Amman is a modern Arab city rather than one of the great cultural centres of the Middle East. There are really two Ammans, Eastern Amman is Islamic and home to the urbanised poor and Western Amman a world apart with leafy residential districts, trendy cafes and bars and the two are totally different. We went down into the old city and wandered around the market stalls where they were selling live rabbits, chickens and Turkey as well as Saddam Hussein memorabilia!...

Leaving Syria without a problem we arrived at the Jordan border. We joined the queue for a vehicle search but the guard only had a cursory look in the camper probably more out of curiosity than anything. We wento on to purchase vehicle insurance and have our visa validated and then had the carnet de passage (temp import for vehicle) completed for the first time. The whole process was very civilised and amiable. Immediately upon entering Jordan it was obvious...

Another 2 hour drive through the desert this time with signs leading to Iraq and Baghdad we arrived in Damascus. Damascus is a very large busy city split between the old town and the modern town which is largely bereft of beauty and short on sights. We drove round and round the modern city looking for somewhere to stay with parking and as usual it was only the large 5 star places which had car parks and after calling at 4 even those were all fully booked. Eventua...

The drive to Palmyra takes about 2 hours through the desert but as the truck and camper were desperate for washing we spotted a car wash going through the town of Homs and had the whole thing washed inside and out and vacumed inside and leathered off. It took them 45 minutes and cost £1.50 whilst we spent the time sitting chatting (this is definately a pass time in Syria) with the local lawyer and cosmetic surgeon. The cosmetic surgeon gave us his card and I...

We left Alleppo the following morning after I had my haircut and Peter went in search if antibiotics again, this time for a skin infection. Two items were only GBP1.50! someone is making a lot of money on medicines in our country. We were getting low on diesel and although finding our way out of the city was easier than getting in we couldn't find diesel as not every garage sells it. We called at a small repair shop and the man could speak slight English but as ...