This is one of the most magical places I have ever been, yet for a long time this place was due to be submerged under the waters of the GAP project dam. I'm pretty sure that has been abandoned which is great as this town can finally move out of limbo and begin to capitalise on their wonderful natural and historic gifts.

Situated on the banks of the Tigris, this truly feels like an ancient place. To summarise, Hasankeyf is surrounded by gorges, it has a beautiful mosque as well as other historic buildings of note peppered around the countryside, it has an impressive Roman bridge and yet practically zero tourists!!

Please visit this place. When I was there in 2003 the locals were at a loss with the prospect of not just their home but their ancient culture being wiped from existence. Help be part of securing Hasankeyf's place on the world map where it belongs.

Hasankeyf is in the Kurdish part of south east Turkey. The nearest large city is Batman. It is also accessible from Mardin, a wonderful place in itself.

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Get a grand taxi to these amazing waterfalls, about 2 hours drive from Marrakech. The most impressive waterfalls in Morocco, they are a welcome break from the madness of the souk. An added bonus are the mischievous barbary apes in the surrounding countryside.

Ask any petit taxi driver to take you to the grand taxi depot for cascads d'ouzoud. Grand taxis only leave when filled (6 people, 4 in the back and 2 in the front passenger seat!). However, if you're willing to pay the cost of six people, you can leave right away.

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Ohrid is such a surprise. I arrived there from Albania expecting a quiet historic town. That’s only the half of it. Ohrid is no doubt historic: it was here that the Cyrillic alphabet was developed and the wooden buildings of the old town are beautifully intact. However, what surprised me about Ohrid was the party atmosphere. During the summer, there is a mass exodus from Skopje to the countryside and it seems as if most people come here. The pubs and clubs are packed. The atmosphere is wonderful and very friendly. But this party atmosphere in no way detracts from Ohrid’s other virtues.

Another huge plus about Ohrid is the lake of the same name. This huge freshwater lake is in pristine condition due to the lack of industry on its shores. We saw water snakes right by the banks of the town, and beautiful old monasteries are dotted around its shores.

Ohrid: spend the night partying and the day taking a swim and exploring the beautiful old town.

Just across the border from Albania, Ohrid is easily accessible from Skopje with a frequent bus service, but transport is tricky from Albania. If there is a group travelling you can split the price of a minibus between you from Pogradec. This will take you to the border. From here there are usually taxis to take you to the town of Ohrid. This is okay in a group but can work out pricey if you’re on your own. Apart from that there’s always hitching. Get talking to someone at the border and you shouldn’t have too much trouble. The locals on both sides are always eager to help someone out.

www.popovashapka.com/macedoniainfo/cities/city_ohrid.htm

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Obviously this isn't Vancouver, but if you're staying for an extended period in Vancouver a visit to Seattle is a must. Its about a 3 and a half hour journey.

You can get a bit down with how healthy everybody is in Vancouver but a visit to America makes one feel so much better about themself.

Seattle is a fantastic city though. It has more of an edge to it than Vancouver, with a really interesting music scene (it's not just grunge by the way). The Pike Place Market is a must, check out the beautiful campus of Seattle Catholic Uni, the arboretum, the sound garden etc etc. A great weekend break.

It's also worth considering checking out the price of flights to Seattle as these can be cheaper than flights to Vancouver.

Get a Gray Line bus from the central bus station (worth a look as it is a beautiful building) in Vancouver;
www.grayline.ca

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I lived in vancouver for 4 months. I did this almost every second day and it just never lost its magic. the scenery is jaw dropping, the atmosphere is so relaxing and the contentment in everyone's face is tangible.

Head for Stanley Park and follow the coast

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