Fixing Pannier - right pannier now dented and bent.

The result of dropping the bike onto the curb, stack number one and a kid climbing on the bike causing it to fall onto a car (breaking the car trimming and denting it) the right side pannier was bent out of shape and would not lock shut.

The local carpet man, his son, myself, a hammer and a big piece of timber managed to bang it back into shape.

Dead Sea - the sting of the eyes proves how salty!

There is no way you could drown here. I swam out and tried to dive down to touch the bottom but all I could do was duck down with my legs kicking in the air. I picture speaks a thousand words.

Syria again - via Damascus to Jordan

After a great time in Lebanon it was time to make my way south to Jordan. In my way was Damascus, the capital of Syria, and another city I was looking forward to visiting. As usual in this part of the world, there was a souq, citadel, palace and old city to visit. I spent 4 days exploring the city and catching up on admin and relaxing with my book.

Lebanon - cool place!

We have all heard Beirut is the Paris of the Middle East. I expected a few bars, clubs and restaurants but there are heaps with style and character. I now realise how much I miss living in a city and the quality of good music, wine, food and the social aspect of drinking with people - I have had a few beers by myself!!

I met 6 Lebanese Aussies in one day, all on holiday for 2 to 3 months. In the 50s and 60s half a million Lebanese migrated to Australia and now with their descendants there are 2 million (facts from Lebanese Aussies). I was walking with a mate in the mountains and they went out of their way to help - 2 lifts in their car, shouted beers and would not stop talking about Australia and Lebanon.

Lebanon has heaps too do, walking and skiing in the mountains, partying in Beirut, wine tasting in the Bekaa Valley and swimming/lazing around in a Beirut beach clubs. I'll be back!

Lebanese Wine Tour

After Italy the next country that makes quality wine is Lebanon - and the last until home!! I had tried a few in London so thought I should spend some time winery touring, I visited the following:

Chateau Kefraya - beautiful vineyard and interesting blends, able to try all their wines.
Ksara Winery - waste of time - standard tourist tour and I recieved dirty looks for asking questions. Limited tasting.
Massaya Winery - interesting blends and value for money wine
Domaine Wardy - spent time tasting with the wine maker, Hiba. They produce blends and single varietal.
Chateau Musar - fantastic tour and discussion with the Head Wine maker, Takrek Sakr. Awesome wine and finished with a 1977 Chateau Musar.

The thing that amazed me is the amount of varietal blends that were between 60/40%. Different to the standard new and old world wines. With no decent wine since Italy, I realise just how much I love it.

How well do you know your current affairs and geography - where was I?

Stack Number One

With 15,000 kms on the road the odds of an acident must be high. Leaving the mountains via a one lane road, there was a creek and mud across the road, my front wheel slid and the next thing I was sliding down the steep road with the bike on the uphill side and my right leg under the bike. No damage, just bike and I covered in mud, bruised ego and leg (where the bike fell on me) - lucky I was wearing my boots!!

Chaos or Order on the road - whats your preference?

Do you like pure order where you follow all the rules - not me, a little order but the flexibility to bend the rules when you need to is important. Central London with CCTV means no breaking of the rules or a fine in the post.

Beirut is total anarchy on the roads, I have been warned by many locals to drive defensively and if lights are green, still check for cars. I have seen the following bending of the road rules:

- Sonar driving - the constant tooting really wound me up
- All cars driving either way down one way streets - this is the norm!
- When the traffic is at a standstill, scooters ride on the foot path
- Police are located at all main intersections but this does not stop breaking of the rules
- 4 Japanese race bikes came flying up to a red light, straight through stopped cars facing the red,a quick glance for other cars, then raced off straight through the red (one doing a wheelie) and the intersection policeman laughing at them.
- Motorbikes and scooters, including policeman riding against the traffic - its a shock when you turn a corner because you think you have gone the wrong way.
- 2 lane road will fit as many cars, buses and trucks as there is room - generally 3 wide
- If no cars in the opposite direction, not just motorbikes will run the red - anyone will.
- When turning across oncoming traffic, just keep pushing into the oncoming traffic until the traffic either stops or has no room to go around you.

A local biker explained to me that working traffic lights are relatively new, due to so many years of war the Lebanese have adapted to their own way of driving.

I did see a total of 6 minor collisions and a 4 car pile up on the highway.

I prefer order, its exhausting driving in Beirut but fun when you need to get from A to B in a hurry!!

Syrian Sonar Driving

Arriving in Syria I straight away noticed that everyone was tooting their horn. Was it at me?? the cars around me did not appear to be doing anything wrong. Drivers honk when:

- passing a car
- at cars in side roads
- just before the lights go green
- entering an intersection
- at pedestrians crossing the roads

The only explanation for this is drivers navigate around other cars on the road by sound. This would explain the constant tooting and erratic driving.

Lifesaver - get a whole lot more out of life

Since leaving Europe the coffee situation has gone down hill big time. Turkish coffee is palatable but the Nescafe sachet provided at hotels and cafes with hot water in central Turkey and Syria is just not coffee!

The best way to start the day is with a cup of coffee, it puts spring in your step and a smile on your face. My lifesafer has been the simple coffee filter and I would prefer to have a headache than drink Nescafe.

Celebrity in Syria

I now have a good idea of the life of a celebrity. Off the tourist route in Turkey everyone has been staring at me and the kids smile, wave and love to say 'Hello'. In Syria my popularity has rocketed to the top. Without the bike, everyone looks, say 'Welcome' and want to talk. With the bike I have no freedom:

- Can't eat lunch without locals surrounding me to talk.
- Can't stop on the side of the road without someone stopping to help.
- If I do stop to talk, you end up spending a couple of hours doing sign language.
- At Petrol stations I have been drinking tea.
- Yesterday after getting directions, I went to the local bike mechanic, the garage filled with about 20 locals after we arrived.
- Last night, a shop owner I meet earlier, chased me to talk and request I visit his shop tomorrow.

This is outside the big cities and the people are so generous, friendly and helpful... its hard to describe and to say no. Its amazing and a great experience but you do tire of the same conversations.

GPS Tracker - unavailable in Syria

There are two countries in the world which band GPS - North Korea and Syria. My handheld unit works but the GPS tracker does not. The company that runs the tracker must block it. I am able to send GPS position messages.

Religous police in Antakya

After a couple of beers with a female hotel guest I meet at breakfast in the morning, we got back to the hotel, moved the bike from the street into the foyer of the hotel with the help of the staff. The staff have either no English or limited words and one young kid, speaking abruptly, wanted to go walking with me and wanted the female guest to go to bed. I said politley, no thankyou, we went upstairs and thought it was odd behaviour.

In my room we reviewed my photos, door left open. The young kid came upto the room and rudley started saying something in Turkish and handed me a piece of paper saying "The Marriage Vallet" - now the earlier behaviour makes sense. We moved down to the dining room and continued.

Turkey is a secular state, so I was a little surprised, not sure if it was a hotel policy, province policy or just concerned the staff at the time.