Ras Al Khaimah, Oman & Dubai

When were last in Dubai and Oman, back in 2003, we were told that the Musandam Peninsula, an enclave in the north of Oman, was wonderful. We always planned to come back and see it, so we’re about to head there. We’re flying to Dubai, and will then head to Ras Al Khaimah, another of the United Arab Emirates, which we haven’t visited before. We'll then continue on to Muscat by boat, and back to Dubai by bus, if all goes to plan.

Kyrgyzstan and our first “Explore” trip

We’re heading to Kyrgyzstan today.  We’ve booked a 15-day Explore “Mountain Kingdoms of the Silk Road” for A$3,140 each. The tour begins in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) and finishes in Tashkent (Uzbekistan). The trip pace is listed as “full on” for travellers who like their holidays packed with activities and experiences, moving on quickly from place to …

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Manaus, Sao Paulo, Santiago and Arica

Today we’re off to Manaus, the major departure point for the surrounding Amazon Rainforest. We’re actually heading back to Santiago in Chile, but we can only do it by a series of flights, including the first one to Manaus. Decided it was too good an opportunity to miss, so will spend a couple of nights there. We were there in 1999, when we did boat trips up into the rainforest, so this time we’re just having a look around the city, and especially an Opera House Tour, which we missed last time.