travel and transit quick snap images are real as it gets, all captured and taken through different time periods spanning through the decades. There's not to many of us left still doing the hard yards from the 1980s, but one things for sure, I'm still out there somewhere clocking up overland transit milage reaching isolated destinations where most foreigners don't dare to travel to extreme environments somewhere on the planet.  

South American Overland Transit Routes

The transit routes above have all been completed. It takes more than a 12+ month journey to cover the entire continent properly. Two years will certainly do it. Summer and winter seasons play a roll in this, it solely depends where one begins and ends. Returning to South America is usually on the cards for those who want to continue a road trip where they had left-off from any previous visit. Those who have already travelled and transited through the continent will recognise the above transit route directions. Any long-term journey route should be planned in advance, and changed where necessary en-route during transit if needed. For instance, the on-going Venezuelan situation has gone from bad to worse, causing millions of Venezuelan citizens to flee in to neighbouring countries. Not only has this situation caused more crime and despair in northern Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, it has also put a spanner in the works for those wanting to travel and transit overland through Venezuela from Brazil to Colombia without being targeted, robbed, or victimised. Until the dust settles in Venezuela, any travel through the country is entirely at your own risk with a 90% chance rate of being mugged, robbed, raped or car jacked. Jumping on a ship to the Antarctic from Ushuaia or Puerto Williams has become very trendy these days. The best option is booking the smallest ship possible at the very beginning of the high season in November, or in the closing period in March. If one is lucky enough, and has the right contacts, hitching a lift on service supply vessels to the Antarctica peninsula is also possible.  

The above image was captured during the middle of a violent category 5 storm in the roaring 40's in full swing between Antarctica and Cape Horn. I was fortunate enough to grab a few snaps of a 40 foot yacht dancing around in the soup. 

Solo Overland Transit - South America

There's still plenty of isolated transit routes that are unspoilt off the beaten track throughout South America. The Georgetown to Belem transit route without seeing another foreigner for weeks is total bliss. Another route is from Bogota to Puerto Carreno that gets you across to Venezuela, which is a test even for the experienced overland traveller who can pass thru Venezuela without being corrupted, mugged or robbed (I've done this twice). A great transit route, is through the Bolivian backdoor to Abuno, and then on to Puerto Velho to Manaus. Another is from Yacuiba in Bolivia through the Paraguayan savannah and paternal to Brazil. A favourite transit route that's been around for decades, is the journey from Ayacucho to San Francisco, crossing the Ucayali river to Quillabamba, Ollantaytambo, and onward to Cuzco. If you're game enough, the overland transit route heading north to Panama via Turbo on the Caribbean coast will be a self satisfying accomplishment. Let's also not forget the Puerto Asis slow boat river journey down the Putumayo to Leticia. All the routes mentioned are isolated and do have banditry holdups from time to time.

There's no excuse! South American solo overland travel and transit routes from top to bottom of the continent are readily available in any direction imaginable. Having plenty of time on your hands is certainly required. A 12 month journey will pass in no time without realising how quick it went. There's nothing worse than having limited time schedules crammed packed into a 3 month stint for this continent - forget about it. Here's why with a quick breakdown of minimum time limits of each country: Colombia 2 months, Ecuador 1 month, Peru 3 months, Chile 2 months, Argentina 2 months, Paraguay 1 month, Bolivia 2 months, Brazil 3 months, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana 1 month, Venezuela 2 months. Transit journeys sticking to normal road routes through South America are easily accomplished done in small steps.

Overland travel drastically changes in isolated regions with available transport usually being basic. In isolated remote territories, delays and breakdowns do happen, including higher risk levels of banditry within areas in the Amazonian and Andean block. This includes different regions in Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela. From one day to the next, one can never predict what could materialise. For example, Banditry is nothing new, one can pass through a region in the morning without any issues, while another bus or vehicle may pass through the same location in the afternoon and be held-up with passengers stripped and robbed of everything - South America has no Karma - This includes all of central America! 
For some, banditry is an easy lifestyle getting rich pickings for free. While most western foreigners are addicted social media junkies - Latino bandits and thieves are hooked and focused robbing what's not theirs - they've been experts for many decades. Most locals in public will smile, as if everything is blissful, but in reality this may not be the case just up the road, or around the next corner - take this as good advice through the entire continent. Foreigners transiting through remote regions have no way around this. Locals do spread gossip of any western tourist within their turf faster than lightning. Getting robbed and mugged will depend if local bandits have just held-up a bus, or robbed enough takings the night before. If so, this usually gives a free pass to continue onwards without hinderance towards the next location. For example, in Ecuador, foreign tourists are set-up, and robbed in broad daylight with most locals close-by watching the event happen without stopping or helping. Why do they do this? Fear of reprisal attacks! Foreigners are classified as loaded easy targets - no matter the skin colour! Latino thieves celebrate each day of the year, and why wouldn't they? there's fresh loads of foreigners arriving to randomly rob and mug as they please. 

Don't shout fear porn just yet - These are facts that happen on a daily basis through the continent. You hardly hear or read about robberies, muggings, or raping of foreigners in South America. The daily count rate would frighten most people! Fluffy travel blog-sites may surface dribble a little, but negative postings won't get kudos from their sponsors! Bad news has a negative impact to their sales marketing, click bait royalties to hotels, airlines, tour deals, and other travel related links. South American MSM only report on busted foreign drug mules, the odd rape and murder, and those who have died in road accidents. Latin news-links related to tourism crimes have a tendency to suddenly vanish without trace within a few months. the image above was captured from 2.7 Km distance across the Lima skyline (AF-S Nikon 600 f/4)
Peru: Violent crime, including sexual assault, armed robbery, muggings, hotel armed hold-ups, and carjackings, occurs frequently in Peru, particularly in Lima, Cusco and Arequipa. 
Colombia: Robbery of taxi passengers is a serious problem, express kidnapping, isolated hiking, including hiking trails in and around Bogotá district with gunpoint robberies. Rural regions of Colombia have the presence of growing militia groups and armed gangs (referred to as "BACRIM" in Spanish). Violence associated with the BACRIM has spilled over into major cities. These groups are heavily involved in the drug trade, extortion, kidnapping and robbery. The collapse of Venezuela has increased this problem.  
Brazil: The rate of violent crime, including muggings, armed robbery, kidnappings and sexual assault is high. Thieves are often armed. Locals and tourists are targeted. 
Guyana: Crime levels have dramatically increased due to the overflow of Venezuelan crime and drug syndicates using Guyana as an export narcotic hub. Risks increase after dark in Georgetown particularly walking alone. 
Ecuador: Violent crime, street gangs, assault and armed robbery, is common. Foreigners have been badly injured resisting robbery. 
Venezuela: Violent crime, including murder, armed robbery, kidnapping, drive-by shootings and carjackings, is common. 
​In South America there's a saying "The dead don't talk"- it's more active today than it ever was.

Foreigners Are Mugged & Robbed Everyday!

Since the early 1980's, mugging and robbing foreigners throughout South America has Increased mega-fold. The heavy tourist industry and foreign tourists themselves have created this non-stop wave of crime through the continent. Don't be like many brain dead tourists, who are easily robbed, because of allowing it to happen in the first place! This creates others to be robbed, because of some dickhead foreigner thinking it will never happen to them. Latino thieves have been robbing and mugging dumb tourists in their turf for decades!     

These local street police in Peru aren't strapped and armed with guns just to look cool. Sometimes you have to question why there's so many foreigners getting robbed in South America. One can read through all the many travel blog-sites writing the same old gibberish of safety travel through the continent to no avail. Latino thieves have probably skimmed through many of these travel blog-sites laughing hysterically, because they already know there's fresh plane loads of docile foreigners arriving into the continent daily who become their next targets.
One out of many mistakes by foreigners in South America, is their own lack of judgment and instinct when out on the street - especially after dark. Imagine being half intoxicated or stoned out of your brain leaving from trendy bars, beach parties, or nightclubs without even realising who may have been watching you. Experienced Latino night thieves don't work alone - they work as groups, with one or two surveilling their victims up-close for bags, cash stashes and bling, while others outside  wait for a cell call from their accomplices inside venues letting them know which victim to target.
It's also very common for foreigners, to let their guards down thinking they're in a "safe zone" as though nothing will happen to them. This no-brainer attitude catches untold amounts of foreigners off-guard every week, every year, around the clock non-stop. Strolling alone along streets after dark without acknowledging what's up ahead will end-up badly for some.
Being robbed, bashed, stabbed, or raped, and even murdered does happen within trendy areas where foreigners think it's totally safe without even knowing what maybe waiting outside in the dark, sometimes even in broad daylight.
Like the image snap above, wherever there's police presence and overhead camera surveillance would normally be regarded as a "safe zone", but just one or two blocks in either direction has zero security. 
A high percentage of tourist muggings, bashings, and victimisation throughout the continent never reaches local news. Latino MSM and tourism enterprises prefer keeping negative assaults on foreigners as quiet as possible to keep their booming tourism industry vibrant.
​The amount of western foreigners who keep their mouths shut from aggravated muggings or rape is unknown, but with variable online statistics of those that have been robbed, mugged or raped is probably just as high or more.
In saying this, there are thousands of foreigners who have travelled long-term journeys throughout South America without being mugged, bashed, robbed or raped. Why are some foreigners more lucky than others? This has a lot to do with the actual timing, being at a particular location where someone was mugged and robbed moments before, allowing others a free pass. Getting through the continent without incident is about using and following one's inner instinct and judgment, being alert, aware, and acknowledging what's around them, and acting immediately without being over paranoid.

Foreigners are robbed, raped and murdered in Central & South America every year. Here's a few links.

COLOMBIA: American male robbed and murdered in Medellin.  ARGENTINA: Kiwi male shot dead in Mendoza
GUATEMALA: 12 foreigners in transit road hold-up robbed and raped  
CHILE: Canadian male robbed and stabbed to death  COLOMBIA: Japanese male robbed and shot dead 
BRAZIL: Spanish female shot dead by police.  JAMAICA: Kiwi male shot dead
COLOMBIA: 12 tourists bound up, robbed, one female gang raped
PERU: A Set Up 30 foreigners robbed by bandits on Amazon riverboat cruise  
PERU: It only took 7 minutes to rob 22 tourists by bandits during transit in the Puerto Maldonado region - April 2019 ​

Forget Luxury Comfort - Basic Transport Does The Job! 

Solo overland travel and transit using any available transport through a continent can't be matched. A few examples of real-time experiences in transit are the smell of sweaty armpit odours, vomit on the floor, wasted food scraps glued on seats, locals picking their noses flicking the contents near you, the sounds of deep farts with wicked aromas, constant loud snoring, blaring music at full volume, used as a pillow, cell phones constantly blaring, stale chewing gum stuck to your clothes, dog breath vapour, packed and squashed in like sardines, deep throat coughing and spitting in any direction, bush-bus aisles jam-packed with mountains of luggage, smokey engine fumes knocking you out, spilt fluids flowing under your seat, irritating blowflies, mosquitos and insects trapped on board, random drug control baggage checks, drivers fighting with passengers, uncontrollable baby screams and the smell of loaded diapers, goats, pigs and sheep crowding your space, random groping, toxic smelly feet in your face, baggage soaked in engine oil below deck, rattling clattering jammed windows, extreme hi-speed, holding out for load dumps and pee breaks, hi-altitude sickness, unbearable heat, the bitterly freezing cold, clouds of endless dust in your mouth, down your throat, and up your nose, non-stop vibrations, bad accidents, long breakdowns, highway bandit hold-ups, robbery, diarrhoea pressure on a non-stop moving bus, free sharing of ticks, fleas, and bed bugs from other passengers.

Through the decades, I've completed countless overland ground milage, transiting up, down through countries, and across continents. You name it, I've probably done it, including returning to the same regions several times over.

Transiting on top of trains, plowing through the Tibetan plateau on the back of trucks, crammed cargo ships, hitching rides on anything that stops, or using my own off-road motorbikes and various vehicles, or other basic transport to get through a continent. I've met some really inspiring travellers en-route during transit journeys - they know who they are. I hope others that browse through this site will get a touch of inspiration to do the same, and continue their own solo travels like myself in years to come.

Check out this overland journey completed in Jan-Feb 2020. A mid-winter wildlife expedition to an extreme sub-zero high altitude region in the Himalaya to photograph snow leopards within their natural habitat. The road journey itself from the edge of the Himalaya up and beyond was extreme. Capturing images of snow leopards is like finding buried treasure in your backyard.    

Solo Overland Travel - El Dorado Is Real

While most foreigners during this time period were on the beaches in Santa Margarita or Cancun sun-baking, I was camped beside a rough rugged beach that had a dangerous undercurrent tow constantly washing up all sorts of illegal contraband treasure between Costa Rica & Mexico. Locals seemed more happy here on this lonely stretch of caribbean coastline than the rest of the country. There wasn't another foreigner in sight or no local mafia either... just the roar of the ocean and the contents it washed in. Colombian narco drug runners using powerful high-speed launches would throw all their cargo over board to lighten their boats when U.S. coast guard marines were in hot pursuit chasing them between Rio Turbo and Vera Cruz. Bundles of cash dollars and blocks of cocaine wrapped in sacks had constantly washed up at this particular location because of strong directional ocean currents. 
As repeated many times through this website - Becoming a Narco Drug Mule is a no brainer! Losing all forms of freedom rotting in hot jail cells isn't appreciated until freedom is completely taken away from you!

Looking for alluvial gold in rivers and streams around the world isn't everyone's cup of tea, but many do do it, with some having success. The grey area to legally prospect for gold or precious gemstones varies in each country. As the saying goes, the quieter the river or stream is - the better it is, Northern Brazil, and Guyana still have plenty of regions with gold deposits, including white diamonds. After heavy rains and flooding, certain areas in Bolivia and Myanmar are awash with fresh alluvial gold deposits. Trekking within very isolated regions in the Costa Rican highlands is also known for gold deposits, usually after heavy rainfall. All that's required prospecting for alluvial gold is a pan or dish plate. Finding gold in countries mentioned in the image above can be dangerous. Locals with gold fever are known to rob from each other, or pay bribes to mafia for protection in areas where gold deposits are in abundance. Finding any small isolated stream without other humans is the best advice to begin with. 

The below text is placed through various pages of this website as a warning deterrent to westerners off-shore, who may end-up down a path that could have been avoided. The message is real - it's better to be stone broke and free, rather than wasting countless years behind bars - Laziness and Greed never wins!

Asia Overland Transit Routes

There's a multitude of different transit routes through the Asian continent in all directions. Completing the entire Asian rim depends on timing. For example, if one were to start from Indonesia in October, this normally allows a 7 month window to reach the Chinese/Pakistan border when it reopens each spring. Completing an entire overland transit journey through Asia will take 12 months or more. It also depends how much time is spent in each country, especially with all the endless amount of detours off the beaten track that's available. The above map designates the transit direction which is more than enough to work out places of interest en route. Solo transiting through Tibet is virtually impossible today without a pre-booked guide, a driver, including a pile of paperwork bureaucracy and permits - good luck with that! A six month Indian visa is still obtainable in Laos, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Vietnam and Sri Lanka if it's a first visit with no record of a used visa. The new Pakistani online eVisa makes things easier to enter Pakistan by air. This will eventually filter out to land border crossings in the near future. The Consulate in Chengdu has issued tourist visas to non-Chinese nationals for a while. A bus ticket to the Chinese/Pakistani border will be denied unless a valid Pakistani visa has been issued. It's also advisable to apply for an Indian visa just before entering the country, an Indian visa begins its countdown the day it's issued. The Indian Embassy within Islamabad's security zone do issue visas. This occurrence of restricting visas for certain nationalities happens occasionally depending on each country's security measures with neighbouring countries. As a last resort passports can also be couriered to any country of origin to receive visas. The turn around time usually takes 2 -3 weeks. It's advisable to request a dual or multiple entry visa for China if crossing back and forth from Mongolia, Pakistan, Myanmar, Laos, or Hong Kong.
The usual overland transit gateways from Europe to Asia are through Pakistan to India, Kazakhstan to Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan to China (these 2 border crossings may or may not be open to foreign nationals). Avoiding Middle East chaos is through Urumqi at the border crossings from Kazakhstan or Russia This has been a favourite route by cyclists for decades. If a Pakistani visa has been issued in Southern Asia, the Myanmar-Indian-Pakistani overland route is a straight forward transit route to reach Jordan via Iran and iraq. The easiest overland route of them all is by train. The Trans Siberian railway connects a ferryboat from Vladivostok to Japan. There are also ferryboat connections to South Korea and China. 

Solo Overland Travel - Active Volcanoes

Climbing up live active volcanoes has been around for decades. I grabbed this snap from safe distance out of reach from harms way from flying debris and toxic sulphur fumes. Idiots pushing the limits to grab images, close-up selfies, or videos at the very edge of active volcanoes, only have themselves to blame if slipping into the molten core, or cindered by burning ash and hot rocks, or from sulphur fumes which can gas you out in seconds. Every volcano also has different levels of safety reaching their summits, care is required in both directions, or death becomes reality

​Cash In Transit - Bring Your Own Stash! 

"The first to greet you at certain land borders crossings are local money changers"

"Cash is A Necessity In Isolated Remote Regions - Forget About Cash cards or Bitcoin"     

A cash money supply is always recommended in the middle of nowhere - ATM's are non-existent or days away when one is needed. Latinos, Africans, and Asians all through their respective continents use and handle cash every day. Indian ATM's for example, will only allow a 10,000 rupee withdrawal limit if using any off-shore cash card - with a horrendous rip-off surcharge each time the card is fed in to an ATM. Cash US dollars on the other hand will avoid rip-off ATM surcharges, and will also give a much better rate of exchange. In general, this applies throughout all the continents. When transiting across land borders the exchanging of local currency from one country to the next  is never an issue - with minimal loss of exchange rate. The first to greet you at any land border crossing are money changers - haggling for the highest rate is normal procedure. Don't leave home without a surplus load of cash dollars. It's still legal to carry up to $10,000 dollars in cash without having to declare it. Carrying a copy of the original purchase transaction of cash is recommended to verify to border authorities who may ask proof of where the cash stash originated from.

$USD - It's Still Got Plenty of Gas Left In The Tank!

​The following quick list of countries will exchange cash dollars. local money changers do offer different exchange rates. One hundred dollar bills will always give the highest rates of exchange. The more one exchanges at one given time will increase a higher rate for local cash.
​Tajikistan, Mali, Iran, Russia, Mongolia, Turkmenistan, Congo, India, Angola, Sudan, Guyana, Argentina, Venezuela, South Africa, Iraq, Nigeria, CAR, Nepal, Pakistan, Chad, Niger, DRC, Brazil, Nicaragua, Cuba, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Libya, Ecuador, Cameroon, Mauritania, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, El Salvador, Guiana, Myanmar, Syria, Lebanon, Eritrea, Yemen.  

US Dollars Are Still Going Strong In 2020 - It's The Preferred Currency Of Exchange For Local Cash!  

Whether you like or dislike using US dollars, it's still remains the most versatile paper currency to have in transit. One can try using Bitcoin, but it won't get you far through Africa, or the Mid East paying for transportation, food and accommodation. The Euro is another option, but 100 USD Fed notes speak for themselves, and give the best exchange rates without even going to a local bank. Until the USD crashes - which many speculators have been predicting since the mid 1970's, the dollar still remains the top currency to use as a cash stash for any overland travel and transit journey through the continents. Will the US dollar crash in late 2020-21? If it does, every other currency will fold as well - all down the toilet! The plan to get rid of all paper currency by the global cabal is ongoing.   
Never advertise or expose bundles of cash in public places to anyone - including other foreigners running on empty, who can be your worst enemy if they're broke in the middle of the Amazon or stuck on beaches in Bali or Goa. Walking around after dark carrying a pile of cash is no-brainer! Foreigners who are robbed off-shore happens by allowing it to happen from simple mistakes without acknowledging it until it's to late - even if in a "Safe Zone"
Today, no where is safe - no matter the country or region. The only difference between Red Zones and Safe Zones are the types and level of criminal, banditry and terror activity within them.    

Taking Close-Up Tribal Portraits

The days of capturing freebie close-up tribal portrait images in various regions within safe zones through Africa and Asia are becoming more and more difficult each year. The increased influx of expanded tourism into tribal territory - even off the beaten track has a presence of fee charges from certain tribal groups, and individuals for close-up portrait captures. Only a few years ago, this was unheard of, but today tribal zones have become invaded by every man and his dog from across the planet who constantly pay ridiculous amounts of cash using their smart phones for close-up snaps. Paying a small sum for close-up snaps can't be avoided in southern Ethiopia which has been in effect for more than 2 decades. Kenya, Mali, and Namibia are trailing close behind. If you're not prepared to pay a little, don't go to these regions. Escaping to distant tribal communities well away from heavy  touristic tribal zones still have the freedom to freely photograph without issues. The planet would be far better off without heavy group tourism. This would lesson the dependency for local communities to survive and trade amongst themselves.   

