syria update
 

Hi just rode from Turkey transiting Syria and into Jordan yesterday long day! Called into central Damascus also. no problems at any border crossing or through Syria eveyone very friendly even the police. Things can of course chane but all the people I met when on the Turkish side said to go, no danger for Europeans. Crossed Reyhanli/Bab al Hawa into Jordon on the main motorway crossing not Dera.

You spent about 12 hrs in a very unstable place. I daresay one's probability of running into bad trouble increases as the amount of time spent increases. If one spent 2-3 weeks "seeing the sights" of Syria the chance of serious problems would be increased accordingly.

Charlie

Thanks
 

Hi Charlie, Thanks for the update.

Cheers Dave.

Same logic goes for seeing bears in Alasaka... Or getting knifed in the Broncs...

Danger is relative, but the fact that Paul is their and reporting on it is worth encouraging.

Good on your for giving it a go and defying those hyped up news reports!! :clap:

How many other European tourists have you seen in the area I wonder?? :rolleyes2:

Ride on! :mchappy:

We visited Syria 3 times over the last three weeks, spent about 2 weeks there in total and used 5 different border crossings. At no time did we feel threatened or in danger.

There were lots of military checkpoints and more recently there were heavy troop movements around Homs and Hama (including tanks), but they were not interested in tourists (other than for our safety). We avoided travelling on Fridays and did not go to the north-west of the country (I think we would have been turned back anyway).

Despite the current instability we found it a really friendly, welcoming place.

Paul13 - was that you we met in Wadi Musa (Petra) riding the XT? Hope the trip west is going well and you managed to get a new chain ok.

Syrıa up date
 

Hı yes that was me and my wıfe, hope your trıp ıs goıng well. Made ıt to Wadı Rum and back to Madaba for Anne to fly home then I had a couple of good days thru Syrıa. Just got over the Turkısh border when the chıan fınaly departed from the sprocket lockıng the back wheel, ah the joys of travel. But as always when one doors closes...the Yamaha servıce centre ın Antakya arranged for a hotel, took me there, drove to Adana to pıck up a DID chaın and fıtted ıt on a Sunday whılst feedıng me wıth food and drınk all day. They ınvıted a few local bıkers to meet me and chew the fat-ıt was almost worth havıng the chaın break for the experıence! And of course they would only charge for the chaın, no labour, drıvıng to pıck ıt up etc, etc. If beıng on the road serves one purpose alone ıt ıs to constanty re-afırm the human spırt ıs stıll alıve and well-drınks all round!

Oh and they also fıtted a new set of cush drıve rubbers-are thge orıgınals made of marshmellow?

Generally, all protests in middle east countries are internal affaires. Please carry on with your plans, and adventures. As with anywhere in the world, try to avoid 'hotspots' along the way. (with delays, simply find some shade until the delay is over)
Enjoy your time.

Syria Route from UK
 

Really pleased to read the current news on this thread!. Three of us are on our way in October to SA and the ferry route to Egypt is now apparently very difficult. Syria was opening up to us as an alternative, just wondered about the "real" situation there. I'm now very firmly minded to go via this route especially after reading all the above. Of course things can change nearer the date.