Crossing Land Borders - Red Zone Regions 

Afghanistan-Iran- Pakistan-Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Tajikastan

Overland transit into or out of Afghanistan can be done through 6 countries bordering around the country. The direct land crossing into China through the Wakhjir pass is known as a grey ghost border smuggling route for all types of illicit contraband. Applying for a Chinese visa maybe denied if the visa itinerary shows the overland route is entering via Xinjiang State. The Chinese government has clamped down on their own Muslim population sending an estimated million plus Uighurs to "Internment camps".  In general, visa issues for neighbouring countries bordering Afghanistan have open time validations. The duration length will depend on nationality, and where, and who is issuing the visa. An Afghani visa extension is permitted only once, over staying in the country is expensive @$10 per day. 
Red Zone regions throughout Afghanistan and bordering countries are alive and well. Most foreigners are lucky enough to transit through Afghanistan along secure routes without issues whatsoever. All Red Zone regions are not called Red Zones for nothing. They all share common values - Radical Islamic extremists, pro radical extremists, sympathisers supporting radical extremists, imported extremists, heroin cultivation, smuggling trade routes, arms smuggling and contraband goods. Normally, locals in these regions are more than friendly enough with lots of happy chit chat. The danger arises when any of the above 3 groups may decide to do an unexpected  hotel call to your room during the middle of the night. Kidnapping happens, getting tortured and shot in the head also happens. News of any foreigner arriving and staying in any town within a Red Zone region spreads like wildfire. If a Western Muslim convert and speak Afghani you get a free pass, but if an Atheist, or a Christian , or of other faith beliefs as an Afghani or a foriegner, you're putting your life on the line - Is a risk worth dying for? that's what most foreigners completely forget when thinking nothing will happen to them - read the above sentence a few times to let it sink in! 
The usual European overland transit route to Asia is through Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan to China, and onward to the Irkeshtam pass on the Karakoram highway. In saying this, in 2018, a group of 4 cyclists from the Holland, Switzerland and the USA were deliberately mowed down and stabbed to death in Tajikistan by radical islamists. The now deceased American couple had been on the road for over a year cycling through "safe zones" in Africa. They were mistaken and totally misjudged that evil was only a make believe concept with both ending up in body-bags-Jay Austin had quoted the following "Evil is a make-believe concept we’ve invented to deal with the complexities of fellow humans holding values and beliefs and perspectives different than our own is a make-believe concept" Other westerners travelling off-shore thinking like this should remain within safe tourist zones. Don't expect others to have the same "free thinking" values as you do!
Crossing Pakistan to India is through the Wagah border via Lahore to Amritsar. Entering Afghanistan from Iran is simple if an Afghani visa has been issued, the route from Mashed to the Taybad-Islam Qala border is the normal route used by foreigners. Avoiding Afghanistan completely is through the Mirjaveh-Taftan border into Pakistan. This is a Red Zone border region. Depending on how volatile the Baluchistan province is on the week of arrival, a military/police escort through to Quetta is normal procedure.
​Taken Hostage Kabul, 3 foreigners killed, Ambushed Tourists, Held captive for 5 years, Herat German killed, List of foreign Hostages, Afghan News News

So you've just arrived in Egypt from a gruelling solo overland journey from Cape-town, and now plan to continue onwards to Nepal overland through the Middle East. There's a choice of 3 different routes that will work without having to grab a flight. Applying for onward visas through the Middle East maybe difficult for some nationalities, but usually with the correct itinerary and dress mode visiting Embassies, and the luck of friendly visa official staff, most visas do get issued. Having a passport half filled with freshly used visas from all over Africa also makes a positive impression. A Saudi tourist visa can be obtained by pre-booking a ticket to any international sport event held in the country. Normally, a single entry 30 day E-visa is issued, giving enough duration time to get through the Kingdom - without even attending the event.        
The quickest route if the appropriate visas are granted, is directly through Saudi. A ferryboat from Suez to Duba connects both countries. Hitching lifts through Saudi isn't difficult. When reaching either Doha, Dubai or Muscat, it gives various ferryboat connections to Iran and Pakistan. If arriving in Bandar Abbas, the lower border crossing from Iran into Pakistan (Mand-Pishin/Gabd-Rimdan) by-passes the Red Zone route further north at the Mirjaveh/Taftan border. Applying for a fresh Indian visa in Islamabad usually takes 3-5 days. An India visa begins its countdown the day its issued. The choice of transiting through Iraq from Saudi into Iran is another option if a Saudi visa has the stretch time to do so.
Route 2 is through the Sinai to Jordan (Nuweiba to Aqaba). Picking up an Iraqi visa in Cairo is recommended without relying on the consulate, or embassy in Jordan. The Amman-Baghdad border crossing was reopened in February 2019. Crossing over to Iran can easily be done from the many Iraqi-Kurdish border crossings in the north of the country, or at Basrah in the south. From Iran, the choice of transiting through Afghanistan to Pakistan and on to India is an option, it will depend on the latest situations in Afghanistan.
Route 3 is the longest route, including the amount of time it may take to jump on a cargo ship to Cyprus from Alexandria or Port Said sea ports. From Cyprus, another crossing through the Med to Rhodes or directly to Turkey can also be time consuming, but it is possible. From Turkey, travelling through both Iraq and Iran or directly entering Iran from Turkey at the Bazagan crossing is a personal choice. From Iran the same route through Afghanistan or Pakistan applies (Herat-Kabul-Peshawar-Islamabad) or (Zahaden-Taftan-Quetta-Multan-Lahore-Wahga/Attari-Amritsar)
​Transiting through Middle East Red Zone regions is at your own risk. Northern Sinai has Al-Qaida/Daesh terror cells, Syria contains Daesh/Al-Qaida /Hezbollah/ proxy terror cells, Iraq contains mixed Sunni and Shia pro-Islamic proxy cells, Iran has controlled undercover police and military closely watching western foreigners and their movements, Afghanistan has an ever growing expanded mix of Taliban/Daesh/Al-Qaida terror cell networks within drug narco territories. Kabul gets rocked by suicide bombers every month. Pakistan has various Taliban-Pashtun tribal controlled narcotic drug territories and smuggling routes.

Photo Gear - Don't Leave Home Without It!

Point & Shoot, Mirrorless, DSLR - So many choices to choose from - There's no Excuse!

What some good advice? Purchase a proper camera and use smart phone cameras for social media snaps - or selfies if you have that addiction. Have you seen a cell phone image in photoshop enlarged @300% - Horrible and time wasting lacking sharpness and depth to render any image to poster size in canvas. Most cameras today have the options to capture images in jpeg & raw - which smart phone cameras lack. Shooting in jpeg/raw is the way to go, and has been since the digital age. Smart phone cameras are also useless in wildlife parks, and even more useless to capture fast moving subjects at any given distance - including low light captures without using flash. Sony, Canon, Fuji and Nikon have good photo-gear with a broad range of cameras to fit anyones budget. Make the right choice  - you won't regret it!     

Crossing the line past warning signs like in this quick snap taken at a location in Saudi near the Aqaba coast will automatically end-up in expensive fines, interrogation, deletion of images, seized camera-gear, and the possibility of jail time and deportation. If caught, don't expect to receive any future Saudi e-Visas. This applies to any sensitive areas within the Middle East region wherever military, navy ports, and isolated airstrips are established. Iran, Pakistan and India are other examples.       

Solo Overland Transit - Where To Start?  

"Landing at either end of a continent to begin an overland transit journey is the way to go"   

Beginning your own solo overland travel and transit journey through a continent usually has limited options where to start if the entire continent is the itinerary. Landing into the middle of a continent like in Lima, Lagos, or Nairobi will only add complications to fully complete crossing through the rest of the continent in one direction. Doubling and back tracking through countries that have already been completed will only add extra cost and waiting time for new visas, including thousands of transit kilometres and accommodation costs. It makes sense to begin any long term overland transit journey at the edge of a continent, and continuing either up, down, or across a continent en-route. The following countries are typical overland travel and transit start points in either direction: Turkey to Hong Kong, Morocco or Cairo to South Africa, Chile to Mexico, Colombia to Argentina, Singapore to Turkey.

Overland Transit - Driving Your Own Vehicle 

Are you considering to purchase your own vehicle for an extensive road trip through a country or driving through an entire continent? It's a great way to be self reliant without depending on public transport in certain countries. Buying private transport is the easy part, but how reliable is it? Do the tires have good tread? are they the same brand? Has the speedo been wound back to look as if the vehicle has done less milage? Is the engine oil jet black as if it hasn't been changed for years? Are there oil drops on the road where the cars parked? Does the engine start-up immediately sounding smooth, or does it take lots of cranking? Do all the gauges function showing oil pressure, temperature, and voltage? Does the engine blow smoke out the rear exhaust? Does the clutch slip when in gear? Does the rear diff make a whining noise? Do the brakes work immediately, or are they spongy and unresponsive?, Does the engine ping and unresponsive when testing it up a step hill climb? Depending if a vehicle is 2wd, 4wd, diesel, petrol, automatic, or manual, the above reference check will almost be the same. Safety comes first, your life depends on it. Reliability is a close second if you don't want to be stuck with a broken down wreck in the middle of nowhere, including your baggage and valuables. Never purchase any vehicle because you like the colour, or the fancy sound system installed in it. Reselling a used vehicle may get most of your investment back depending on the overall condition and appearance for interested buyers. 

Driving anything with wheels across continents without knowing basic knowledge of auto-repair, or weekly maintenance will determine if the vehicle will make it to it's next destination. Some who I've met en-route through South America, Africa, and Asia found out the hard way the importance of having working oil and temperature gauges operating in the middle of nowhere.
​Most had seized-up boiled cooked engines which could have been avoided if their gauges were functioning properly. Any quality brand aftermarket shock proof gauges like AutoMeter installed somewhere visible on the dash with visible warning lights will save engines from seizing or blowing to bits. This will also save mega-dollars of repair bills from bush mechanics for whatever amount of time it takes to repair.             

Overland Road trip - South America : Africa : Asia 

Self Driving through countries in the middle of nowhere without basic tools is a no Brainer! 

Breakdowns happen when least expected. Travelling with a selection of basic automotive tools can get vehicles up and running again if the issue can be quickly identified and repaired. For instance, a loose or cracked radiator hose, broken fan belt, or clogged up petrol filters are easy roadside fixes - but without any tools, or local traffic passing by, an easy 5 minute repair can turn into days of waiting time without tools!  

soOverland Transit VW Kombi - South America

VW Kombis are nothing new in South America, Brazil has been manufacturing them for decades, so there's still plenty of good used classic Kombis that can be purchased through the continent. Apart from the usual spares, the above list of engine parts are essentials for emergency breakdowns that may happen in the middle of nowhere. The Kombi engine shown above was running fine half way through the continent until it blew an engine seal and needed a replacement seal. It involved a 250 kilometre tow, and the engine removed to repair the issue. I was fortunate enough to have spotted the warning oil light blink on, and act immediately to shut down the engine which saved it from a total seizure. ​
​Purchasing a cheap rust bucket of bolts should be avoided for two reasons, the unseeable cost of repairs and breakdowns that may eventuate en-route, and the resale value of the vehicle. Clocking up 30,000kms through South America is easy. Vehicles looking like wrecks will drop considerable in resale value. Pawning off vehicles to other foreigners is an option to retrieve cash back. 

Bullets & Ammo Shells - Check Your Travel Baggage! 

Here are a few links verifying foreigners who were caught carrying live ammo or spent cartridges in their baggage on departure or arriving at airports.  

Foreigners caught even with one small pea-shooter .22 caliber live round, or a spent .22 cartridge case will result with custom interrogations, fines and the chance of being on the next flight out of certain countries. Being caught with large cartridge rounds will result in expensive fines, court costs, deportation with a probable black ban for any future visits in many Asian, African, and South American countries. Foreigners ignoring this warning carrying ammo are literally shooting themselves in the foot!

Solo Travel and Transit - Onward Visas & Overland Routes

Grabbing a flight into any continent of choice is simple enough, but continuing overland journeys through continents crossing land borders into neighbouring countries should be planned well in advance. This ensures visa formalities for neighbouring countries aren't an issue when applying for visas. Depending on nationality, visa requests can be hindered on the cover of your passport. This can involve extra paperwork, bank statements, and a flight ticket out of certain countries before visas are issued. In general, Consulates are easier to deal with rather than Embassies unless arriving in a suit holding a briefcase. Usually pre-booking a bus or train ticket crossing international borders is sufficient enough, rather than purchasing onward air tickets flying directly to a country's capital. This beats the purpose of overland travel.
South Africa, Ethiopia, India, North Sudan, Pakistan, China, Iran, Saudi, Russia, and Nigeria are examples with different levels of entry formalities which may or may not be requested at Consulates, or when entering at certain land border crossings. Some land border crossings are easier to pass through than others without being corrupted by officials.

One example is the Rwandan/DRC border crossing to Goma which has had a bad reputation for years from certain DRC officials siphoning and extracting cash from foreigners. Some have paid $200+ dollars or more - depending on nationality - with valid Congolese visas. I found travelling a little further south to the DRC border crossing located in Burundi by-passes corruption fee payouts. Corruption bribes depend on the day and hour one crosses - Not all border immigration officials are corrupt. Don't pay bribes! This makes it more difficult for other foreigners to cross without being subjected to cash hand-outs! Either return and cross at another border post, or patiently wait until other immigration officials arrive.
Argentinean highway police are notorious extortion hunters, including a few land border immigration officials, who go out of their way to extract cash from foreigners driving private vehicles. I've had the opportunity on many occasions to experience this issue first hand driving Brazilian registered VW Kombis. Having a pile of cigarettes and plenty of fresh avocados visibly spread on the dash, seat and floor always gave free passage without paying a peso. Argentinian-Chilean border crossings can also be an issue. Corrupt border officials do seek large bribe cash handouts to pass. Some Argentina highway police will even escort foreigners to the nearest ATM to extract bribe payouts. I never pay corruption cash - unless a loaded gun is pointed at my head. Using skilled interaction techniques does work. On one occasion, it took 12 hours at one border crossing, until replacement border officials began their shift to cross into Chile without bribe payouts.                
Overland continental transit routes still remain on the same bitumen and bush track highways as they always have been for decades. The only changes worth mentioning here are the short-cut transit routes that may head directly into red zone regions containing elements of insurgency, highway banditry, and local upheavals. Most red zones are well known by locals residing on the edge of them. This is where the latest fresh information can be collected for a particular overland route. The chances of meeting other foreign nationals who have just traveled through Red Zone territory that one is about to transit through is rare. Taking calculated risks are better than transiting blind through any Red Zone.
The following overland transit routes are considered extreme and do contain various levels of danger: Sudan to Mali through the Sahel region via Chad and Niger. Algeria to Nigeria. Iran to Lebanon via Iraq and Syria. Djibouti to Kenya via Somalia. Egypt to Tunisia via Libya. Turkey to Jordan via Syria, Iran to India via Afghanistan. Pakistan to Kazakhstan via Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Egypt to Tunisia via Libya, Angola to Sudan through DRC, Nigeria to Sudan via Cameroon and Central Africa Republic.

Big Cities - Street Photography 

One thing large cities don't lack are the endless flows of local buses passing through central metropolitan areas. Normally, all city buses have their own routes to commuter passengers daily back and forth transiting in their specified directions. One thing I had learnt decades ago, was to Jump on board any bus and travel on it until the last stop. The interaction levels of meeting different locals en-route are usually more than rewarding. The unknown final destination on the out skirts of large cities will usually have something of interest to photograph. Street portraits, vendors, and open markets are a few to mention. By dissecting different bus routes, one can easily cover the compass dial from north to south, and east to west over a week. Returning each time using the same bus route gets you back to the city centre where foreigners often stay. By doing this, it gives the opportunity of capturing many street images and close-up portraits from every corner of a city. With words of caution, there are certain risks involved if you're not street wise, or have zero interaction levels - Caracas, Kabul, Sao Paulo, Managua, Lagos, and Jo-Burg are a few to mention. The outer edges of big cities have limited police or security, so you're virtually on your own. The majority of my own visits to the edges of cities are normally positive with locals. There have been occasions when I've returned to the same region of certain cities, because of it's unique isolated atmosphere that's impossible to find within city centres. Make shift machine workshops, auto garages, dusty roadside tea shacks, scrap yards, and endless possibilities of capturing street portraits are found on the outskirts of big cities. Arriving back to home base in metropolitan regions of cities becomes somewhat stagnate compared to what is experienced on the outskirts of towns and cities through all continents.

Capturing random street images like the one above are much easier to take by placing a tripod somewhere along a busy urban street and using the full 360 degree circle on a tripod to capture subjects passing-by. This keeps constant focus on any subject, and guarantees tack shark images. This image was taken from 30 metres distance in amongst locals waiting for a bus. This applies mainly for heavy lenses 3kg+ which become heavier as the day drags on. Moving from one location to another using this technique has worked for me resulting with 100's of random street images that would have been impossible to capture.         

Overland Street Photography - Close-up Portraits 

Close-up random street photography never changes, if anything, it has become a lot easier with all the different types of camera options available. Using the latest equipment is one thing, but to grab close-up snaps of someone can quickly backfire if the wrong approach is made. Depending on the subject, repercussions can cause all sorts of problems. The deletion of images, threatening behaviour, police involvement, or even a smashed camera are issues that have occurred from those who push over the boundary limit. Zero interaction is the root cause. Some of these occurrences may fester in your own country, so imagine the consequences in countries with strict religious laws through the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. The breakdown to photograph any stranger is relatively simple using four main steps. The Atmosphere of where an image is about to be taken, the communication and dialogue between the subject and who they're with, and the amount and level of interaction time with the subject. Going ahead without using these steps is not only rude, but it makes it even more difficult for others to photograph the same person in the future if it ever arises. Understanding normal common sense to recognise if any subject rejects being photographed is by their actions. Images taken of subjects from a distance using a zoom or tele-lens is usually never an issue. To capture someone close-up with a lens less than a metre in distance will need the above basic steps for rewarding street portraits.

Street Photography Middle East - Red Zone Regions

The Middle East is like the wild west with an over-supply of arsenal and weapons. In saying that, depending where one is located in the Middle East, it can actually be safer than walking down the street in Chicago, Rio or Jo-Burg. Mild Mid-East countries like Jordan and the UAE are "tourist" heavy havens without the need of worrying about car bombs, and IED's exploding to bits by militia groups. Random street photography in these countries is generally friendly without issues. Interaction with permission to photograph is like anywhere else taking close-up street portraits. Normally, foreign male and female visitors will have different advantages of photographing Muslim locals. Males can easily take street snaps of men, while females have the opportunity to photograph women in privacy or secluded places prohibited to men.
In other Mid-East countries, random street photography in rural regions will depend on real-time atmosphere and whatever interaction levels are available. Getting out on streets without photo-gear for a day or two feeling the vibe is recommended. Spending time in street chai hang-outs full of locals will draw plenty of attention to feel how the atmosphere is. This is when one can test their own interaction levels with locals. Speaking some Arabic will go a long way in remote areas. After walking through a few blocks of any town, the decision to go out with cameras can then be determined. local Muslims will normally ask your nationality, and at times your religious beliefs. Americans can always say they're Canadian nationals. For instance, western foreigners staying in Jalalabad, Kabala, Aleppo, or El Arish will spread at supersonic speeds through town. Some of the best areas for street photography in Baghdad, Damascus, Kabul, and Cairo are on the out skirts of these cities. 
Is risky to walk around alone in these zones? Yes and no, dress mode and interaction levels play an important roll. For most foreign Western nationals, anywhere and everywhere can become a risk in the Middle East. It will depend on your own judgment, the ability of communicating in Arabic and Farsi, and personal interaction level to capture close-up portraits of locals. It's also common from other locals close-by, who watch what you're doing, and may warn you not to photograph certain subjects - following local rules and customs will avoid a public street grilling.  

Solo Travel - Street Savvy 

Like anywhere around the planet today, street crime never disappears - it has only increased and gotten worse. Being street savvy on arrival into new urban sprawl will help keep you aware of what's happening around you. In each country, street thieves never use the same techniques. The level and intensity of city street crime can vary from block to block in different neighbourhoods. In The best advice before walking out into streets is to walk around for a day or two without photo-gear. Getting information from locals of where dangerous zones are located is a priority. One can be fortunate enough to casually stroll through crime infested areas of cities during daylight hours, but don't expect the same vibe within these zones after dark.
At the end of the day, it's all about luck, ones's interaction and composure level, and knowing your own boundary level without taking the risk of crossing over it. Westerners who normally take things for granted in their own country without a care in the world will eventually end-up losing what they're carrying if they venture out wandering through big cities in areas that have zero security. This is nothing new, docile foreigners who think they can do as they please are usually those who end-up being mugged, assaulted and robbed. Foreigners who are mugged and robbed within "safe zones" have no chance within Red Zones!  

Street Photography - Interacting 

Is it your first solo overland travel & transit journey through a continent? Can you handle interacting with total strangers outside your comfy zone? How good is your interaction levels? these are only a few of many important questions you need to ask your self to understand the importance of interaction. Having low self esteem with limited interaction levels won't go far, you can forget about capturing close-up street portraits almost anyway. Imagine being within an open market area somewhere in the Congo, or down a narrow street laneway in India, or in an isolated village in Afghanistan, and spot a subject you really want to capture as close as possible, but haven't a clue or know the first step of interacting. Don't worry, you're not alone, I've seen many foreigners through the decades who have stumbled on this important issue. Interacting is actually easier than what it seems, just a quick smile at a subject can go along way. Holding your posture and looking directly at your subject shows you're open to dialogue. Taking interest of what a subject is doing is automatic. Pointing a camera at any subject too early may cause rebuke, or irritation, it's all about timing, the way one moves, sits, the vibe and atmosphere, and how one expresses themselves to capture close-up random street portraits.

Solo Travel - Street Portraits

Have you ever ended-up getting disappointing street portraits? I used too, because of the lack of putting some effort into actually capturing the shot. Through time and motion, one begins to understand how important it is to use dialogue and interaction with the subject. If you're tall and the subject is small, getting down below eye level with a lens will usually give the correct angle of the subject. Capturing the subject in front of an open doorway will also make any street portrait stand out. Depending on what finished result one is trying to accomplish, moving the subject either back or forward a few steps will increase or decrease the amount of desired ambient light required. This simple technique requires no flash. Good positive interaction skills and using reasonable quality photo-gear will give anyone random street portraits they can be satisfied with.        

Solo Travel Overland Africa - Interacting  

Reaching somewhere into the the heartland of Africa is a mission in itself, but worth whatever it takes to get there. Interacting with isolated tribal groups will depend on your own personal skills. Shyness isn't an option, being introverted won't work either. Depending on the location, tribal groups are very responsive towards individual westerners who make an effort to interact amongst them. A positive open atmosphere usually happens immediately with children who generally have a steroid mix of unmatched adrenaline. In general, most isolated tribal groups have the freedom of being semi naked, or even completely naked. They don't adhere or follow western values of controlled dress mode or political correctness jargon. Untamed Africa still exists off the beaten tourist trails through the continent. If you're looking for more than lying on a beach in Zanzibar, or sick and tired of the usual touristy hangouts, the option of heading into the middle of nowhere awaits for those who want to feel and experience the real Africa.

In the West, People strolling around town semi-naked in public are frowned upon and against the law. Within African tribal territories semi-nakedness isn't something unusual to see whether male or female. Those visiting tribal communities who dislike nudity will find themselves under the rule of tribal law void of western values. Keep away from these regions if semi-nakedness bugs you, or wear some dark shades. 

Reaching tribal zones in the back regions of countries using basic overland transport takes time. Transit journeys getting to them may require several drop-off and pick-ups. Hitching lifts on anything moving in the right direction shouldn't be avoided, unless it looks like a bush-wreck about to break down. Hitching lifts in the outback are normally done at crossroad junctions (transit-stops). In most cases, locals climb on-board trucks and pickups passing-by. Don't hesitate to do the same within the middle of nowhere.    

Solo Overland Travel - An Image For An Image

Decades ago I gave images of the Dalai Lama for an image capture of Tibetans through Tibet. Since then on most overland journeys no matter which continent it is the odd request from locals to have an image that was taken of them arises. This was difficult in the roll-film days, but in the digital age, an image is easily sent via bluetooth in an instant. There are those residing within tribal territories or within isolated regions who don't use cell phones with only have a postal address. Grabbing details and sending an A4 size laminated portrait at a later date is always appreciated. The Fujifilm instax,mini camera is the perfect solution for on the spot colour prints on the go if there's space enough in baggage. This is a great interaction tool in certain regions through all continents.

Overland Travel & Transit - FIRST AID

Travelling with a mini first aid kit is something that many don't really worry about until the moment it's needed. When over-landing through the continents, there will be times when a first aid kit comes in handy. Transport accidents, hiking fatalities, beach, ocean, desert and savannah cuts, including infectious bites are a part of a long list of hazards that can eventuate from one minute to the next. Here's a quick list of what I usually carry for emergency purposes - A tick extractor, band aids, plaster tape, eye drops, neosporin powder and ointment, antiseptic cream, portable water purifier, alloy wrap sheet, vitamins, tiger balm, tweezers, mini scissors, and a sharp knife.

Overland Travel - Free Drinking Water

Many foreigners wonder if local water supplies seen readily available through the continents is safe to drink. In most cases Yes it is, if locals drink it - then you can too. Actually, in some instances, local water is probably safer to drink than what's contained in plastic bottles labeled with fancy selling logos. Have you ever considered how many microns of plastic is consumed from each bottle? Bottled water also loses most of its nutrients during the filtration process. This is also a cause why some foreigners need to replenish their bodies with rehydration salts. Fresh squeezed lime juice mixed with pure rock salt also works. Personally, I've drank from local water supplies from the streets when required through Africa, Asia, South America and the Middle East for over 4 decades without any issues. This is a good way to strengthen and beef up weak immune systems - don't be afraid to try. One less purchase everyday of plastic filled water helps stop global plastic waste!     

A snap in the Mid-East showing a local at a typical street pavement watering outlet. When blistering temperatures reach 40C plus, these water pit-stops are packed out. Face and neck washing, and guzzling down water is common practice.        

In extreme emergencies, a small lightweight carbon filled life-Straw comes in handy when no clean drinking water is available. A Life-Straw can handle one thousand litres of water passing through it before replacing. I've carried one in baggage for years without the need of using it as yet. In most cases, life-Straws will only be used when natural disasters occur cutting-off water supplies.

An age old tradition, a Bhis†i carrying a leather bag of water delivering it to customers for various uses - India  

Overland Road Trip - South America

"A classic VW Kombi will get you through the entire continent" 

Are you planning a long term overland road trip through South America? Purchasing a classic VW Kombi van in Brazil is one alternative. I've crossed the continent several times driving VW Kombis purchased in Brazil. These old road floaters can still be found in reasonable condition throughout the continent. There are different rules and regulations in each country, but foreigners can easily purchase and resell vehicles almost anywhere through the continent. I personally found Brazil to be the easiest country to purchase VW vans. The exchange rate plays an important roll. This determines where a vehicle can be bought at the cheapest exchange rate. Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Colombia have different vehicle tax levels. It depends on the timing of the exchange rate, and the asking price where any vehicle can be purchased at a reasonable cost. There's more info further down this page. The images shown was a 2nd Kombi purchased in Brazil. This gasoline VW was purchased in Puerto Alegre for $900 bucks. It gave no issues throughout its entire road trip throughout South America. Parts are still available for these models in most Latin countries. The converted diesel version VW Kombis are also reliable machines, but expensive to purchase. Here's  a Brazilian link to purchase VW Kombis although most viewed on this site are newer models (2000-2014) in the price range of $2500-$6000USD. Some time and patience is required to purchase a vehicle. Don't buy any vehicle without inspecting it first. I've purchased classic Kombis from private owners in Curitiba and Porto Alegre without issues. A full maintenance checkover is recommended to ensure the running gear is in tip-top condition before any embarking on long duration transit journeys. A Brazilian gasoline powered vehicle will also need to have the ignition timing advanced for neighbouring countries because of higher octane gasoline. One can still be lucky enough to find a good classic Kombi without rust in good mechanical condition for peanuts - Good Luck.

Driving Through South America

In South America purchasing a vehicle is one thing, but driving through various regions of the continent is not as simple as black & white. Breakdowns can and do happen. I've experienced this myself on one occasion in the middle of nowhere. If a vehicle does breakdown and requires a tow, there may not be sufficient cell coverage to make contact. Within isolated areas, stopping any available traffic for assistant is about the only thing one can do. One can be fortunate enough for a local who may assist getting the vehicle to the nearest workshop garage.

Vehicles with cross-border number plates is straight out advertising someone is visiting the country, and will give the impression the vehicle has a stack of valuables like photo-gear, cash, jewellery, designer clothes etc. This is one of the major downsides owning and driving your own vehicle through the continent, thus resulting with a higher risk level of losing valuables. Removing personal items during transit-stops is normal, but this doesn't stop highway bandits from taking everything, including the vehicle after dark - Just avoid driving after dark period!
Bribe pay-offs to corrupt officials and police is common amongst locals, so don't expect any free passes if stopped along highways or at control checkpoints. Countries well known for bribe handouts are Venezuela, Argentina, and Colombia. Countries well know for night banditry are Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.
Night driving should be avoided through the entire continent - including the Patagonian region. 
​Keeping awareness levels at a maximum, and by using smart safety tactics will get you through the continent in one piece. At the moment, driving through Venezuela should be avoided at all costs, unless you want to feel the full strength of bribery, highway corruption, and all out banditry holdups in all directions. 

​Walking Till The Sweat Flows - Africans Do It All The Time!  

"Fitness comes automatically in transit mode - Walking village to village is a good start"

Need a non-serious work-out? Feeling lethargic? Want to lose fat tissue? Walking at your own pace all day does the trick. Africans are known for their long distant walkathons, including Asians, and Latinos. Many locals through the continents are super-fit, because of having to walk for days on end due to the lack of transportation. Walking workouts in rural regions is not only healthy; it also gets you from village to village without knowing who you may meet up next. One can stop for a quick break, guzzle some water, chit-chat with locals, capture some close-up portrait snaps, and drop as much sweat as you wish. A 10 kilometre walk through any city does the same job, although this will depend on pollution levels. I do this often to keep fit. Carrying a camera grabbing street snaps along the way can clock-up plenty of kilometres without even realising it. Most will be surprised how much weight shedding will eventuate by just walking and sweating it out everyday. 

Solo Overland Travel & Transit - Basic Transport 

"Kiss goodbye comfy zones & soft lounge suites in transit mode off bitumen highways" 

Overland transit means what it says, screaming will do you no good when in the thick of it. Comfy zones are non-existent transiting through any remote region off the beaten track. Bush buses, trucks, 4x4's including boat transport all have their limitations. Major breakdowns happen, gearboxes explode, engines blow-up, and diffs fall apart. There's always something up ahead that dramatises overland transit that gives the addiction of doing it. Climbing on board anything that's moving in the travel direction is normal procedure with little choice of anything passing through for days on end. If you're game and want real adventure - don't even think twice to do it!  Solo overland travel crossing through continents using any available transport has no equal. Breakdowns, border closures, expired visas and highway banditry are part and package transiting through certain regions. No one can predict what's up ahead, anything can happen, and maybe nothing will happen at all.

Solo Overland Transit - Rough As Guts

Forget about tour companies and travel blogger packaged deals if you're looking for real adventure crossing continents - there are none! Most cater for the tourism bubble market only along main transit routes. Going it alone transiting overland using basic transport crossing through countries will give you the best experience at minimal cost. Think about it - on most transit journeys you'll end up being the only foreigner on board. The interaction level becomes easier, and locals will usually go out of their way to help or assist if required. Using rough as guts bush-buses becomes routine with each individual journey being different to the last. Don't think bush-buses are slow, some drivers will have their foot hard down on the gas pedal all day non-stop screaming the engine at peak revs without mercy - like flying a jet without wings.
Some of the most amazing overland transit journeys are on board loud fuming rattling bush-buses falling apart. Photo-gear and other fragile items will also fall apart if they're not packed down properly. A camera falling on the floor on a vibrating bush-bus doing 90 kph along a winding corrugated pot-filled dirt road will test it's reliability. Many cameras no matter the brand fail to function on their first drop - choose wisely.

​Dust In Transit - Get Used To It

"It doesn't matter what continent one transits through - The Vibration & Dust Will Be Waiting For You" 

There's no escape from dust, dirt or grime in transit mode off bitumen tarmac. Collecting a thick layer of dust is a part of any travel transit journey through isolated regions. Grinding dust in your teeth, and having your nose and eyes caked up with dust becomes very normal on 2-3 day dirt track road journeys. The only issue to worry about is your photo-gear, and laptops sealed and packed down. If not, the bouncing, corrugation, and vibration, including endless clouds of dust will destroy equipment. It doesn't matter what continent one transits through - the vibration, dust and grime is a part of the overland transit journey. Hitching lifts in tribal zones will depend how much available transport there is. Normally, locals will pack themselves bundled up together on the back of anything available moving in their direction. Reaching isolated tribal villages off the beaten track well away from touristic areas within tribal zones takes patience. Locals in tribal zones normally rely on trucks and pickups to return to villages 50-100 kilometres from supply hubs. Chatting with drivers just before departure into the wilderness may get you a seat. Journeys are raw and rough in tribal regions, roads are dirt tracks full of bull dust, corrugation and endless pot holes. Protecting sensitive gear is essential. Returning from isolated villages can be a mission, it it will depend what passes through, if there's room, and if drivers wants to stop.

High Pass Overland Transit  

"Unpredictable weather abnormalities can happen at a moments notice anywhere anytime"   

Heavy rains, flash flooding, avalanches and rock fall are normal occurrences during winter and monsoon season. Abnormal freak weather can cause havoc on high pass mountain dirt roads in Nepal, Peru, India, Bolivia, Ethiopia and Pakistan. Many high altitude bush track highways are usually closed during the winter months in Pakistan and India due to heavy snow drifts giving zero visibility with limited access to transit through these regions. Peru, Bolivia, and Ethiopia are known for erratic weather carnage along cliff top bush track highways with major slippages and rock avalanches. Blocked high pass transit routes can be closed for days or even weeks on end. India and Pakistan have issues with flash flooding during monsoon cycles every year within highland regions affecting roads that follow along the edge of valley gorge cliffs - which have collapsed in seconds. Buses sliding over the edge into swollen rivers does happen. Buses, vans, and 4x4's driving along high top altitude bush-tracks fall off the sides of cliffs every year. You certainly don't want to be transiting through any high pass bush track during heavy rain fall - It's a risk that has killed many locals, including foreigners. Always check weather conditions before departing - Your life depends on it.

Self-driving through high altitude regions during mid-winter in 2WD vehicles is a waiting death sentence. Those with common sense, will only use 4WDs, with essential survival and safety equipment on board. The below image - a 6+ metre high avalanche blocked the only passable road route for 5 days until it was finally cleared. Luckily enough, we could back track 90kms to the nearest village. If we were caught in-between two avalanches, an adequate food supply, including warm clothing would of been necessary above 4000m altitude to handle extreme sub-zero temps. Those who are ignorant ignoring basic safety rules with limited driving skills within harsh remote regions anywhere around the planet only have themselves to blame if taking risks causing death  - It happens year in year out!    

Wet Season Overland Transit - Mud, Bog & Breakdowns 

"Overland bus transit short cuts can easily turn into long cuts at a moments notice" 

Where the bitumen ceases the reality of real overland travel and transit begins. The Amazonian wet season shows no mercy when continuous outbursts of tropical rain washes out bush track highways making it impossible for transport to pass through. Most dirt highways within the interior of the Amazon basin become clogged and bogged like an endless mud pit. Screaming will do you no good at all during the middle of any bush track journey thinking it was a quick short-cut transit route. During the wet season within the Brazilian Amazon many bush track highways end up becoming long-cuts with some tracks wiped out due to slips and severe flooding. Experienced bus operators won't risk getting stuck in the middle of nowhere - for days. There are some crazy drivers who do gamble getting through and become totally stuck in mud. Piling out of certain vehicles stuck in mud well above your knees helping to push happens. Various breakdowns also occur and are normal issues like broken axles, electrical fault, blown engine, or transmission failure. Some buses do end up down ravines or over the sides of cliffs due to driver error. A positive note is the exercise one gets lugging personal baggage from one bus to another through the middle of a bog pit where transport can't pass. I've experience this many times with buses, trucks,  trains and even on boats through continents.

Dugouts - Not Great When They Sink With Baggage

Taking risks cruising up or down swollen rivers in a dugout can cost you your baggage - And Your Life!

A warning to those who want to transit up or down rivers in dugouts with travel baggage. One should check the condition of any dugout before renting, purchasing and cruising off down river loaded with everything they own. Old dugouts do collect water and slowly submerge like a sub. The image above was a dugout that was bone dry one day, and half submerged the following day. Any venture on rivers using dugouts on a smooth flowing current is fine. Only those who have had past experience will master a dugout when encountering rapids - which can flip a dugout on its side in seconds. If you value your life, and travel baggage (photo-gear included), take this advice as a precautionary measure. Some foreigners haven't been so lucky, and have lost everything they owned in dugouts flipping on their side. Rivers can swell overnight caused by heavy rain further up stream. Don't even think about paddling off in dugouts unless they're water tight in good weather. Losing possessions and drowning at the same time can be avoided, but these occurrences happen year in year out. 

Local private boat owners through the entire Amazonian region will gladly take anyone up river for the right price. Pre-planned drop-off and pick-up schedules, one way connections, and excursions should be agreed on before jumping on board local boats. Wilderness camping will also require the necessary food supplies including a reliable burner like an MSR whisperlite, headlamp, and enough water to last the duration of any trip. I've done this several times within different regions through the Amazon. Knowing basic survival skills like preparing a quick campsite, catching fish, and treating emergency first aid are necessities in wilderness jungle. Avoiding coral snake bites is done by hitting bush and branches, if strolling through semi-dense forest using a stick. If bitten by snakes, the use of a small hand held stun gun zapping across the bite several times will avoid possible death. Swimming or bathing in isolated rivers or creeks should be totally avoided. Taking bucket baths to cool-off and wash is normal procedure.

Robbed & Mugged In Transit - Nothing New Here!

"When You Think You're Safe - That's When You'll Get Robbed - No Place Is Safe After Dark"

The amount of foreigners I've met in transit mode over the years who have been mugged, robbed, raped and bashed is beyond belief. Many lose their baggage because of simple mistakes. Some have been robbed because of using unsafe accommodation, or not keeping an eye on baggage when in cafes, bars or during transit journeys. Never think thieves and robbers are all the same! For example, in Central and South America they're not! Thieves, muggers, and bandits use their own techniques, with some working only in daylight hours, while others rob and mug through the night. Daylight thieves have their own areas and turf. So in most cases, experienced thieves are already stalking their targets without the victim even knowing they've become the next possible victim. Latino street thieves will strike at an appropriate time that always suits them. Repeat the last sentence again and again till it sinks in. 
Highway bandits in the middle of nowhere are the worst, they show no mercy and hold-up buses robbing the entire contents of buses which sometimes includes a strip-down of passengers down to their underwear. Hidden cash stashes in money belts, clothing and shoes all for the taking. Using street instinct, and learning the ropes of transit survival without getting robbed or loosing travel gear is a must do. If you don't bother to learn the tricks or use the basic skills of street awarenesses within any environment out from your own comfy zone, especially in South America you will eventually be mugged and robbed with no one to blame apart from yourself. 

You can read all you want from "fluffy travel blog-sites" who write about the same jargon on solo overland travel safety, but they're only skimming the surface of premeditated robbery, rape and assault without getting into any in-depth detail of the root causes. There are reasons behind this, one, being the global billion dollar tourism industry itself.
If any country already has a viscous crime and rape rate i.e. South Africa, Venezuela, India etc, then don't expect local thieves, muggers and rapists to stop in their tracks giving foreigner visitors a free pass! They won't - they will continue without remorse doing what they're good at - Robbing and mugging foreign tourists is big business everywhere.
​Foreign tourists are easy targets, and spotted two blocks away by their western dress wear, and expensive looking boots and daypacks. Some shady hotels with light fingered staff are also in for the take, and are known for relieving items from rooms. Also, many bars, and music joints are magnet hubs for thieves and would be rapists where they can freely congregate, watch, analyse and target their next victim without the person acknowledging until it happens - usually after dark. So, it doesn't matter about how many surface level warnings you may read, and digest from trendy travel blog-sites. 
Safety is all about the country you're visiting by the percentage level in each country for an assault, a rape, a mugging, and the country's murder count data. Countries that already contain high crime and rape statistics will automatically have a much higher risk factor.
Below image, I grabbed this quick snap of a local selling all types of different knives at the central bus station in Maracaibo. The seller even gave a quick demonstration how to defend oneself from assault, although, in South America, being shot dead by illegal purchased handguns is more common than being stabbed to death.

The tourism industry, airlines, hotels, and internet giants like Google would rather place negative tourism news feeds hidden well away deep inside search engines. By keeping a positive vibe of the travel tourism industry within search engines, any negative travel data is more difficult to research unless it's the exact web link address. The majority of travel bloggers and You Tubers give impressions of blissfulness on any travel destination they're marketing. Travel bloggers need to keep their sponsors, and affiliates happy with positive clic bait - Yes? Being aware and alert within unfamiliar surroundings can easily be forgotten when only associating with other foreigners. When everyones partying hard out, intoxicated, or stoned off-their faces, who really cares about worrying about being mugged, bashed, robbed, raped, or murdered? This is the last thing on anyone's mind. This is when most foreigners become victims. 
Personal safety off-shore is your own responsibility! The tourism industry, the fancy online hotel advertising, and all those travel bloggers out there won't be around to help you when any negative situation arises. If ignored, or remain ignorant - you only have yourself to blame. ​

Three bandits held 10 tourists (one a 16 year old Israeli girl) bearing firearms at a holiday house in Silonque Nature Reserve - South Africa. All nine were robbed of cash, cell phones,  laptops,  jewellery and their car. The 16 year old female minor was taken to another room where she was raped before the bandits fled the scene. 

After Dark - Nowhere is Safe

The text in the above image may sound raw for some - Yes? It has to be. Today, the increased level of foreigners off-shore who are robbed, mugged, bashed and raped is happening non-stop at full speed around the clock through the continents. Foreigners wandering around after dark by themselves can easily become an instant target without acknowledging why it personally happened to them until the damage is already done. Remaining vigilant sounds good, but useless in many situations. Being aware is by using your own inner instinct that automatically acknowledges the boundaries of safety around you. Everyone has this gift, but many fail to recognise it, or completely ignore it. 
Many western foreigners become completely blinded and hypnotised traveling off-shore. Some quickly forget their own safety surroundings and environment from where they normally reside. This gives false impressions that the same safety levels are not required and forgotten.  
An example, are North American citizens, who feel safe in their own country with the right to bear arms, but forget about those little side-arm pistols as protection when departing the USA - you're on your own just like everyone else. Countless criminals, thieves, bandits and rapists are alive and well throughout the planet - within their own zones picking-off random victims as they choose. Foreign tourists become easy targets, because most of them after one month off-shore don't realise how easy it is to become the victim. Cruising around by yourself after dark somewhere off-shore thinking nothing will happen to you is a No Brainer.

Solo Travel Safety - Everyday is Different!

Forget about fear mongering or over exaggerated hype. Getting assaulted, robbed, mugged or raped happens, and usually occurs without warning when most least expect it to happen. There are many out there who know exactly what I'm talking about and probably remain silent due to embarrassment or the shock that something did happen to them. In the real world anyone can become a target ending up as the victim. Westerners that are easily mugged, robbed, or raped, because of being on cloud 9, heavily intoxicated, or with zero awareness levels allow the vicious cycle of victimisation to flow on to other foreigners who also become targets within the same region.
Learning self-defence, or carrying some form of protection is a personal choice. Using instinct and awareness when required will get most through an entire continent without  harm or any loss of baggage. Just because you may come from the Bronx, Chicago or reside within no go zones in Europe doesn't mean jack shit in other neighbourhoods elsewhere. Every region through the planet uses their own street rules, tactics, and tricks. Westerners who come from safe protected lifestyles are more vulnerable of becoming the victim off-shore in the real world.

Foreigners within the Amazon or in certain regions in Africa and Asia suffer excruciating pain from scorpion, snake and spider bites every year. By using a stun gun on yourself, it can save a whole lot of pain from these poisonous critters by high doses of electrical current. Inflicting one second zapps using any hand held stun gun immediately on a fresh venomous snake, scorpion or spider bites will decrease heart beat and swelling within minutes, and probably end up saving your life in the middle of nowhere in wilderness regions. Holding a stun gun directly over a bite, and zapping yourself 4-6 times across bites rotating the contact points around the bite is sufficient enough. Walking through Amazonian rain forest on your own without a guide increases the risk factor of being bitten by coral snakes. By using a strong stick hitting jungle brush and branches to create enough noise in front of you will make camouflage tree snakes move out of the way. I had grabbed this quick snap of a scorpion and centipede (both poisonous) during a 5 day solo trek in the Himalaya.

In Transit - Do You Watch Your Stuff? - Many Don't

The chances of loosing items from inside daypacks, or having a daypack suddenly disappearing altogether can happen during any overland transit journey through the continents. How do I know this?  By all my extensive overland travel and transit journeys over 4 decades from the amount of foreigners who have had their daypacks pilfered or stolen when dozing-off, or from those who had left their daypacks unattended while taking a quick pee-break on a bus or on a train. Buses with slide open windows are one of the fastest ways to loose daypacks, which are quickly thrown directly out the window during chaotic mid-night bus pick-ups at terminals en-route. This can happen on night buses in the highlands of Peru, bush buses thru Africa, or on trains thru Asia. It takes under 3 seconds to remove an unguarded daypack out of any open bus window. Deluxe buses may feel safer with sealed windows, but on countless occasions the pilfering of daypack contents does happen without the owner knowing about until it's too late. Keeping daypacks from being razor bladed will depend where daypacks are placed, and positioned during night transit. Never think everyone on a bus is honest just because you're a foreigner. Local bus thieves know very well foreign tourists are easy targets, and will take what's not theirs in seconds.

Solo  Travel - Gold & Gemstone Bling

Is it worth the risk to wear expensive jewellery roaming the streets in South America, Africa or Asia?  This is certainly not recommended in most cases, unless one is totally street-wise, and knows how to defend themselves off from being attacked. Why cause yourself to become mugged and robbed of stuff just because of wanting to show-off or to feel good? Professional street thieves have eyes sharper than hawks, they can spot a set of gold earrings or gold rings and necklaces a street block away. Giving potential street thieves that option in the first place is a no-brainer attitude with only yourself to blame. The chances of also being watched by hotel staff, or when leaving trendy up-market cafes, or night bars are normal occurrences that happen without the target realising it until they've already become the victim. Hiding expensive bling or cash in hotel rooms is safe in rooms with shaft bolts using your own lock and keys. Even then, rooms can still be broken into if hallways are void of camera surveillance. Getting a knock on the door during the middle of the night, and opening the door without recognising the voice, or who it is, is another no-brainer that's caught out many foreigners being robbed of everything by gunpoint. Always use a mini door stop wedge, this avoids doors from being opened during the night.
​Purchasing and designing your own jewellery off-shore is common, I've personally done this many times throughout decades of travel without any issues whatsoever. For instance, finding reputable gold craftsman in Bogota, Colombia is simple enough. One can also find authentic used jewellery, gemstones, and old gold watches at bargain prices in various pawn shops through the continents. One example, I had purchased a 78 Rolex Oyster 18 carat men's watch for only its its gold weight value due to minor scuffs and needed repairs to its date-just mechanism. It was repaired and re-sold for double the price I had originally paid for it. It's important to have receipts of custom made or used jewellery. Wearing expensive bling off-shore depends on location, and whom one associates with. Strolling walking around after dark exposing gold bling is the fastest way to lose it in Africa and South America. My advice - keep it at home!         

Solo Female Travellers - In Transit 

"Never take things for granted after dark, if you do, this is when something will likely happen to you!"

The majority of foreign solo female travellers who have already been raped, mugged and murdered has happened either in isolated areas or somewhere after dark. Just because you may have walked a certain route a few times strolling along a beach back to a bungalow, or down a quiet laneway returning to a hotel after dark at the same location doesn't mean it's safe - It's Not! This is a grave mistake, an illusion that causes foreign solo females to become victims. Feeling free and letting your guard down thinking nothing will happen is when something does happen! 
The amount of online reports of foreign female victims who have been raped, mugged, and murdered through the last two decades shows no decrease. For instance, a woman is murdered in Argentina every thirty hours, and every six hours in Brazil. So what are the chances, or risk factor for foreign females becoming victims wandering around after dark in these countries? - Think about that for a second.

There is no clear global data of the scale of rape attacks against female travellers!

Most countries do not comprehensively track violence against female travellers. There are more chances and greater risk for solo female travellers becoming targets after dark. As a warning with good advice, never take risks to walk to, or from any isolated area after dark unless accompanied with companions. It's not the amount of risks that you may have gotten away with during the past, but rather a moment lurking somewhere into the future that can easily eventuate and happen - because of letting your guard down thinking that nothing will ever happen to you. Deserted secluded beaches are prime areas for rape attacks.   
At the time of posting this (Dec 2018), two Scandinavian woman in Morocco were raped and murdered within a well-known hiking region in the Atlas mountains. In India, a British woman on her 10th year visiting Goa in India, was raped and robbed while she was walking towards a beach at 4am in the morning. In New Zealand, a solo British female backpacker had hooked up with a local on Tinder, and was murdered and buried the same evening. Geo tagging your location with any snaps or selfies posted online should be avoided. This also includes solo female travel bloggers.bloggers
It doesn't matter which region in the world one travels, solo female travellers are more vulnerable of being targeted and becoming the victim after the sun sets. There's no quick-fix remedy to heal a person who has been gang raped and mugged, no matter how tough they represent themselves through social media platforms. There are ways to keep such scenarios from happening after dark. Don't walk or stroll off alone somewhere at night thinking it's safe. Plan evenings with other foreigners, or at least be within surroundings which have a presence of local activity in lit-up areas after dark. Never accept free drinks, food, fruit, or sweets from friendly strangers no matter how good it looks. If intoxicated, or stoned-off your head parting hard-out somewhere in public - get someone you already know to accompany you back to the hotel. It's your own personal responsibility to keep safe as possible travelling and transiting as a solo female - this includes couples!
South Africa has an estimated 500,000 rape cases every year, It's estimated that 40% of South African woman will be raped in their lifetime. Peru has 3 rapes an hour according to the Peruvian public prosecutors office, South Africa is following close behind with an average of 4 rapes an hour. 
Central and South America combined only have 8 percent of the world's population. Colombia, Brazil, Mexico and Venezuela account for a quarter of all the murders on the planet. 17 of 20 countries with the highest murder rate globally are from Latin countries. South Africa, India and Costa Rica are also plagued with random attacks on foreign women with robbery, rape and murder.

Exotic places around the planet always look "so exciting" when viewed online by travel companies, airlines, tour guides, government tourism adverts, and especially from the countless "travel bloggers" out there. They just forget to mention...

Every year New Rapists, Muggers & Murderers are out there somewhere!

Below, links of brutal attacks of foreign females who thought they were safe within a "Safe Environment", but suffered the consequences of rape and robbery with many ending in death. Global statistics of western females raped off-shore who keep silent is unknown, but estimated to be in the thousands every year.                                                                 

AUSTRALIA: German & Finish females gang raped and robbed  PERU: Israeli solo female raped and murdered
BOLIVIA: Russian solo female gang raped  KENYA: British solo female gang raped and murdered  
SENEGAL: Spanish females raped and robbed  COSTA RICA: Mexican solo female raped and murdered  
SOUTH AFRICA: German female gang raped and robbed  COSTA RICA: Spanish female raped and murdered  
ARGENTINA: French females raped and murdered  INDIA: Danish solo female gang raped and robbed  
SOUTH AFRICA: South African female gang raped and murdered  MEXICO: German female raped and murdered  
INDIA: Irish solo female gang raped and murdered  BALI: Australian solo female raped and robbed  
TURKEY: Japanese female raped and murdered  NEPAL: Belgian solo female beheaded
MOZAMBIQUE: Australian solo female raped and murdered  INDIA: South Korean female drug raped
AUSTRALIA: Israeli solo female raped & murdered INDIA: Japanese solo female kidnapped raped and robbed
SOUTH AFRICA: British female gang raped  MEXICO: 6 Spanish females gang raped for hours
AUSTRALIA: British female beaten and raped  INDIA: US female drugged & gang raped Delhi
PAPUA NEW GUINEA: American female butchered and gang raped   NEPAL: American female beaten to death
TURKEY: Italian female raped and murdered  PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Philippine female brutally gang raped 
​SOUTH AFRICA: Norwegian female gang raped and robbed  MALAYSIA: American female multi gang raped and robbed  
INDIA: Swiss female brutal gang rape  SRI LANKA: Russian female gang raped​​
THAILAND: Scottish female gang raped  ECUADOR: Argentinian female raped, robbed & murdered
INDIA:  Canadian female raped Varanasi   ​INDIA: Japanese female raped Kerala
THAILAND: Thai female drugged, gang raped and murdered   COSTA RICA: American female gang raped
THAILAND: British female gang raped and robbed  SOUTH AFRICA: German female gang raped
INDIA: American female gang raped  ​BRAZIL:  American female gang raped
NAMIBIA: German solo female raped and robbed   DUBAI: British female gang raped  
NEW ZEALAND:  German solo female raped  N.Z. Dutch female brutally raped   
IRAN: French female gang raped and robbed   INDIA:  Latvian female drugged, raped and beheaded   
PHILLIPINES: British female  raped   AMAZON: British female - tortured, gang raped and murdered  
TURKEY: American female Bludgeoned to death   INDIA: Australian female gang raped and murdered   
SOUTH AFRICA: 2 Swedish females knifepoint raped   BRAZIL: Lithuania female robbed and raped 
THAILAND: German female raped and brutally murdered   THAILAND: British female raped on Koh Phi Phi island
INDIA: Chinese female drugged and gang raped Agra  INDIA: Japanese female raped Manali
SOUTH AFRICA: Israeli female robbed and gang raped  INDIA: Japanese female gang raped Jaipur 
INDIA: Russian female gang raped Manali  THAILAND: American​ Female raped Krabi Is.
INDIA: Russian female drug gang rape Tamil Nadu  INDIA: German female raped on deserted beach Tamil Nadu
SOUTH AFRICA: Israeli female gang raped and robbed   CAMBODIA French female abducted gang raped Kampot
SOUTH AFRICA: Irish female raped Eastern Cape   MEXICO: Italian female gang raped by cops
GRENADA: American female raped and murdered  SRI LANKA: Spanish female raped Kandy  
CHILE: 2 British females attacked raped tied to tree  BRAZIL: Lithuania couple both raped - partner murdered   
INDIA: Israeli female gang raped  PHILIPPINES: Russian female raped at Panglao beach   
THAILAND: Chinese female raped and robbed  INDIA: British female raped and robbed Goa

The above links are a drop in the bucket compared to the many thousands of links that are either hidden or slowly drained off the internet on purpose! Trip advisor is one of them! The obvious reasons for this is the "Bad Publicity" it creates within the entire global travel industry. The majority of far away exotic countries soaked as blissful destinations will already have their hands full of their own local rapes and murders. Here's one from 1981. One only needs to use Google search results for any country, which will show pages on pages of images of the bias tourist trade. The majority of negative search results of rape and murder of foreign tourists must be individually searched in local news media which are also removed off search engines.  
Google : Thailand images   N.Z. images   South Africa images   Costa Rica images   India images   Peru images
The same tourist trade bias also applies to the majority of travel blogger influencers, commercial airlines and the hotel industry. Today, all negative information that doesn't fit the narrative of safe zone travel offshore is placed on the back burner, or classified as "one-off events" to keep tourism cash flows spinning at a maximum. 
This is one quick example of a vanishing rape internet link, a Lithuanian female cyclist who was raped while cycling through Itarema, Ceará state, Brazil.

Solo Female Travel - Red Zones

Iraq has endless cemeteries full of innocent victims - Don't forget to visit a few!

A Facebook image of a western female holding a hand written sign IRAQ "Girls love travel" (image location not confirmed if it is real or fake) HITCHHIKING IRAQ
"I just wanted to share there is love and warmth everywhere in the world. You just need the wisdom and courage to reach out and grasp it. Open your minds and hearts! We are the people that are showing that the world in which solo females can travel to its far corners. Happy 2019. Let's hit the road".
Solo female travellers advertising themselves online as vivid travellers with selfie snaps taken within Red Zone regions may look appealing to many, but this promotes a dangerous climate for anyone who may think they are capable of travelling through Red Zones as if nothing will happen to them. A word of advice - Any country having internal conflicts, warfare, or random suicide attacks is out right dangerous for all western foreigners - male or female. Western females who wish to travel within volatile regions through the Middle East and Sahel region are doing so at their own risk. Don't think "Love & Warmth" is something you're going to expect if taken hostage during transit in the middle of nowhere by various Islamic militia groups! 
​Remember this post if it happens to you!

Solo Overland Travel - Red Zone Regions

So, you've just arrived at a crossroad deciding if it's worth the risk to travel through Red Zone territory, or to deviate around it. You've just met another foreign westerner who just recently travelled through the intended Red Zone region who had no issues. You're excited, you're feeling lucky, the sense of danger becomes unapparent, because nothing had happened to another fellow traveller. This is how deceiving it becomes! Just because someone else had passed through a Red Zone a few days before, means nothing will happen to you as well - Right? No Wrong!  Entering into any Red Zone region works like Russian Roulette. It also depends on the type of group, or militia insurgency controlling the region, and what their own personal rule books follow. Drug militia controlled regions will normally extort as much cash as they can extract before releasing captives. Red Zones held by Islamic militia groups through Africa and the Mid-East go beyond cash extractions. Western females may be subjected to all kinds of sexual victimisation on a daily basis.  
Edith Blais, a Canadian female traveller with her boyfriend were taken hostage in the Sahel region in 2018, the couple were reportedly kidnapped and taken to Mali by Islamic militia. The possibilities of the couple being tortured, beaten, sodomised, raped and killed is extremely high. The couple transited overland through Morocco, Mauritania and Mali before arriving in Burkina Faso, and were continuing to Togo - They never arrived. Meanwhile in the same region, another Canadian national was also abducted in Burkina Faso and was later found murdered. The saying by solo female travellers "there are no dangerous countries, just dangerous people" is completely the wrong attitude and advice to give to others who lack judgement, instinct, and the sense of danger. The risk factor multiples and increases greatly within countries lacking security, or having no security whatsoever. Local gang rape murders happen more often than what is officially reported through mainstream media. You have to ask yourself why hotel and backpacker establishments located within semi-safe regions have front entry camera visual auto-lock security systems, razor wire, night security, and 24 hour internal camera surveillance. Is it for decoration only? If you lock and wedge your door wherever it maybe, there's obvious reasons for doing so - right?
Today, any westerners having the urge to travel or transit into Red Zone territories, like through or near the Sahel Region, or working as volunteers on the African East Coast should understand the risk levels are far greater than it was only a year ago. 
​If it's only your life on the line - and no-one else's, so go for it. Westerners travelling together with partners or with a female friend who wind up being taken hostage may also suffer listening to their female partner or friend being gang raped each day, and then live with the guilt of regret for the rest of their life - think about that a few times!  Is it worth to travel through Red Zones that could have been avoided? - A personal choice that one decides their own future fate!  

Be Careful Who You Hook-Up With - It May Not Be What You Expected!

Befriending someone in bars or online offshore via Facebook, Tinder, or thru Dating sites with someone you have never met in person may give totally false impressions of who that person actually is of their real intentions. Meeting up with other guests in the same hotel can also become your worst nightmare.
Antony de Malmanche, a Kiwi ended up receiving 15 years jail time for smuggling 1.7Kg of crystal meth into Bali. His online romance affair with a Chinese female brought him to China, Hong Kong, and Indonesia. Antony didn't even meet his online lover. He was scammed Big-time without even doing a "brain check" if in-fact the woman was a fake. He didn't recheck his own baggage before departing mainland China before boarding a flight to Denpasar.
Don't accuse of being gang raped unless you were really gang raped, this is what happened to a 19 year old UK female tourist recently on the Island of Cyprus in July 2019  - you can be the judge and determine the facts of the event yourself. 
(Jan 2019) a 30 year old Australian woman, a practising lawyer was seduced by a Pakistani national named Sajjad, who was also a lawyer. She had flown to Pakistan to hook up with Sajjad to form a cool relationship. Both had been Facebook friends for a few years, but had never met in real life. The 30-year-old Australian was abused, humiliated, beaten and raped repeatedly by Sajjad, and starved for days. She was even forced to lie on her back with her legs open to “air out” her vagina. He also smashed her head against a bathroom sink because she missed a bit of shampoo. The Australian High Commission in Pakistan ignored her urgent request for help, (which isn't the first time this has happened to an Australian citizen abroad), and probably because the situation was classified as an internal civil matter.
An Egyptian tourist rapes 3 women in Australia hooked up with them on OKCupid and Plenty of Fish.
Be careful of other foreigners off-shore who may go into a frenzy and stab you to death Queensland  Australia.
Be careful of jealous younger lovers off-shore - an American female was stabbed to death from her Latin lover Costa Rica  
The lure of foreign females thru dating sites by Latinos in South America to smuggle narcotics in their baggage without them acknowledging it has been active for a few decades. A middle aged Kiwi woman was caught in Argentina carrying a 5KG stash of cocaine in a suitcase at the airport. This was before she even had the chance to meet her online lover who was based in the UK - how stupid can anyone get? 
​Be careful who you meet up with in bars, it can cost jail time and painful injury!  
​In short, it's said that love is blind, it has caught many foreigners off-guard, allowing their latin lovers to pack their baggage before departure. The occurrence of foreign western females falling victim as drug mules still continues toady. The baited lure and promise of having a lavishing lifestyle offered by drug lords may sound good, but greed will always win in the end - It's your own responsibility to check  and pack your own baggage before any departure!
Don't cry rape with a married man in Dubai, a 24-year-old Norwegian woman who had reported her rape to police in Dubai found herself charged with engaging in extramarital sex, alcohol consumption and perjury, she was sentenced to 16 months in jail. The incident was just the latest in a long line of cases involving women who have claimed to have been the victims of rape and then have suffered prosecution themselves.
It's fact, that certain events keep repeating themselves over and over again - just a timeline difference with new victims! 

Solo Male Travellers - In Transit

If there's one thing that repeats itself time and time again non-stop through the decades, it's certainly the amount of foreign western males travelling solo through continents who are robbed silently while fast asleep by strangers they themselves self invited into their hotel rooms. No joke, through the decades of many long-term solo overland travel journeys through South America, Africa and Asia, I've reached the conclusion that the last idiot hasn't been born yet.
There have been many instances where I've met foreign males who were robbed of all their personal possessions, because of the urge of some fast overnight casual sex with local females. Some have lost laptops, expensive watches, smart phones, gold, cash, watches, credit cards, daypacks, camera-gear, including entire backpacks that have vanished out the door under the hours of darkness from hotel rooms. How embarrassing is that? Imagine how many 1000's of foreign males who would rather keep silent about their sexual adventures off-shore that ended up as valuable baggage loss.
This quick post are to all those males out there, who become sexually motivated with local females picked up in bars, or out on the street - You only have yourselves to blame and no-one else if an event like this occurs. I could write a book on this particular subject with endless amounts of recorded data on foreign males who have been robbed of valuables and baggage in Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Paraguay, Guyana, Costa Rica, Mexico, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, including other countries. 
I know what some may be thinking, has something like this ever happened to me? No-not once, because I don't place myself into this type of situation avoiding it to happen. There are western foreigners out there from both sexes who do the exact opposite without even realising they've already become a victim through their own uncontrolled sexual pleasure with total strangers. Don't worry, you're not alone - many out there are fleeced usually by being bonked till they've fallen asleep.     
​Maybe, just maybe some might learn from their mistakes, and refrain from their personal sexual desires and lusts when they've been robbed of everything silently in dream state. Guys, raping and gang raping leads to jail-time!  
Sex tourism is a multi-billion dollar global cash-cow, the chances of it of ever reversing is an impossible task because of the fast lucrative cash flows by all those eagerly funding it from both sides of the industry.
Zanzibar, Kenya and Tanzania are popular sex tourism destinations for European women. A hot spot region well known for decades for middle-aged women looking for wild holiday romance. Young African men (beach-boys) hang around hotels, trendy cafes and bars hoping to catch the eyes of female tourists. A typical scenario involves the female tourist being chatted and courted, having daily companionship with endless amounts of sexual pleasure in exchange for gifts and cash donations. The ultimate aim of African male sex workers is to form a quick relationship to strike gold with marriage to Europe. Western woman into off-shore African sex should be aware that many beach-boys have cycled themselves through the sexual grinder with hundreds of other women - No protection during sexual pleasure may give you free gifts that weren't part of the holiday.   

Solo Travel Getting Spiked - Watch Out!

Spiking has quadruped over the years with many western foreigners falling victim of waking up in travel accommodation with either being robbed of their stuff, or robbed and raped, or raped elsewhere at another location. There are countless western foreigners out there who have experienced the above and would rather remain silent because of shock and embarrassment that it happened to them. Spiked alcoholic drinks are dosed-up with different drugs like Rohypnol, Ketamine (an odourless anaesthetic) and GHB. Eye drops are another product used in alcoholic drinks. Anyone alone out and about already half intoxicated are the usual targets chosen - male or female! Street and beach bars and trendy chill-out nightclubs is where it all happens. Going out together with others as a group can avoid becoming an easy victim by watching each others back. Depending on the professionalism of any Spiker - they already know who are easy targets. Fresh plane loads of new potential victims arrive into South America and Asia every day non-stop. Solo travellers heading out into the night will have to use their own judgment and instinct. America female blogger date raped

Chaining stuff up keeps gear from disappearing whether on the go or stationary. Big city street thieves get rich from others ignoring their own fate when camera-gear, daypacks or travel bags suddenly vanish into thin air. A simple chain tied through baggage attached on mopeds and MC's does the job. This becomes a normal habit with backpacks and photo-gear transiting anywhere using trains, bush-buses, and vans. Nothing has changed - Thieves still rob those who don't chain up their stuff. 

Overland Transit - Bush Track Highways

Soon, there will be no more original bush track highway routes thru Africa and South America if the Chinese get their way. The Far East belt & road initiative has already destroyed many great dirt track highways replacing them with bitumen tarmac. Don't worry, there's still a few dusty potholed filled transit highway tracks the Chinese haven't touched as yet. Bush track highways usually keep regions isolated well away from plastic tourism. In most cases, many Chinese belt & road projects have run countries completely broke placing them into an endless burden of debt. A major part and enjoyment of any long-term overland travel are the dirt track highways cutting thru uninhibited jungle terrain or along high altitude passes. Others out there will probably agree that most will hardly remember a 2-4 day transit journey on bitumen, but will never forget any rough rugged bush track transit through the middle of nowhere.

Through Asia, original rough high altitude bush tracks are disappearing. The only part of what is left of one of the greatest original routes to experience cliff-edge travel, is the Rekong Peo to Kibber route during mid-winter. The journey will give anyone hair raising graphic visual vistas lasting a lifetime. Transiting in Sub-zero temps (-10C to -35C) on rugged road tracks cut out from the edge of high pass cliffs @ 4000m+ altitudes is extreme as it gets. - Do it before the route becomes a bitumen highway like the Ladakh - Leh expressway. Soon, Kaza will also have an airport hub destroying what ever isolated serenity Spiti Valley had!  Below image: on the go snap mid-winter transit to Spiti Valley via Rekong Peo.         

Driving Through Red Zones

From one day to the next driving your own vehicle through volatile regions in certain countries is like Russian Roulette. We're not talking about the usual road trips through national wildlife parks, or over-crowded coastal touristy hot-spots here. It's about getting through along highways within the middle of nowhere unscathed without loss of life and baggage. Many foreigners aren't too concerned about the risk factors that may lay waiting up-ahead. Safety and weather conditions play a roll, but only skim the surface. The freedom of driving your own vehicle along open dirt track highways without seeing another westerner for weeks is bliss. The elements of surprise of a sudden makeshift road block, or hold-up doesn't mean a thing until it actually happens. The loss of vehicles, baggage, cash, photo-gear has no meaning until you've already become a victim of it. This is what one has too question before endeavouring down any isolated dirt track road route within volatile regions thinking nothing will happen.
How lucky do you feel? How much do you value your life? Can you handle watching your girlfriend or other female passengers being gang raped by bandits or militia and do nothing to stop it? Who is to blame for such events to happen in the first place? Is it worth that new You Tube clip you want to complete to increase click bait followers? or posting updated selfie snaps on social media for likes? Is it worth the risk to end-up in a body bag?  
Think before driving into Red Zones, I've driven through volatile regions numerous times and made it through each time unscathed. Every day has different outcomes and endings - some good, others bad. Who knows what the roll of the dice may bring forth for those deciding to travel along the same route a week later. Today, It's become extremely difficult to even transit coast to coast from Djibouti or Algeria to Nigeria without being harassed, corrupted, robbed of everything, gang raped, held hostage, or completely disappear. Only you can decided if your inner instinct, intuition, and travel experience says - Yes Lets Do It, But don't scream if something happens en-route when transiting through isolated volatile infested regions - no one will be able to help you! you're on your own, and also bear the guilt of those with you who may end=up suffering long-term stress disorder, or in body bags if any of the previous mentioned scenarios eventuate - Good luck!

Solo Travel - Red Zones  

"Transiting Through Any Red Zone Is At Your Own Risk Even If Permission Is Granted Allowing Passage" 

Nothing much has changed through the decades regarding Red Zones regions. Some Red zones have remained in the same locations since the 1980s, while others have move quietly expanding elsewhere across international borders - usually unnoticed. Red Zones are commonly created from upheaval and chaos, drug producing, tribal  disputes, Islamic groups and militia proxies, political instability, and religious infighting. Overland travel through the Mid-East (apart from UAE/Dubai) may require deviations using other routes from one day to the next. Sporadic attacks, and new upheavals can happen with minimal notice. Hitchhiking with locals, or taking random street snaps within unsecured regions is at your own risk. Never think one group of inhabitants having positive interaction is the same at the next location stop. The Middle East contains numerous on-going integrated terror cell networks in conjunction with endless splinter factions spread far and wide through at least 15 countries. Military and police security control check points are many. Westerners maybe refused entry into certain Red Zone territories. Those who continue into Red Zone regions are doing it at their own risk without security measures or help - You're on your own.              

Asia, Africa, and the Middle East all have their fair share of Red Zone conflicts. Westerners over-landing through continents at some stage will end-up having to gather fresh on the ground information if travelling directly through Red Zones. Researching levels of safety and security - if any, before passing through Red Zone regions is imperative. Keeping informed in advance before transiting through Red Zones will only help to a certain degree. It won't stop live fire at a moving bush bus, or anything else on wheels that's deemed as target practise. I've had the experience of being shot at after dark on a moving bus with projectiles just missing my head by a few centimetres. Red zones are not called Red Zones for nothing. Locals being slaughtered and killed inside Red Zone territories happen everyday. Don't think being a foreign visitor travelling through any Red Zone will save your skin - It won't! 
​Travelling through Red Zones, or through any unstable region is entirely at your own risk - even if permits and permission has been granted! One can be lucky to travel through Red Zone regions without any issues or problems, but then maybe not.
One has to decide for themselves if a flight home inside a body bag is worth it.

Travel Snaps & Selfies In Red Zones

The complexed world we live in today has created all types of hysteria easily triggered by others' verbal or physical expressions. This is political correctness gone mad. For instance, these two images may give the reader false illusions completely off-kilter without knowing the full story behind them. Decades ago, no one blinked an eyelid - not even my mother, because various overland travel journeys back then passed through Red Zones. Westerners grabbing location snaps like these today may receive all types of scrutiny from government authorities , employment, immigration, and social media platforms. One could quickly be labelled as suspicious, a criminal, an illegal drug or arms supplier, dealing contraband goods, or affiliated with militia. Foreigners travelling off-shore snapping-off selfies, or taking location shots within Red Zones should be aware of the negative repercussions that may arise.
Posting certain images on social media platforms can backfire resulting in loss of employment, a security threat, black-ban restrictions, visa refusal, including entry into countries limiting future travel.

The increased upsurge of Red Zone regions scattered through the Middle East and especially across Africa has quadrupled since the first Arab spring in 2011. The entire Sahel region alone contains all types of Islamic militancy. The overspill of attacks, plundering, hostage taking, looting and sporadic killing across into neighbouring countries have become weekly occurrences. Westerners travelling through volatile regions can become easy targets by their apparel dress-mode, skin colour, and lack of communicating in local languages. Today, getting through any major Red Zone region unscathed will depend on militia activity en-route on any given day. Road blocks and highway incursions can suddenly happen during transit. Westerners ignoring the risks, are likely to be dragged out of vechiles, and suffer what ever consequences that lay waiting ahead. Accommodation en-route is one of the weak links. Passports automatically reveal nationality. It only takes one hotel staff worker affiliated to any given insurgent group to sell out a western foreigner at the drop of a pin for cash handouts and protection. Travelling through Red Zone regions, even if official permit clearances have been issued has zero security. Assistance or help from Embassies is virtually limited for western nationals if kidnapped. 

There are more overland transit routes through Red Zones today, than there was during the 1980's and 90's. This has been created by the increased movement and activity from countless militia groups on the move. The chances of being kidnapped still remains as valid as ever. Red Zones controlled by joint militia groups can have varying degrees of internal strife, thus causing insecurity issues. Even if a particular Red Zone allows visitation, and travel through it, the safety level remains at zero. Arriving through the other side of Red Zone regions can also be more troublesome than entering them. Neighbouring countries sharing cross-border Red Zones can refuse foreigners onward travel. One should expect thorough interrogations, searches and even deportation, including black-bans for those without legal permission or permits. Any personal affiliation with militants inside Red Zone territories should be avoided.  

Red Zone regions expand, shrink, disappear, or reform with the same, or even worse insurgency it previously contained. Just because you may have heard of a solo traveller passing through a Red Zone a week before, it will not guarantee a safe passage a week later. Militias, terrorists, and bandits move around through their own turf, believe me, you don't want to be caught and taken hostage, unless it's a gruesome death wish you're looking for. Knowing verses in the Koran may save your skin within Red Zone regions controlled by Islamic rebels, but that's something that can't be guaranteed. This also applies to foreign western cyclists who become easy targets within regions that aren't even classified as Red Zones. (NYT 2018)

Safety Isn't Important Transiting Through Red Zone Regions - Safety Doesn't Exist!

So, you really want to feel the vibe of transiting through Red Zone regions? The Algerian overland transit route through the Mahgreb and Sahel region to Abuja-Nigeria will give you that choice hands down - if you're game enough to take whatever risks that may occur along the way. As the saying goes - the law of the jungle can never be tamed, so don't expect any mercy if incidents occur en-route via the Sahel region. The further one continues along this route beyond the Algerian border may encounter high risks of being kidnapped, car-jacked, mugged, robbed, or raped, or worst case scenario - everything  mentioned in one hit! Travelling in the other direction from Abuja north ease towards towards Somalia contains the same risk factor. If one speaks Arabic, or has converted to Islam, and can cite Koranic versers, the chances of getting through without incident is higher. Foreigners of Christian heritage caught by Islamic militia groups within Red Zone regions maybe forced to convert to Islam, or suffer whatever severe punishment militia groups may use at will.
​Westerners transiting through Red Zones have no choice, but to follow the local rule of law and authority by whoever is in control of the region - Repeat the last sentence a few times to let it sink in!  

Border crossings do close without warning. Reaching another point of entry is the only choice. If all else fails, travel to another entry point through a neighbouring country. I've had issues like this on different South Sudan and DRC border crossings, but eventually got through. Onward visas should be issued well in advance. If any particular visa reaches its expiry date, because of an early issue, or from delayed travel time with only a few weeks remaining, extensions can be made if one has already entered into the country. Already expired visas in passports can also help fast-track new visa issues for the same country at "friendly Consulates" - Avoid Embassies, unless  there's no other alternative.  

I had briefly warned about the risk factors for western non-Muslims travelling overland through Red Zone regions in January 2013. Those contemplating overland travel journeys entering into Red Zone regions in Africa should be aware of the consequences if kidnapping occurs. The chances of being abruptly held-up along transit routes, or dragged out from sleeping accommodation during the night is real as it gets. Remaining vigilant and alert won't help within Red Zone regions controlled by militia groups! Any decision of travelling into these regions is at the peril of anyone ignoring the high risk factors involved.       

The Spread Of Islamic Insurgency Throughout Africa Is On Going! 

Global mainstream media, overland tour operators, and fluffy travel bloggers paste their own narrative views on terror insurgency plaguing throughout the African continent. Headlines & titles such as "infighting amongst farmers and herders", or "tribal insurgency amongst villages".
A U.N. report published in February 2020 "ISIS affiliate in Somalia’s Puntland state is now the command centre for “affiliates in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mozambique and is in charge of loose networks of supporters of the affiliates" UN B. Regional Trends 1. Africa 26 
The quick list below paints a different picture showing the root-core of who and what groups are actually behind the on-going conflicts across the northern Sahara and sub-Sahara regions. The push of major Islamic terrorist groups amalgamating with local militant support groups has gained momentum at lightning-speed over the last two years, and is now moving through DRC (ADF Uganda) into Mozambique. Al-Qaeda, Boko-Harem, Isis, and Al-Shabaab are the main leader groups radicalising local Muslim communities spread through the continent.
​Each group use their own ideology and rule of law within territory under their influence and control. Jama’at Nusrat al Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM)-a coalition of militant Islamist groups founded in 2017. The Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), Macina Liberation Front (MUJAO) (MLF), AQIM-Branch of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, al Mourabitoun-a merger group of unity and Jihad (MUJAO), Boko Haram-Fulani/Salafi Muslims-the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP)-(killed over 6000 non-Muslims since 2018), Harakat al Shabaab al Mujahidee - Somali based, an official affiliate of al Qaeda. Abnaa ul-Calipha-Somali Islamic state splinter group, Islamic State Central Africa Province-ISCAP (ADF & al Shabaab-Mozambique & DRC)

Foreigners Kidnapped - Maghreb Sahel Region

NIGER: 2 French tourists kidnapped from restaurant murdered    MALI: British tourist kidnapped beheaded
MALI: French national kidnapped murdered    MOROCCO Marrakesh suicide bombing 16 dead (11 Tourists) 
MOROCCO: 2 Scandinavian females gang raped & beheaded    ALGERIA:  31 European tourists kidnapped
​NIGER: 22 tourists robbed by bandits​    MALI: 4 tourists kidnapped from hotel 1 shot dead 
MALI: 2 French journalists both shot dead    ALGERIA: French tourist kidnapped and beheaded
BURKINA FASO: Canadian Italian couple kidnapped on highway  2018

Atrocities Through Africa - Jan to Dec 2019

The below victims were either tortured to death, butchered, shot, beheaded or blown to bits. 

The following list is verified from local news sources. It excludes thousands of victims who suffered injury during these attacks. There have been hundreds of other atrocities through the continent during 2019. 

2019.01.03 Nigeria  Banki 2 dead - Boko Harem    2019.01.02 Nigeria Kwata 6 dead - Boko Harem  
2019.01.07 Nigeria Sajeri 3 dead - Boko Harem    2019.01.07 DRC Malvivi 10 dead - ADF    
2019.01.09 DRC Beni 7 dead - ADL    2019.01.10 CAR Bambari 2 dead - Muslim Rebels    
2019.01.11 Burkina Faso Gasseliki 12 dead - Muslim Rebels    2019.01.14 Nigeria Rann 14 dead - Boko Harem  
2019.01.20 CAR Zaoro Sangou 13 dead - Muslim Rebels    2019.01.20 Mali Aguelhoc 10 dead - Al-Qaeda
2019.01.24 DRC Beni 3 dead - ADF    2019.01.25 CAR Ippy 18 dead - UPC  
2019.01.27 Burkina Faso Sirkire 10 dead - Jihadists    2019.01.28 Niger Bossa 4 dead - Sharia Proponents  
2019.01.28 Burkina Faso Soum 4 dead - Jihadists     2019.01.28 Nigeria Molai 4 dead - Boko Harem    
2019.01.28 Nigeria Rann 60 dead - Boko Harem    2019.01.29 Mali Tarkint 2 dead - Muslim Rebels    
2019.01.30 Nigeria Dikwa 8 dead - Boko Harem    2019.02.01 Niger Bague Djaradi 6 dead - Boko Harem    
2019.02.04 Burkina Faso Oudalan 5 dead - Jihadists    2019.02.04 Burkina Faso Kain 14 dead - Jihadists    
2019.02.04 Nigeria Tubba 3 dead - Islamists    2019.02.05 Mali Hombori 3 dead - Jihadists    
2019.02.08 DRC Rwangoma 7 dead - ADF    2019.02.08 Nigeria Ngwom 3 dead - Boko Harem    
2019.02.09 Nigeria Madagali 2 dead - Jihadists    2019.02.10 Nigeria Angwan Barde 10 dead - Muslim Militants   
2019.02.12 Nigeria Madagali 5 dead - Boko Harem     2019.02.12 Mali Mopti 3 dead - Jihadists    
2019.02.13 Nigeria Gajibo 5 dead - Boko Harem    2019.02.13 Niger Bagaji 3 dead - Islamic militants   
2019.02.14 Nigeria Karamai 41 - Fulani Militia     2019.02.15 Burkina Faso Nohao 5 dead - Jihadists    
2019.02.15 Nigeria Kushari 6 dead - Suicide Bombers     2019.02.17 Nigeria Buni Yadi 9 dead - Jihadists   
2019.02.18 Nigeria Koshebe 18 dead - Islamists    2019.02.19 Chad Baubaura 5 dead - Sharia Proponents    
2019.02.24 Mali Aguelhok 8 dead - Jihadists    2019.02.26 Nigeria Maro 32 dead - Islamists   
2019.02.26 Mali Diankabou 18 dead - Jihadist    2019.02.28 Nigeria Kardamari 4 dead - Boko Harem   
2019.03.01 Nigeria Borno 4 dead - Boko Harem    2019.03.01 Mali Boulkessy 9 dead - Al Qaeda    
2019.03.04 Nigeria Mbacohon 23 dead - Militant Muslims    2019.03.06 Nigeria Addamari 5 dead - Boko Harem
​2019.03.08 DRC Beni 6 dead - ADF    2019.03.09 Niger Gueskerou 7 dead - Boko Harem    
2019.03.11 Nigeria Dogan Noma 71 dead - Fulani Militia    2019.03.14 Niger Toumour 4 dead - Jihadist    
2019.03.14 Cameroon Sandawadjiri 3 dead - Boko Harem    2019.03.16 Nigeria Nandu 10 dead - Muslim Militants
​2019.03.17 Mali Dioura 23 dead - JNIM    2019.03.17 DRC Kalau 6 dead - ADF    
2019.03.17 Burkina Faso Djibo 3 dead - Militant Islamists    2019.03.18 Nigeria Gwoza 8 dead - Boko Harem
​2019.03.18 Nigeria Michika 4 dead - Jihadist    2019.03.20 Nigeria Lassa 4 dead - Boko Harem    
2019.03.22 Niger Dewa Kargueri 8 dead - Boko Harem    2019.03.23 Nigeria Mante  1 dead - Militant Islamists
2019.03.23 Somalia Mogadishu 11 dead - Suicide Bombers    2019.03.23 Niger Diffa 7 dead - Boko Harem
2019.03.26 Niger N'Guigmi 10 dead - Suicide Bombers    2019.03.27 Nigeria Miringa 2 dead - Boko Harem
2019.03.28 Somalia Mogadishu 15 dead - al Shabaab    2019.03.28 Burkina Faso Barani 4 dead - Jihadists
2019.03.30 Burkina Faso Yendere 3 dead - Jihadists    2019.03.31 Somalia Kamsuma 4 dead - al Shabaab
2019.04.01 Nigeria Baga 5 dead - Boko Harem    2019.04.03 Burkina Faso Arbinda 32 dead - Jihadists
2019.04.05 Burkina Faso Dori 4 dead - Muslim Extremists    2019.04.06 Nigeria Anambra 6 dead - Fulani Militia
2019.04.07 Nigeria Muna Dalti 3 dead - Suicide Bombers    2019.04.07 Cameroon Sagme 3 dead - Boko Harem
2019.04.10 Niger Diffa 2 dead - Boko Harem    2019.04.10 Nigeria Lake Chad 5 dead - Islamic State
2019.04.11 Nigeria Monguno 2 dead - Suicide Bombers    2019.04.14 Nigeria Numa 17 dead - Fulani Militia
2019.04.14 Chad Bohama 7 dead - Boko Harem    2019.04.16 DRC Kamango 8 dead - Islamic State
2019.04.17 Somalia Mogadishu 4 dead - Islamists    2019.04.17 Somalia Wadajir 5 dead - al Shabaab
2019.04.19 Nigeria Katsina 11 dead - Islamists    2019.04.19 Cameroon Tchakarmari 11 dead - Islamists
2019.04.21 Nigeria Gombe 10 dead - Islamists    2019.04.21 Mali Guire 12 dead - al Qaeda
2019.04.23 Burkina Faso Liki 4 dead - Jihadists    2019.04.23 Somalia Baidoa 6 dead - al Shabaab
2019.04.26 Nigeria Mararrabar Kimba 5 dead - Boko Harem 2019.04.26 Burkina Faso Maitaougou 6 dead - Jihadists
2019.04.27 Nigeria Nzehrivoh 2 dead - Fulani Militia    2019.04.27 Cameroon Kofia 4 dead - Boko Harem
2019.04.28 Burkina Faso Silgadji 6 dead - Islamic Extremists    2019.04.29 Nigeria Kuda-Kaya 25 dead - Boko Harem
2019.04.30 Nigeria Duwabayi 14 dead - Islamic Militants    2019.05.02 Nigeria Baga 3 dead - Boko Harem
2019.05.02 DRC Tshabi 6 dead - ADF    2019.05.03 Benin Pendjari 1 dead - Muslim Extremists
2019.05.03 Nigeria Magumeri 15 dead - Boko Harem    2019.05.07 Nigeria Molai 11 dead - Boko Harem
2019.05.07 Burkina Faso Sahel Reserve 2 dead - Jihadists    2019.05.08 Kenya Wajir 1 dead - Islamists
2019.05.10 Mali Bandiagara 4 dead - Islamists    2019.05.10 Nigeria Gajiganna 11 dead - al Qaeda
2019.05.10 Mozambique Pemba 2 dead - Jihadists    2019.05.11 Mozambique Mangoma 2 dead - Islamists
2019.05.11 Nigeria Moranti 4 dead -  Boko Harem    2019.05.12 Burkina Faso Dablo 6 dead - Islamic Extremists
2019.05.13 Burkina Faso Ouahigouya 4 dead - Extremists    2019.05.13 Nigeria Damboa 3 dead - Boko Harem
2019.05.14 Somalia Mogadishu 4 dead - Suicide Bomber    2019.05.14 Niger Tonga Tonga 28 dead - Anser al Islam
2019.05.16 Nigeria Adamawa 14 dead - Boko Harem    2019.05.16 Chad Ceilia 13 dead - Islamic Militants
2019.05.18 CAR Nola 1 dead - Muslim Militants    2019.05.19 Mali Timbuktu 1 dead - Islamists
2019.05.19 Mali Koury 7 dead - Jihadists   2019.05.20 Somalia Bakol 4 dead - al Shabaab
2019.05.21 Nigeria Gubio 3 dead - Boko Harem    2019.05.21 CAR Pahoua 34 dead - Muslim Militia
2019.05.22 Somalia Mogadishu 2 dead - al Shabaab    2019.05.22 Somalia Mogadishu 9 dead - al Shabaab
2019.05.22 Burkina Faso Koury 2 dead - Jihadists    2019.05.22 CAR Ouham Pende 16 dead - Muslim Militia
2019.05.22 Nigeria Maiduguri 9 dead - Islamic State    2019.05.23 DRC Nola - nun beheaded - Muslim Militia
2019.05.24 Nigeria Sabon Garin Kimba 5 dead - Boko Harem    2019.05.25 Nigeria Borno 25 dead - Islamists
2019.05.25 Chad N’Gounboua 5 dead - Boko Harem    2019.05.26 Nigeria Jos 7 dead - Radicalised Muslims
2019.05.26 Burkina Faso Toulfe 4 dead - Muslim Militants    2019.05.27 Nigeria Jere 7 dead - Sharia Militia
2019.05.28 Mozambique Macomia 16 dead - Islamists    2019.06.04 DRC Beni 13 dead - ADF Islamists
2019.06.09 Burkina Faso Arbinda 19 dead - Jihadists    2019.06.10 Sudan Deleij 17 dead - Janjaweed Islamists
2019.06.10 Mali Sobame Da 95 dead - Fulani Islamists    2019.06.10 Cameroon Darak 26 dead - Boko Harem
2019.06.10 Burkina Faso Namentenga 10 dead - Militants    2019.06.10 Cameroon Kolfata 2 dead - Boko Harem
2019.06.12 Nigeria Kareto 20 dead - Islamists    2019.06.15 Nigeria Gubio 13 dead - Boko Harem
2019.06.15 Nigeria Tcholori 2 dead - Militants    2019.06.15 Kenya Konton 12 dead - al Shabaab
2019.06.15 Somalia Mogadishu 11 dead - Suicide Bomber    2019.06.16 Nigeria Maiduguri 30 dead - Suicide Bombers
2019.06.16 Mali Sokolo 2 dead - Jihadists    2019.06.17 Nigeria Nakai Danwal 6 dead - Islamists
2019.06.17 Nigeria Kangbro 3 dead - Militants     2019.06.17 Nigeria Ungwan Rimi Kamuru 4 dead - Militants
2019.06.17 Mali Gangafani 38 dead - Militants    2019.06.17 Nigeria Monguno 18 dead - Boko Harem
2019.06.18 Niger Niamey 2 dead - Sharia Militia    2019.06.18 Cameroon Grossi 2 dead - Islamists
2019.06.19 Burkina Faso Belehede 17 dead - Jihadists    2019.06.21 Chad Mbomouga 11 dead - Boko Harem
2019.06.22 Burkina Faso Sagho 13 dead - Jihadists    2019.06.22 Burkina Faso Toekodogo 2 dead - Jihadists
2019.06.24 Burkina Faso Arbinda 2 dead - Militants    2019.06.24 Nigeria Ngamngam 20 dead - Boko Harem
2019.06.24 Nigeria Guzamala 9 dead - Islamic Eextremists    2019.06.25 Nigeria Koton-Karfe 7 dead - Miyetti Allah
2019.06.26 Tanzania Itole 11 dead - Ahlu Sunnah Wa Jama   2019.06.27 Burkina Faso Bani 4 dead - Militants
2019.06.29 Nigeria Gamurai 4 dead - Boko Harem    2019.06.30 Mali Yoro 12 dead - Islamists

Atrocities to Non-Muslims  Nigeria 2010 - Kenya 2015 - Nigeria 2018 - Mali 2019

2019.07.01 Niger Inates 18 dead - Suicide Bombers    2019.07.03 Mozambique Lidjungo 7 dead - Islamic Extremists
2019.07.03 Somalia Hagar 4 dead - al Shabaab    2019.07.04 Somalia Salagle 6 dead - Sharia Executions
2019.07.04 Nigeria Damboa 5 dead - Boko Harem    2019.07.06 Somalia Kurtunwarey 3 dead - al Shabaab
2019.07.07 Somalia Jamame 4 dead - Mujahid Bombers    2019.07.08 Somalia Mogadishu 2 dead - Fedayeen Suicide Bomber
2019.07.08 Somalia Mogadishu 5 dead - al Shabaab    2019.07.12 Somalia Kismayo 26 dead - Fedayeen Bomb Blast/Attack
2019.07.13 DRC Mukilia 2 dead - ADF    2019.07.14 Nigeria Tafigana 2 dead - Miyetti Allah
2019.07.14 Nigeria Kankara 6 dead - Militants    2019.07.17 Nigeria Jakana 6 dead - Boko Harem
2019.07.17 Nigeria Muna Dalti 6 dead - Islamists    2019.07.22 Nigeria Abuja 2 dead - Shite Extremists
2019.07.22 Somalia Mogadishu 17 dead - Shahid Suicide Bomber    2019.07.22 DRC Eringeti 3 dead - ADF
2019.07.23 Somalia Wanlaweyn 6 dead - al Shabaab    2019.07.23 DRC Oicha Mabasele 9 dead - Islamic Militants
2019.07.24 Somalia Mogadishu 7 dead - Suicide Bomber    2019.07.25 Nigeria Dalori 2 dead - Islamists
2019.07.26 Burkina Faso Diblou 15 dead - Jihadists     2019.07.27 Nigeria Nganzai 44 dead - Islamists
2019.07.27 Nigeria Nganzai 23 dead - Islamists    2019.07.27 Somalia Middle Shabelle 10 dead - al Shabaab
2019.07.29 Nigeria Benisheikh 25 dead - Boko Harem    2019.08.01 Somalia Mogadishu 1 dead - Mujahideen   
2019.08.05 Mali Koro 3 dead - Jihadists    2019.08.05 Nigeria Monguno 5 dead - Boko Harem
2019.08.06 DRC Kisima 2 dead - ADF    2019.08.06 Nigeria Mafa 3 dead - Suicide Bombers
2019.08.07 Somalia Lower Shabelle 10 dead - Mujahideen    2019.08.10 Somalia Msambweni 2 dead - Radicals
2019.08.10 Mozambique Simbulongo 3 dead - Islamic Extremists    2019.08.10 Nigeria Gubia 6 dead - Jihadists
2019.08.11 Nigeria Ngwom 2 dead - Boko Harem    2019.08.14 Somalia Awdhegle 7 dead - al Shabaab
2019.08.14 Chad Kaiga Kindjiria 6 dead - Suicide Bomber    2019.08.15 Nigeria Molai 3 dead - Boko Harem
2019.08.15 Kenya Fino 2 dead - al Shabaab    2019.08.17 Somalia Daynunay 2 dead - al Shabaab
2019.08.18 Nigeria Mogul 4 dead - ISWAP    2019.08.18 DRC Oicha 2 dead - ADF
2019.08.19 Burkina Faso Koutougou 24 dead - Islamic State    2019.08.20 Uganda Nakaseke 4 dead - Islamists
2019.08.21 Mali Hombori 5 dead - Militants    2019.08.22 Niger Boulahardé 1 dead - Boko Harem
2019.08.24 Nigeria Nganzai 4 dead - Islamists    2019.08.24 Niger Gueskerou 12 dead - Boko Harem
2019.08.25 Cameroon Wum 7 dead - Fulani Militants    2019.08.27 Nigeria Wajirko 11 dead - Boko Harem
2019.08.27 Burkina Faso Kaurao 3 dead - Jihadists    2019.08.29 Nigeria Kiri 5 dead - Militants
2019.08.29 Nigeria Attaka 8 dead - Miltants   2019.08.30 Nigeria Monguno 8 dead - Islamists
2019.08.30 Nigeria Balumri 4 dead - Islamists    2019.08.31 Nigeria Gidan Waya 4 dead - Militants
2019.09.02 Somalia Mogadishu 2 dead - Suicide Bomb    2019.09.03 Mali Mopti 14 dead - Jihadists
2019.09.04 Nigeria Gajiram 2 dead - Boko Harem    2019.09.05 Burkina Faso Soum 6 dead - Jihadists
2019.09.05 Somalia Awdhegle 3 dead - Islamic Landmine    2019.09.05 Somalia Afgoye 5 dead - al Shabaab
2019.09.05 Nigeria Gajiram 4 dead - Islamists    2019.09.08 Cameroon Talkoumri 4 dead - Boko Harem
2019.09.08 Somalia Mahaday 5 dead - al Shabaab    2019.09.08 Burkina Faso Sanmatenga 14 dead - Islamists
2019.09.08 Burkina Faso Barsalogho 15 dead - Jihadists    2019.09.09 Nigeria Mallam Kaleri 3 dead - Boko Harem
2019.09.09 Nigeria Shamawa 5 dead - Militants    2019.09.09 Burkina Faso Soum 6 dead - Jihadists
2019.09.10 Kenya Elwak 5 dead - al Shabaab    2019.09.10 Nigeria Gudumbali 9 dead - Muslim Radicals
2019.09.12 Somalia Dinsor 5 dead - al Shabab    2019.09.12 Nigeria Borno 7 dead - Boko Harem
2019.09.13 Cameroon Soueram 6 dead - Boko Harem    2019.09.14 Somalia Bal'ad 14 dead - Militants
2019.09.14 Somalia Gololey 3 dead - Islamic Radicals    2019.09.14 Somalia Marka 2 dead - al Shabaab
2019.09.14 Somalia Qoryoley 9 dead - Islamists    2019.09.15 Somalia Shalanbod 2 dead - Islamists
2019.09.15 Somalia Bal'ad 5 dead - al Shabaab    2019.09.18 Somalia Mogadishu 2 dead - al Shabaab
2019.09.18 Nigeria Aljilati Ngomari 9 dead - Boko Harem    2019.09.19 DRC Nyaleke 3 dead - AFD
2019.09.19 Burkina Faso Toeni 5 dead - Jihadists    2019.09.21 Burkina Faso Pissélé 6 dead - Jihadists
2019.09.22 Somalia el-Salin 23 dead - Fedayeen    2019.09.22 Burkina Faso Bool-Kiiba 9 dead - Militants
2019.09.22 Nigeria Maiduguri 2 dead - Boko Harem    2019.09.23 Burkina Faso Bourzanga 10 dead - Radicals
2019.09.23 Nigeria Hukke 3 dead - Fulani Militants    2019.09.23 Mozambique Mbau 10 dead - Radicals
2019.09.23 Mozambique Mindumbe 2 dead - Islamic Extremists    2019.09.25 Burkina Faso Zimtanga 6 dead - Jihadists
2019.09.25 Somalia Mogadishu 3 dead - al Shabaab    2019.09.25 Nigeria Gubio 14 dead - ISWAP
2019.09.26 Mali Douentza 7 dead - Islamic Militia    2019.09.26 Nigeria Damaturu 7 dead - Boko Harem
2019.09.26 Nigeria Mafa 2 dead - Jihadists    2019.09.27 Egypt Bir al-Abed 8 dead - Islamic State
2019.09.27 Nigeria Gajiram 8 dead - Islamists    2019.09.28 Burkina Faso Komsilga 9 dead - Radicals
2019.09.28 Burkina Faso Deneon 7 dead - Jihadists    2019.09.29 Nigeria Gubio 13 dead - Boko Harem
2019.09.30 Burkina Faso Kangro 6 dead - Jama'at Nasr al-Islam Wal Muslimin    2019.09.30 Mali Mondoro 2 dead - Jihadists
2019.09.30 Mali Boulikessi 38 dead - al Qaeda    2019.10.03 Nigeria Mauro 11 dead - Boko Harem
2019.10.03 Mozambique Sofala 3 dead - Jihadists    2019.10.04 Burkina Faso Dolmane 23 dead - al Qaeda
2019.10.05 Nigeria Banki 2 dead - Radicals    2019.10.07 Burkina Faso Bouna 8 dead - Islamists
2019.10.07 Niger Dogon Kiria 2 dead - Militants    2019.10.09 Somalia Siinka Dheer 4 dead - al Shabaab
2019.10.10 Mozambique Macomia 2 dead - Islamists    2019.10.12 Niger Sanam 5 dead - Jihadists
2019.10.12 Egypt Bir al-Abd 9 dead - Islamists    2019.10.12 Kenya Damajale Harehare 11 dead - al Shabaab
2019.10.12 Burkina Faso Salmossi 16 dead - Jihadists    2019.10.13 Somalia Hirshabele 2 dead - al Shabaab
2019.10.13 Burkina Faso Samboulga 4 dead - al Qaeda    2019.10.14 DRC Oicha 3 dead - ADF
2019.10.16 Nigeria Cross Kauwa 3 dead - Boko Harem    2019.10.18 Mali Aguelhok 6 dead -Jihadists
2019.10.19 Egypt Sheikh Zuweid 4 dead - Militants    2019.10.19 Burkina Faso Boulga 4 dead - Militants
2019.10.19 Burkina Faso Bahn 5 dead - Jihadists    2019.10.20 Burkina Faso Zoura 9 dead - Islamic Militants
2019.10.20 Cameroon Wum 1 dead - Militants    2019.10.22 Burkina Faso Guembila 6 dead - Islamists
2019.10.27 Mozambique Muidumbe 25  dead - Islamists    2019.10.28 Burkina Faso Pobe-Mengao 16 dead - Radicals
2019.10.29 Kenya Wajir 2 dead - al Shabaab    2019.10.30 Ethiopia Sebata 2 dead - Radicals 
2019.10.31 Cameroon Kotserehé 6 dead - Boko Harem    2019.10.31 Mozambique Mbau 10 dead - Jihadists
2019.10.31 Burkina Faso Sanaba 2 dead - al Qaeda    2019.11.01 Mali Bamako 54 dead - Islamists
2019.11.02 Mozambique Mumu 4 dead - Radicals    2019.11.03 Burkina Faso Djibo 4 dead - Militants
2019.11.05 DRC Kivu 10 dead - ADF    2019.11.05 Burkina Faso Oursi 38 dead - Jihadists
2019.11.06 Cameroon Moskota 2 dead - Islamists    2019.11.06 Nigeria Damboa 10 dead - Boko Harem
2019.11.09 DRC Eringeti 4 dead - ADF    2019.11.13 Mozambique Ngongo 6 dead - Islamists
2019.11.13 Somalia Adayga 2 dead - al Shabaab    2019.11.13 DRC Virunga 2 dead - ADF
2019.11.14 Nigeria Agban 4 dead - Fulani Militants    2019.11.14 Nigeria Agom 2 dead - Militants
2019.11.14 DRC Oicha 6 dead - ADF    2019.11.16 DRC Mbau 8 dead - Kebi keba 7 dead - ADF
2019.11.17 DRC Mavivi-Kainama 25 dead - ADF    2019.11.17 Nigeria Gwoza 3 dead - Islamists
2019.11.17 Nigeria Song 6 dead - Boko Harem    2019.11.18 Mali Tabankort 24 dead - al Qaeda
2019.11.19 DRC Beni 7 dead - Islamists    2019.11.19 DRC Mavete 3 dead - ADF
2019.11.21 Algeria Tamanrasset 8 dead - Islamic State    2019.11.21 Burkina Faso Sahel 3 dead - Militants
2019.11.21 Burkina Faso Tabankort 13 dead - al Qaeda    2019.11.24 DRC Beni 8 dead - ADF
2019.11.27 DRC Maleki 28 dead - Islamists    2019.11.28 DRC Biakato 4 dead - ADF
2019.11.29 DRC Kukutama 14 dead - ADF    2019.12.01 Cameroon Kotserehé 4 dead - Militants
2019.12.01 Burkina Faso Hantoukoura 14 dead - Jihadists    2019.12.02 Chad Lake Chad 4 dead - Islamists
2019.12.02 Cameroon Zangola 3 dead - Militants    2019.12.02 Mali Diougani 2 dead - Mujahideen
2019.12.02 DRC Orototo 11 dead - ADF    2019.12.05 DRC Mantumbi 14 dead - ADF
2019.12.05 DRC Oicha 3 dead - ADF    2019.12.05 DRC Kolokoko 3 dead - Islamists
2019.12.06 Kenya Kotulo 9 dead - Islamists    2019.12.09 Mali Agando 3 dead - Militants
2019.12.10 Somalia Mogadishu 3 dead - Islamists    2019.12.10 Nigeria Benisheikh 3 dead - Militants
2019.12.10 Cameroon Werwack 5 dead - Boko Harem    2019.12.10 Mali Inates 71 dead Islamists
2019.12.11 Somalia Hilweyne 4 dead - al Shabaab    2019.12.12 Nigeria Magumeri 15 dead - Boko Harem
2019.12.13 DRC Beni 6 dead - ADF    2019.12.14 DRC Beni 22 dead - ADF
2019.12.14 Nigeria Fuhe 19 dead - Boko Harem    2019.12.15 DRC Kamango 10 dead - ADF
2019.12.17 Kenya Fafi 2 dead - al Shabaab    2019.12.17 Chad Kaiga 14 dead - Boko Harem
2019.12.20 Mali Mondoro 4 dead - al Qaeda    2019.12.20 DRC Rwangoma 3 dead - ADF
2019.12.22 Nigeria Gasarwa 10 dead - Islamists    2019.12.22 Nigeria Tungushe 6 dead - Boko Harem
2019.12.23 Somalia Bay 7 dead - al Shabaab    2019.12.24 Nigeria Kwarangulum 7 dead - Jihadists
2019.12.24 Nigeria Maina Hari 3 dead - Boko Harem    2019.12.24 Burkina Faso Arbinda 35 dead - Radicals
2019.12.24 Burkina Faso Soum 7 dead - Jihadists    2019.12.25 Burkina Faso Hallale 11 dead - Jihadists
2019.12.25 Nigeria Borno 11 dead - Islamic State    2019.12.26 Niger Sanam 14 dead - Islamists
2019.12.26 Nigeria Gwoza 3 dead - Boko Harem    2019.12.26 Nigeria Gonori 2 dead - Fulani Militants
2019.12.27 Kenya Wajir 2 dead - al Shabaab    2019.12.28 Somalia Mogadishu 90 dead - Fedayeen  
2019.12.29 DRC Apetina 18 dead - ADF

Westerners travelling through any of the above mentioned towns and villages have the risk of being kidnapped en-route within these locations. Owners and staff at certain accommodation in these regions may have affiliated links to militant groups. The longer one stays at any given location within Red Zones raises the chances of becoming targeted, and then a victim - just like those above. In Borno state, Nigeria on the 12.25.19 ISWAP (Islamic State affiliates) held 10 non-Muslims captives - each by the face or hair, and slit their throats. Those actually believing what mainstream media publish, or from overland tour operators or trendy travel blog site reports i.e. "infighting amongst farmers and herders" should re-evaluate by researching truthful facts! In DRC, two western foreign observers - American Michael Sharp, Swedish-Chilean dual national Zaida Catalán and their interpreter Betu Tshintela were executed in public. The Swedish female was then beheaded. Western non-Muslims deciding to travel, explore, or who are funded NGO's transiting through regions mentioned above only have themselves to blame if taken hostage, robbed butchered or raped - Only you can decided, if it's worth the risks involved which happens on a weekly basis to locals.   

Solo Overland Travel - UFO & ORBS

You just never know when something will make your hair stand on end. UFO and Orb sightings have become more frequent over the last decade. This snap was taken with a good point and shoot during a moonless night in the middle of nowhere within the Sahara desert. No, it wasn't a helicopter, or anything with a combustible engine, because it was dead calm, and totally silent. Some may assume it was lens flare, but then what was the moving subject? These Orbs, the 2 of them produced their own bright metallic colours, and moved using their own energy source following each other across a cloudless night sky. There were no other airborne craft within a 360 degree eye vision circumference. You could be lucky enough to spot your own Orbs next time you're out in the wilderness. Having a camera close-by (not a smart phone) will probably capture an image like the above or even better.

Need A Culture Fix? - The Indian Rush Will Do It 100% 

If you're looking for unmatched uncontrollable street adrenaline, India will certainly get you pumped-up and started! The Indian rush is as real as it gets, and will wear out most foreign visitors within a very short time period. Busy bustling market areas outside most train stations in large cities during peak periods will give anyone the feel of how vibrant India is. Going to India? - The Indian overland page maybe worth looking at.

​Backpacks In Transit - Which One? 

"When a backpack fails it's guaranteed to happen in the middle of nowhere - Choose Wisely!" 

Is your backpack about to fall apart? Did it come with a full warranty replacement no matter what happens to it? Cactus N.Z. guarantees their Patrol Backpack for 5 years. The Patrol pack shown above - In the Okavango Delta was already three years old. The same pack had done the hard yards up and down, and across South America, and since this snap, it's completed an overland transit journey from Cape-Town to Amman, and back to Cape-Town. The pack is now being used through the Asian continent. No rips, no tears, no stitching issues, and no harness issues - That's what I call a tough reliable backpack. Reliability of any product design comes first - not the colour of it. Transit Baggage page

 In Transit - Grabbing Quick Snaps

"Don't think twice grabbing snaps in transit mode - It's a part of the overland journey" 

It doesn't matter what continent one transits through, the image snaps en-route are mind-blowing. Taking random captures is a part of any overland journey. Don't be hesitant to photograph the weird, unbelievable, or unusual humorous scenes. In most cases, capturing something in motion amounts to 3 seconds, and then lost forever. The 1st second when you see it, the 2nd second when it's captured, the 3rd second …It's gone. 

Hitchhiking Through Continents​ ​

The three most important things when hitchhiking - Driver, Speed & Safety

Hitching lifts transiting through countries, and across entire continents can be done, but with caution. There are times when free lifts comes in handy. It's not about saving cash, rather the possibility to get to some some isolated region on any particular day. Hitching is a normal occurrence seen in the western world, but remains relatively invisible, or subdued elsewhere. Through the decades, I've hitched lifts with locals within South America, the Middle East, Asia, and regions throughout Africa without to much hassle. Two most important things with hitching is the driver, and other occupants, and safety. Safety has a dual meaning, which applies to the driver's heavy foot on the gas pedal, and the safety of transit baggage. It's difficult to assume from those who stop to pick hikers, if any pre-meditated plan is to rob baggage, or rape. Sadly, this does happen somewhere every week around the clock through the continents.
One of the best hitchhiking places to grab lifts - which applies to any country,  are at gas stations, usually at the last fuel stop out of any town or city in the direction of transit. This allows enough time to chat with drivers, including the drop-off point, and also allows enough time to analyse the driver, and other passengers. Using ones basic instinct usually acknowledges if a ride is safe or not. One can still be lucky to hitch rides on board T.I.R. trucks from Turkey in to Iran, Iraq, and Saudi - which I've done a few times. Hitching lifts has always worked for me from the last gas station out of town. Cars and trucks all need to fill-up their tanks somewhere. As for foreign solo western females who intend to hitch - it would be safer to grab rides with a couple with children, or with female drivers. The image above was a successful hitch-lift through the desert from a friendly Saudi.   Saudi ezilon map

I've personally hitched lifts through the Mid-East each time I pass thru the region. Hitching lifts in the Middle East is no different than anywhere else around the planet. As always, one of the best places to grab lifts is at the last gas filling station out of town in the direction of transit. Being cautious and aware of  who offer lifts is 1st priority. Baggage and photo-gear can easily be stolen if a driver decides to take-off leaving you stranded at a pit-stop en-route. Taking the number plate (cell phone snap) is always recommended. Single foreign western females should avoid hitching lifts with male drivers if they can't understand or speak Arabic, Farsi, or Urdu. Hitching lifts into Red Zone regions is at your own risk. In most cases transiting directly through a Red Zone on board a local empty truck will pass through "certain" regions without being held-up, attacked and robbed, but then one just doesn't know what's up ahead in waiting. Hitching in Afghanistan and Syria should still be avoided. Grabbing lifts in Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Saudi, Iraq and Iran is normally straight forward. Hitching in tribal zones along the Afghan border in Pakistan should be avoided. Pakistani police and military checkpoints are many, and won't allow foreigners to travel independently on their own. A dual passport will be required if Israeli stamps have been plastered in passports. Getting through Saudi will depend how long the validity of the issued visa is. Don't overstay in any Middle Eastern country unless you enjoy interrogations and lot's of screaming by officials. Onward visas for neighbouring countries should already be issued in advance.

Hitchhiking - Through the Middle of Nowhere

The last gas station out of any town in the direction of transit is the best place to grab a lift - Try it

If you can tolerate endless bump and grind, random pitstops and breakdowns, hitching rides on board local trucks across Africa is always an option well worth considering. African truck drivers are more than happy to offer foreign visitors lifts if they have an empty passenger seat. Some truck drivers I've hitched with are total speed freaks, while others have the usual breakdowns with overheating, loose loads, punctures and drive dead slow antique trucks. If you're not in a rush and have plenty of time on your hands, hitching lifts on trucks is one alternative to transit cross Africa instead of using local bus-buses. Covering the costs for food stops en-route for drivers is always appreciated, it also gives the opportunity to easily hook-up with the same truck drivers if returning along the same route at later dates. Finding loading depots with plenty of trucks is relatively easy, they're normally situated on the outskirts of towns and cities. It's also the area where most African truck drivers fill up their tanks with diesel before heading off across country. Hitchhiking thru Africa is at your own risk, including whatever baggage one drags along with them. I've had more than my fair share of hitching lifts throughout the continent without issues. In saying that, it will depend on the region, location, and trusting the driver for safety. Africa has triple more Red Zone regions than the Middle East. It's the luck of the draw to get through without loss or injury. In Africa, everyday is different to the next when travelling off the beaten track through the middle of nowhere, thus making it one of my favourite continents to hitch lifts.

Solo Travel-Hitchhiking Asia

Transport costs transiting through Asia is still relatively cheap, but there are times when hitching lifts can't be avoided. Reaching certain isolated regions within the Himalayas can only be done on board anything available on the day. Packed out trucks full of locals is a normal occurrence in these areas. Hitching rides on the back of trucks will come with the normal fee. In remote regions, hitching with private vehicles can be pre-arranged the day before if youre lucky enough to meet someone having spare space. The usual places to grab lifts like in Africa, South America and Middle East are at gas fill stations, border entry/exit control points, crossroads and truck stops. Holding a hand written sign out along highways is the last preferable choice.

  In Transit - The SUDAN

"Transiting can be extreme, if there's no other means of transport - don't miss it and enjoy the ride"

Anything with wheels on it that's moving in your direction of transit shouldn't be missed. It could be days away before anything else comes along. If locals jump on the back of trucks, then jump on board too! Goats, sheep, cattle, and even the odd camel maybe in your face for a day or two, but hey - It's Africa. Don't expect royalty as foreigner, locals will always grab the best places to sit to avoid the least vibration and dust.   sudan ezilon map

Because of the on-going changing situations in south Sudan, fresh up to date information from locals on the ground will confirm the level of safety to transit from Kosti to Juba. This region  is still a Red Zone after dark. The Darfour region is sensitive. Permits with onward visas crossing into Chad, or the C.A.Republic must be in order. The north Sudanese military, police and government administration are pretty straight forward towards foreigners, but don't push your luck. The Darfour region is still super sensitive, any photography in Sudan still requires permits.

The options of choosing your overland destination route from Sudan are many. Crossing over to Chad through to Nigeria can be done if visas have been granted and Red Zones are at a minimal. Travelling to South Sudan via Kosti, Malakal to Juba by slow boat, or by train (on the rooftop) from Babanusa to Wau and on to Juba is a great journey. There's an overland route to Gabon through the Central African Republic, via Cameroon, or the Republic of Congo, this route is riddled with Red Zones. Getting to Egypt from Wadi Halfa port is either by ferry boat or by bus via Abu Simbel to Aswan.
​The Eritrea border crossing is just beyond Kasala. Getting too Ethiopia is a straight forward transit route from Khartoum to the Gallabat/Metema border crossing.

  In Transit - COLOMBIA

   "One gets spoilt in transit with Colombians in isolated regions"

"Salsa screaming, loose pigs on board with 10 conversations all at once… Awesome"

Colombia's rough and rugged terrain within the interior of the Silva has an expansive network of bush-buses, trucks, and boats to transit anywhere through jungle tracks in the direction towards the Brazilian or Venezuelan frontier. Off bitumen highways, one encounters how Colombians are accustomed to loading transport with almost everything and anything bundled up together. The Colombians are more alive and up tempo than their Latino neighbours. Colombian internal transit trips are proof of that. There's nothing that beats having 10 conversations at the same time, with the aisles full of loose pigs and chickens, and with cumbia or salsa screaming in the background. Don't leave Colombia without experiencing rural jungle transit transport.  Colombia ezilon map

Grinding slowly along isolated dirt tracks on top of Colombian bush-buses is hard to beat - Try it! ​

Main transit routes through Colombia are easy to drive on in your own vehicle. Driving off towards the Amazon or within the Darien Gap - especially after dark is dangerous, and at your own risk if breakdowns occur. Since the fall of Socialism in Venezuela, banditry has increased considerable. Millions of Venezuelans seeking refuge across the borders in Colombia, Brazil, and Peru has increased the surge of criminal activity. Organised crime groups from Venezuela specialising in kidnapping, extortion, mugging and robbing has multiplied over a short time period. Don't listen to all the fluffy jargon from "travel bloggers" painting rosy pictures for Colombia. Fluff travel bloggers are usually found drinking Pina Coladas on the Colombian Caribbean coast near a beach well away from the real cycle of crime and violence through the country. Getting the latest information from locals within mountainous regions of the country where rebel held groups (FLN, FARC) are established will determine the safety levels. Cautionary measures change from week to week. Rebel and splinter groups, and affiliates are always on the move, you don't want to bump into these people in isolated areas day or night. 

The main border crossing into or from Venezuela is the Cucuta crossing over the bridge. Most western foreigners probably won't bother any travel into Venezuela because of getting mugged, robbed or extorted within a couple of days. Due to the heavy influx of Venezuelans using this particular border, it's advisable to check time durations, and available transport to and from Cucuta and San Antonio (Venezuela). Those pursuing overland travel into Venezuela through to the Brazilian border should collect as much fresh information on transportation, and more important, if the transportation is reliable. A fist full of dollars is required to pass through Venezuela - so much for cash dying out -Yes? 

When it's a boiler, isolated Colombian jungle waterfalls well away from tourist areas are perfect spots to cool off. 

COLOMBIAN Rebel Territory  

Colombia may sound safe with all the heavy tourism that has engulfed the country over the last 2 decades, but in reality it's a slow loosing battle within the many red zones scattered through the country since Venezuela fell apart caused by raw  Socialism. As the saying goes "things have a habit of repeating themselves over and over again".
Foreigners moving in circles within the usual places don't have to much to worry about, but entering into isolated active rebel controlled smuggling and drug cultivated areas is pushing the limit with dire consequences to those who assume they think they're in a safe zone! Entering regional areas controlled or inhabited by the FARC or ELN, or affiliates to these groups from neighbouring Venezuela and Ecuador is at your own risk. You never know what may eventuate - Is it worth ending up in a body bag just because you need that selfie snap to blog about on social media taken in a red zone?

Solo Overland Africa - What Are You Waiting For! 

Using any transport no matter what it is or what it looks like will usually get you through the heart of Africa in one piece. Most of the time one has no choice but to use what's available on the day within totally isolated regions - Good Luck 

Internal overland transit through the interior of Africa is an epic adventure on bull dust dirt roads without a bitumen tarmac in sight. Bouncing around all day in rattling vibrating transport becomes normal, road track bull dust bellowing in through open jammed windows is a free bonus.
​After 2 or 3 days in transit in sweaty blistering heat covered in dust and grime with the smell of stale odours from yourself and local passengers, one will reflect back at the journey and say Yeah - Let's do it again!

A large part of any solo overland transit journey through African terrain are on rugged bush buses - It's one of the easiest ways to meet, interact, and chit-chat with locals. What would you prefer? to be on an organised tourist overland bus with other foreigners? or to be on your own and experience how locals travel and interact with one another?  I know what i would choose hands down without even thinking about it in less than a second!  

Taking quick snaps of locals during transit is easier than you think, a little interaction goes a long way. 

Overland Transit - Thailand To India

Overland Transit from Thailand to India - Do it, it's a blast all the way to the Tamu border!

The overland transit journey in to Myanmar onward to India begins from the Mae Sot - Myawaddy border, which is alive and active every day. A new highway from the Myanmar border is already operating. A full length visa/eVisa is required to continue in to Myanmar. If the old road track is still open and operating, take that route instead if you want to enjoy the transit views on the back of a truck or a van over the Dawna mountains. Grabbing a lift is simple - just ask any van or truck driver in Myawaddy township. The old dirt road is an alternating one way route due to the narrow gauge of the road.
​Myanmar ezilon map

2019 Update: The landmark Land Border Crossing Agreement between India and Myanmar was signed on May 11, 2018. This has been brought into effect with the simultaneous opening of international entry-exit checkpoints at the Tamu-Moreh and the Rihkhawdar-Zowkhawtar border.
Myanmar overland border crossings with issued eVisas are the following: Tamu land border checkpoint, Rihkhawdar land border checkpoint​, 
Kawthaung land border checkpoint, Tachileik land border checkpoint, Myawaddy land border checkpoint.
Trying to get an Indian visa in Yangon is like being in a zoo! The Indian embassy in Yangon will only allow so many applications per day.
Six month triple entry Indian visa are issued at the Indian Consulate in Kandy - Sri Lanka, or in Chittagong - Bangladesh (6 and 12 month triple entry visas have been issued to a few lucky foreigners at the Indian Consulate in Chittagong)

In Transit - MYANMAR

Getting around Myanmar transiting on luxury buses up and down, and across certain routes of the country has flourished in the last few years. There are still plenty of  local bush buses in service that run off the tarmac on rough dusty dirt roads within the interior where permits are usually required to visit or transit through certain regions. Local roadside checks monitor every public bus moving throughout the country. Applying for permits to visit remote sensitive areas is virtually impossible, especially anywhere along the Bangladesh border, or where mineral mines are located. Panning for gold in the rivers, and fossicking around digging up the ground looking for emeralds or sapphires is prohibited  - even for locals with immediate deportation for foreigners who are caught. This includes the use of any metal detectors. Myanmar is well known for it's excessive gold, jade and mineral deposits scattered just below the surface. Beware - the majority of random street sellers offering precious stones like rubies or sapphires are usually flawless fake flame fusion glass. Myanmar also has a reputation after dark with enough venomous snakes slithering around to sink a ship.

Travelling with photo-gear over landing from country to country is certainly recommended with Myanmar right up there. Taking random street portraits is enjoyable and plentiful throughout all of Myanmar. The interaction levels with Burmese locals is simple and friendly. The image below was taken on a previous visit back in the 80's showing a local Burmese couple extracting gold from a river using a manual sluice wash box system. Gold panning in Myanmar has been officially "banned" since the 90's, but it still continues in remote regions. The untold amount of gold shops set up across the border in Mae So-Thailand aren't there for no reason. Gold smuggling from Myanmar to India  is also rampant, including tonnes of Jade smuggled into China. One can be lucky enough to kick the dirt in Myanmar and find emeralds, rubies and gold - no wonder metal detectors are banned.

 In Transit - The Tibetan Plateau

 "Solo Overland Transit into Tibet Hitchhiking on the back of an open truck in the middle of winter - Insane!"

The Chinese road crossing to Nepal from Tibet was completely upgraded to a new tar sealed highway in 2017. Is still worth going to Tibet? Yes and no! Solo overland travel has been prohibited inside Tibet for years. If one can arrange a small group together from the many choices of different operators based in Katmandu for the right price then don't hesitate to go. The ultimate time and season to travel to Tibet is actually in mid-winter for the timing of Tibetan New Year. This is when Tibetan pilgrims flock to Lhasa for celebrations and festivities. In January the new Himalayan high pass highway may or may not be open due to heavy snow drift. One has to be lucky to pre-arrange an overland journey that's timed for Tibetan New Year in Lhasa. The historical original high pass dirt track highway shown above is no longer in use. If travelling from Nepal to Tibet during winter, choose your travel companions wisely - screaming or arguing about any issues won't help at all when half way through the transit journey. Altitude sickness, food issues, extreme cold, and small dislikes with other foreigners are some of the short-term travel problems that do arise when in transit. China ezilon map  I travelled throughout Tibet on my own, so I didn't have that problem - Happy Travels.

Going to Tibet today is actually like visiting an open prison with restrictions of where and what one can do as soon as one crosses into Tibet. I was fortunate enough to hitchhike, and travel and transit freely throughout Tibet before it became a prison camp with heavy restrictions. There's nothing worse than travelling and transiting through a portion of a country that has a systematic order of restrictions in certain regions. There's actually more Tibetans that dwell within the mountainous regions in Nepal and India with no restrictions or permits required to visit hill stations which are full of Tibetans. This is an alternative that should be considered before splashing out a pile of cash on a fully controlled 10+ day excursion. Tibet does hold its own status for what it was, but travelling freely through Tibet without restrictions is a bygone era written into the history books. The image below was taken during Tibetan new year in Lhasa, well before Tibet was recycled and reformed with millions of Han Chinese from neighbouring provinces.

Off-Road Transit - Own Or Rent An MC 

Getting around at your own pace off bitumen highways is simple - Use an Off-Road MC

Arriving to most isolated regions through any of the continents can be a mission in itself, but to get further where transport is unavailable - what then? The hiring of an off-road dirt bike to continue off the beaten track into extreme areas is the way to go. An off-road trail bike will take you anywhere that vehicles struggle to do. Hiring or renting an MC is usually a straight forward procedure for those that are legal having the appropriate MC license including enough experience to ride one. Choosing the right machine is another issue, it must be able to handle rough terrain and be robust enough with plenty of height to cross through streams and rivers. It should also have plenty of power, and most important of all - it must be reliable. Any breakdowns in the middle of nowhere will be frustrating.
​A valid motorcycle license will be needed for most rental companies for accidents, and personal insurance cover if  injuries occur. If you don't have an MC license, try to find another fellow traveller that has one who may be interested to double up and also share the rental costs.  

A reliable old classic TT600 that was rented for 1 month off-road transit around Guatemala 

A Honda 250cc model that I rent each time I pass through Thailand  

A Chinese wing-bling "moped mule" Vietnam - beats walking to distant locations with photo-gear

A Royal Enfield 350cc bullet - the ultimate cruising machine to transit throughout India for 6 months

Transiting overland with your own off-road motorcycle is no different today than 4 decades ago. Purchasing a 2nd hand bike is relatively simple in your own country of origin. Getting Insurance, and other necessary documents (Carnet de Passages en Douane) is very straight forward, and required for various countries through most continents. A tough reliable off-road machine that can handle extreme hardcore conditions is of uttermost importance for any long-term continental overland transit road trip. A selection of spare parts (chain, tubes, ignition, plugs, bulbs) is also recommended.
​Carnet de Passages information 
​Below, I'm one of those old school overland travel fanatics still kicking up dust somewhere on the planet. Everything you see online today has already been done well before the selfie addicted cell phone snappers were born. Nothing has changed, transit road routes still remain in the same place as they always have been, hustle and bustle is in your face if you're looking for it, and interaction levels with total strangers still works the same way. A rare snap of my XT 600Z Tenere at Masada, Dead Sea-Israel that originated its journey from Australia during the mid 80's. The majority of my older original overland travel and transit images through Asia, Africa and the Mid East vanished in a box in the 90's.

My 1st MC was an old worn out 1973 Triumph Daytona twin at the age of 17, it was completely pulled down and rebuilt and totally restored. One thing I had learned quickly in my teenage years, was to complete whatever plan, design, project from start to finish no-matter how difficult it was before moving on to something else.
Accomplishing overland journeys through continents is no different.  
Being a self-taught Maori at an early age, it was either, go with the flow following the crowd using drugs, partying and drinking till you drop, or hanging out with gangs.
What ever intellect I had back then as a teenager was enough self-esteem to go my own way, do my own thing following my own path and not others. Today is still the same, life's what you make it. One can be baby-fed through their entire life blaming others for their own mistakes, or become triggered screaming at others who have different opinions. Many today are wasted because of their own doing. 
It's whom one associates themselves with for the better or worse outcome results. Disconnecting from the herd thinking mentality works for me. I gave many social media platforms the boot ages ago, and haven't looked back, thus eradicating narcissistic behaviour with zero addiction -  try it, many fail because their addiction won't allow it!  
The grass may appear greener elsewhere on the planet, but in reality it's actually not. A few things I quickly learnt being off-shore in the early-days - have an open mind, interaction, zero debt, and don't do hard drugs. How many different facets a person creates through life depends if one can turn the page on one part of their lifestyle, culture, circle of friends, or educated values to learn something completely different without looking back. The Gen Z generation certainly have no excuses to be creative in so many different ways.

  MC Off Shore - Don't End Up In A Bodybag 

Fatal motorbike accidents happen everyday. The amount of Victims suffering spinal and head injuries caused by motorcycle accidents can be witnessed in hospital wards around the planet. Foreigners off-shore in countries having slack rules and regulations, allowing permission to rent, hire or purchase motorbikes without MC licences place their lives on the line. The amount of foreigners involved in MC accidents through Asia is above the roof. Africa and South America tie in at second place. Knowing how to ride and handle a large MC comes with rider experience. Wet tarmac asphalt and oil slick roads will drop an MC on its side quicker than lightning by inexperienced riders. On coming traffic along highways without centre safety barriers like in Indonesia, Thailand, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, South Africa, Colombia, Brazil, Peru etc, share common road values - the smaller the vehicle the lesser influence it has on the road, which puts motorbike riders, to either move out of the way avoiding an accident of suffer whatever fate materialises. Riding scooters, mopeds and motorbikes under the influence of alcohol or drugs is one of the fastest ways to end-up in a bodybag. ​The above image was captured on a crossroad intersection. Below image was taken during monsoon rain. Israeli male BOLIVIA  Israeli male INDIA  Israeli female INDIA  Israeli male INDIA  German male THAILAND French female TAILAND  UK male THAILAND  Australian male BALI  Canadian female THAILAND  2 U.S. males PERU  Swedish male THAILAND  Australian female BALI  Irish male THAILAND  Danish male THAILAND

In Transit - The AMAZON

Running Late? The fastest riverboat transit transport in South America will get you there on time!

Transiting on a Brazilian fast boat up or down the Amazon river is a total adrenaline rush for junkies - who like flying on water. A powerful inboard supercharged engine with the throttle pushed on full power for 10 hours will make anyone want a second journey. The ultimate seat is right at the rear of this water rocket - where this image was taken - give it a go...you'll be Hooked if speed and the roar of jet propulsion thrust is your thing. An Amazonian fast boat describes what it is SUPER FAST! It will get you from Belem to Manaus via Santarem, or from Tabatinga (Leticia) to Manaus on time.

In Transit - Belem-Santarem-Tabatinga

Chilling in hammocks watching dolphins swim by enjoying sunset vistas are a small part of the Amazonian transit.

Brazil's Amazonian ferryboat transport is unbelievably the best water service provider for any isolated region globally. The connections to river villages and ports are like main highways on water. The port authorities are strict and conscientious, limiting passenger numbers and cargo to each vessel before sailing. You don't hear of many Amazonian passenger ferries sinking or colliding like in Indonesia, or the Philippines. Slow boats from Belem via Santarem to Manaus, and onward to Tabatinga takes a total of 6 days of slow river transit. Sailing down river towards the mouth of the Amazon to Belem only takes half the time.
​This is the only means of reliable transport through the Amazonian estuaries, although there are local jungle bush-buses running on dirt roads tracks connecting to rural villages. During the wet season, most road tracks  turn into mud bogs. Banditry is also alive and well through this region within any isolated areas connecting to villages  - one just needs to ask locals about mugging and banditry. 

Brazil's landmass is impossible to complete in one rotation. Lots of time and energy is necessary, including planning well ahead for seasonal weather changes and festivities. Border crossings into Brazil are straight forward and very organised. Transiting through Brazil driving your own vehicle is recommended for long-term travel. Entering into Venezuela from the La Guadalupe crossing is at your own risk. 

The most essential item on board any Amazonian slow boat is to have a good quality hammock to chill out on. Grabbing a space early before departure is ensured by tying a hammock in place, and guarantees a position. The roof top deck is by far the place to be for the all the awesome views. Securing a hammock must be done early or you'll end up downstairs in a cramped environment.

In Transit - Egypt & Sinai 

Looking for some space to hangout? The Egyptian Desert is a great place to start.

Transiting through the Egyptian desert is certainly off the beaten track instead of up and down the Nile. Transit transport can be time consuming at certain stops - but what's the rush? The transit journey from Siwa oasis situated 50 kms from the Libyan border through to Asyut on the Nile crosses the Western, and Great White Deserts. The transit journey passes through the desert townships of El Harra, Farafar, Al Qasr, Balat, Baris, Dhaklha, and El Kharga. I had hitchhiked a part of the way, and also used any available transport from one town to the next. The above snap was taken at the very end of the desert journey heading towards Asyut from El Kharga.  

Egypt is simple travel, no issues or hassles like neighbouring countries. Getting around using basic transport including hitchhiking in remote regions is relatedly straight forward. I've managed to hitch lifts in different regions of the country with positive results during 3 different visits. The only dislike I will mention here are the rip-off menus within tourist areas at double the price written in english. Most food street stalls and eateries will usually display the cost of food in arabic and english. Knowing how to speak and read some Arabic will keep you from getting ripped off.

Transiting through the Sinai peninsula is straight forward with buses and transport vans passing through this barren region everyday. Travelling and transiting along the southern costal route will encounter control checks for contraband goods, including the usual militia security checks. Travelling at night or free camping between the Nekhel-Al Arish-Israeli border region should be avoided unless you're wanting to meet unexpected Islamic militia proxies appearing suddenly from out of nowhere.

Road Trip - Driving through South America

Driving your own vehicle through South America does have it's own dilemmas and limitations

The images shown are self-explanatory showing a comparison of different South American highway tarmacs. Some are smooth just like landing strips, while others are being slowly eaten away due to land erosion caused by natural climate conditions within arid regions. Highway erosion has taken its toll on many routes destroying road infrastructure within the Andean and Amazonian regions. Poor maintenance and cheap quick fixes have done nothing to rectify many highways that are at the very least - safe to drive on. Buses and trucks driven daily on unmaintained roads has also added constant stress, causing busy transit routes to become corrugated highways of pot holes which can't be avoided through the wet season. This is why owning and driving private transport through the Andean block does have safety downsides. One of them being the road conditions themselves, which causes on-coming traffic to deviate over rough patches into on-coming traffic. Many narrow gauge highways are also the common causes of accidents when on-coming buses and trucks hoard the highway without giving any leeway, unless it’s another large vehicle moving towards them in their face. During the daylight hours South American main transit routes are congested with traffic in both directions, but as soon as the sun sets, highways become ghost roads, apart from long haul night buses, and trucks that don't stop for anything. The countless amounts of past carnage caused by irresponsible drivers is easily witnessed on dangerous blind bends with multiple crosses plastered along the edge of roads.
Along mountainous bush track roads, multiple crosses are placed along the edge of roads from trucks, buses. vans, cars, and 4x4's that have ended-up over the side down ravines. Driving through the night on any rural highway (which I've crazily done a few times) is outright dangerous and not recommended. This is like playing Russian roulette with sudden disaster that can lead to death. Night driving with poor visibility from thick fog, or atrocious road conditions with oncoming trucks or buses after dark will frighten the life out of you. Locals at night normally drive in the middle of the road.
​If that doesn't scare you enough, a blocked mountain pass with rocks and branches suddenly appearing when driving around a bend within a remote region will - as you next discover, waiting bandits ready to rob everything you've got, including the clothes you're wearing. Also, beware where one parks-up camping for the evening. Luckily, this has never happened to me, but it has happened to other foreigners, including locals who took risks that could have been avoided. If you value your life, don't drive any vehicle at night through any isolated region in South America.

In Transit - VW Kombi - South America  

Transiting through South America in your own VW Kombi is a blast...A cheap hotel on wheels!

Brazilian petrol or diesel VW Kombis will get you through the continent. 

Besides the negative issues already mentioned, it’s overwhelmingly beneficial to use a private vehicle instead of public transport if the stay in South America is long-term. The first task is to find a good Kombi in Brazil. Kombi vans are originally manufactured in Brazil, so the chances of finding an old classic VW in good condition is easier than elsewhere through the continent. There's still plenty of classic Kombi vans running around throughout Brazil. Kombi VW vans converted with diesel engines are the best option, but they do cost a lot more (double to triple the price). Don't even think of purchasing an alcohol version Kombi. Alcohol fuel is only used in Brazil. 
Driving around the continent in a VW Kombi is luxury, but they're also restricted to bitumen highways preventing any form of extreme road transit off the bitumen tarmac. Modified gear train and off-road wheels and tyres will be needed for rough bush tracks and desert terrain. Leaving vehicles in secure compounds throughout the continent is straight forward. This then allows some free movement to explore areas in “hard to get to” places by using other means of transport in rugged regions. With good maintenance - like changing oil, greasing the suspension and using heavy duty road tyres, most Kombis will remain reliable from Ushuaia to Cartagena and back to Brazil. The problem to complete an entire road trip with any private vehicle is within the Amazon region. The only way to zig-zag, and complete a full circle around South America is from Colombia through Venezuela to Brazil via Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. Heading south from Boa Vista will involve loading the vehicle onto a barge at Manaus, and sailed half way down the Amazon to which beats the purpose of completing an entire South American road trip.
Alternatively, passing through Guyana, Surinam, and French Guiana to Brazil (in the dry season only) is the only other option. The issues now (2019) are the high corruption levels in Venezuela, lack of gasoline, and out of control corrupt tariffs at highway blockades that will break most bank accounts.
Until Venezuela returns to what was once a vibrant bustling hassle free country to travel and transit through, the chances to be corrupted, robbed, mugged, or raped driving through the country in either direction ( from Colombia or Brazil) is a guaranteed 90% risk factor to happen! 
The best aspect about owning and driving a classic VW Kombi are the spare parts that are still available throughout the continent if breakdowns should occur. I’ve crossed the continent a few times with different Kombi vans originating from Brazil. The ultimate benefit using a van is the option to stop and hang out at any given location for as long as one wants. Using the rear back section for a bed, and sharing the fuel costs with another fellow traveller who appreciates the comfort of transit is a bonus. Image: My 1st Kombi purchased in Curitiba that was receiving a replacement engine oil seal.  

As mentioned, there's nothing like owning your own set of wheels transiting throughout South America. Driving through South America is a total adrenaline fix everyday on the road. Highways vary differently through each country with some maintained while others are neglected. Washed out dirt roads riddled with massive bog holes are very common within the Amazonian region. These same areas can even be difficult for 4x4's to get through if half the road is missing and blocked. Rules and regulations for speed limits are virtually non-existent outside major cities, which  locals do use to their advantage driving as they wish. This is normally at high speed without calculating the risks involved for themselves and other drivers on highways. The amount of head-on accidents with on-coming vehicles, buses, and trucks through the continent is witnessed by the amount of debris and wreckage strewn on the side of highways. Brazil, Guyana, Venezuela and Peru have had this issue for decades.
As a foreigner driving through South America several times, below are a few important points to follow.
Drive defensively with Quick Reaction time to avoid an accident by calculating any on-coming traffic that looks erratic that may cause a collision. When stopping along a highways - park right off the road for traffic to pass freely without causing other vehicles to veer-off over into on-coming traffic. Don't play chicken, that can cause road rage. Never think local Latino drivers will abide by safety rules - which are taken for granted in western countries. Refuse, and don't pay corrupt highway police for non-existent infringements - even if it takes all day! This has been an on-going issue for decades with foreigners using vehicles from neighbouring countries. Argentinean highway police assume all foreigners driving their own vehicles are easy prey, and cash cows to suck from. The cause of this, is directly blamed on foreigners who pay-out large sums of cash - Just don't do it! Night driving anywhere throughout the continent is a no-brainer, and right out dangerous for accidents and random highway banditry. Getting robbed losing travel-gear from road bandits Happens! 

In Transit - CHILE & ARGENTINA

Transiting through the southern parts of South America can't be easier - Rapido non-stop Transit

The Chilean transit map routes below will get you through the entire country at your own pace. I've lost count how many times I've passed through Chile, but it's at least 15 times or more. If you're a ski freak, a mountain climber, hiking fanatic, or wildlife lover, Chile will give you more than most can handle. The winter season in southern Patagonia is like a windblown freezer. Hitchhiking is relatively easy.      

Overland travel and transit grabbing luxury deluxe buses from any of the big cities in Argentina is fast and simple. Their bus network is more organised than many western countries when the Argentinian economy is working in a positive manner. Chile and Argentina both use modern fast buses on all their major road routes. It's luxury all the way from northern border regions to Patagonia in the south. These two Latin countries had set the example of fast comfortable long haul transit journeys decades ago, which their neighbours still envy. The highway infrastructure in both countries are normally upgraded and maintained consecutively. Jumping on a bus from Arica to Santiago takes approximately 27 hours to complete the 1666 kms, including meal stops. There's even a champagne breakfast offered on some Argentinian routes. 

Below are the main Argentinian road route directions to get through the country, including major border crossings into neighbouring countries. Each province has their own highway control checks. Driving your own vehicle without paying a bribe will depend how good your Spanish is, and whatever else you can offer without handing out cash bribes. You can be lucky on the day with uncorrupted control police letting you drive straight through - Buena Suerte           

Fatigue Syndrome in Transit - Night Driving 

Driver Fatigue is a weapon of death, and is the main cause of highway accidents from foreign visitors!

Renting and driving a vehicle after dark in countries that drive on the left side of the road is a No-Brainer. If you come from a country that drives on the right hand side of the road (USA, Canada & EU), then Don't Drive after dark if you have been driving all day. Driver Fatigue is a weapon of death, and is the main cause of highway accidents from foreign visitors who normally drive on the right side of the highway. This also refers to those that normally drive on the left side, and are in a country who drive on right hand side of the road. The cause of fatal head-on car accidents after dark by foreigners is related to fatigue syndrome. The auto-response to swerve across into oncoming traffic is when a driver thinks they're on the wrong side of the highway without acknowledging they're not. New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and India have all had fatal accidents caused by foreign visitors swerving across highways or driving on the wrong side of the road.  Long haul flight fatigue is also another cause for road accidents. It's also safer for those arriving on long-haul flights to avoid driving due to jet lag for the first day or two.

AUSTRALIA: German tourist killed driving on the wrong side of the road after dark. 
​NEW ZEALAND: American tourist killed including 3 others driving on the wrong side of the road. 
NEW ZEALAND: Chinese tourist killed driving on the wrong side of the road. 
NEW ZEALAND: Israeli tourist killed driving after dark on the wrong side of the road.
NEW ZEALAND: Polish tourist driving at high speed on the wrong side of the road
AUSTRALIA: European tourist killed caused by the van veering onto the other side of the road

Solo Travel Transit - Driving Through Continents

Through experience I've found that driving like how locals drive through individual countries is the best advice to pass-on to others deciding to hit the highways using their own vehicles through the continents. Blasting on a vehicles horn all day is normal procedure, and will warn truck drivers and locals on foot along the side of congested roads that a vehicle is approaching from behind. If a truck or bus decides to overtake extremely slow moving vehicles, it's also normal to follow directly after it without hesitation if there's clear enough vision up ahead to do so. Speed regulations don't exist in many countries, and if they did most local drivers don't follow speed limitations anyway.
​Aggressive defensive driving means what it says, act and drive accordingly within the boundaries of safety on any road without risking or causing an accident. Turkey and India are classic examples of crazy local driving habits, but as a foreigner don't expect to bend the rules into western road codes. Driving through the night in the countries mentioned in the above image should be avoided unless you're game enough to handle pitch black highways without reflective markers, wandering stock, locals driving on your side of the road with headlights switched-off, trucks and buses with high beam pointed in your face, including the odd banditry holdup in certain isolated regions.

Foreigners self-driving should always be up to date with prevailing weather shifts that can materialise in short notice. Driving up through mountain passes showing signs of torrential weather should be avoided. Slips and washouts can occur around the next bend on mountainous roads. Driving on dirt track highways through rugged terrain in stormy weather is asking for trouble. It's safer to hold-up instead of taking risks that could cause accidents that may have been avoided. Driving after dark in mountainous regions anywhere in South America, Africa and Asia should be avoided - even in good weather, unless an isolated bandit highway robbery is something you're want to experience. Sliding or braking on black ice can easily happen driving after dark within sub-zero regions. The image below shows a high altitude road track where black ice can easily form from melted snow during the day becoming frozen through the night.  

Night Driving - Africa-Asia-South America-Middle East

The risk factor multiplies 100x driving at night through countries having zero rules or regulations outside urban cities. Colliding head-on with a cow won't only write-off the front end of a vehicle, the cost of the cow will be an added expense. Hitting and killing a local can result to payback or jail-time. Breakdowns after dark within rural isolated regions in South Africa, Nigeria, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Mali, Afghanistan, Turkey, including numerous other countries all have high risk levels of being robbed of everything including your footwear. After dark, driving directly into wild animals crossing roads is sometimes unavoidable due to low visibility, and the lack of highway reflectors and roadside markers. Swerving to avoid hitting an animal can result too ending up over the side of cliffs, down ravines or head-on hitting another vehicle. You maybe wondering how do I know all this? When I was younger and crazy enough to drive vehicles through the night in the above mentioned countries. One gets to witness and visualise first hand risks and dangers that suddenly appear without warning. Take some free advice - Don't drive after the sun sets, it's pushing the risk limit right to the edge! This South African website alone has over 3300 pages on "Arrive Live" incidents.
This hyena had no chance of survival, it was mowed down during the night hit by a truck. As normal, locals just leave carcasses in the middle of the road without removing them. Eagles, vultures, and other meat eating carnivores also end up being mowed down from their hypnotised fetishes of devouring road-kill by not moving until its too late. This also makes it dangerous for other vehicles driving at night hitting carcasses, damaging their steering gear, or suddenly swerving to avoid hitting road kill, but then seriously injure someone walking or cycling in the dark on the side of the road.

Protests African Style - Spades And Pitchforks

"Keeping a safe distance from protests through the continents is recommended" 

Clashes and skirmishes are witnessed from time to time through most continents, but in Africa, protests can turn nasty at a moments notice with incitement and insults at those against them. Spades, sticks and pitchforks are the common tools used as weapons to bash and injure anyone in their path. Believe me, you don't want to be around when flying spades, rocks, and shovels are swinging from all directions. Take some good advice, keep clear and well away from brewing protests that are about to explode into an all out battle without any remorse of who gets bashed, badly beaten or killed. I've witnessed these events close-up through Africa and other continents - not for the faint hearted! I didn't hang around after taking this quick snap, the other opposition group were approximately 500 metres down the road.   

Transit Vaccinations  - Yellow Fever 

Getting jabbed these days may fry your brain, but catching Yellow Fever will kill you! 

A 10 year yellow fever vaccination jab is highly recommended if transiting through any sub-tropical regions in South America and Africa. This particular virus is spread from infected female mosquitos. Major outbreaks do happen in Brazil. Outbreaks have also occurred within the Ecuadorian Amazon. Aedes aegypti are the same mosquito species which transmits Zika, dengue and chikungunya viruses that are related to yellow fever. Outbreaks of yellow fever in Africa occur every year in Angola, D.R.C. and Kenya. In 2013, there were 127,000 severe infections and 45,000 deaths, with 90% of these occurring in Africa. If transiting southward to South Africa via Namibia or Botswana, an International vaccination certificate is required showing a valid yellow fever shot before continuing across the South African border.
The authorities in both countries are stringent, and do use appropriate random check points to ensure all visitors are Y.F. inoculated. Foreigners who aren't Y.F. inoculated will need to be vaccinated in Windhoek or Gaborone before reaching the southern border regions. Other vaccinations like Typhoid, Cholera, Hep A/B, and Meningococcal meningitis is at your own discretion with how much you want your brain fried and toasted.
Through the decades, I've encountered various infections through the continents, like dengue fever and nasty hookworm in Asia, and tick fever in Africa. Having a healthy immune system is imperative. Consuming strong brews of ginger tea, raw garlic, UMF active bio-honey, pure cider apple juice, Iron, and vitamin B,C&D is a weekly routine. 
In the future, UN/WHO will roll out innovated personal ID VAC Data Bio-Implants, without one - forget about air/land/sea travel, excluding your own country - Agenda 2030 global control will become law. It will only take a few global health scares to enforce their agenda plans to become reality.  

Mosquito nets will save anyone from being drilled by hungry mosquitos when fast asleep. Tucking the net in sealing the bottom will stop mosquitos from entering. A net should also be wide and long enough to avoid body contact, mosquitos have no issues sucking blood through a net if a foot, arm or hand is touching the net. Checking for rips, holes and overall condition on supplied mosquito nets is another priority when staying at basic accommodation within regions known for Malaria, yellow fever, west Nile, Zika, and Dengue.       

Solo Overland Travel - Hepatitis A/B  

Catching Hepatitis A or B (HAV) is one disease you never want to experience. Over the years, I've met other foreigners  who have caught Hep A/B from contaminated shellfish. Hepatitis A/B is a disease infecting the liver and can cause both acute and chronic disease. The infection is spread by eating contaminated food, raw shellfish or from sewage-contaminated water. Hepatitis can also be spread through close person-to-person contact. Raw or semi-raw uncooked shellfish includes oysters, clams, abalone, crayfish, mussels, shrimp, scallops, crab, and lobster. It's difficult to ensure if shellfish was immediately chilled or frozen when caught before being distributed to food outlets. within certain environments. Hepatitis A/B is more common than cholera and typhoid among international travellers.

Solo Overland Travel - Rabies  

If you afraid of dogs, you had better get rid-off that fear factor before travelling through Africa and Asia. Dogs are scattered all over place freely roaming around. Dogs can easily sense humans with fear issues. The best advice, is to steer clear from dog packs. Walking around alone in isolated areas will always encounter a dog or two. Throwing rocks, or using a stick - like some foreigners do, will only create the dog(s) to become even more wild, with the possibility of being attacked and bitten. Getting rid of dog-fear is by ignoring them.    

Patting stray street dogs and cats in urban cities or within the middle of nowhere happens. If an animal bites, the chances and risk of receiving rabies is defiantly possible. Some animals freshly infected with rabies may not show signs of infections. Symptoms of high fever begins and can vary from 10 days to 8 weeks with added insomnia and hallucinations. Without seeking any immediate medical assistance, a persons nervous system will begin to slowly break down and fail, including permanent organ and brain damage. 
There are times when large stray dogs will growl and warn someone passing into their turf, one can either ignore the dog and continue, or deviate around its territory. Throwing stones, or using something to defend yourself if attacked is a last resort. Normally stray dog packs will fight among themselves over food. Most dogs have an inbuilt sense of anyone who are afraid of them.            

Now and then I witness westerners off-shore patting or allowing stray dogs to lick them. If these foreigners only knew where some stray dogs chill and hang-out, they would re-think about letting street dogs lick their hands or faces. Becoming sick from a full dose of diarrhoea just from a quick dog lick happens.   

In Transit - Is your passport getting full?

 Never rubber stamp passports to the last blank page  - Replace it well in Advance!

The worse scenario over-landing through any continent is running out of space in passports. Being refused a visa because a passport has reached its limitation of 2 blank pages happens. Never leave it too late replacing passports that are reaching their last six months of validity. Some countries may not have embassies, consulates, or missions abroad with nations whom they don't trade with. Imagine being in a country, and requiring onward visas to neighbouring countries with insufficient pages, and no embassy to replace a full passport. Global agreement with most passport holders is having a minimum of two full blank pages with at least six months validity. Immigration officials don't care where they stamp. Asking immigration officers "politely" to enter entry and exit stamps on the visa itself, or on to a page with other entry and exit stamps will save page space. If you don't request this, passports will become full of entry and exit stamps on blank pages very quickly. Updating or replacing, passports before departure saves wasted time and energy running around off-shore. If you're lucky, additional pages added into passports is another option, although now a rarity if permitted.​Above image - a few of my own global overland travel and transit visas through the continents.

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