The World According to Colin Freeman
The Sunday Telegraph’s chief foreign correspondent gives us his intriguing take on the world of travel
Mountain/desert/jungle/ocean which are you?
Mountains and deserts mainly: jungles might have rather too many insects.
First travel experience?
My first travel trip alone was cycling from Edinburgh to the Lake District with a pal when I was 14. Not sure kids would be allowed to do that these days…
Favourite journey?
The rail journey from Dakar in Senegal to Bamako in Mali is one of those classic train trips, although not the Orient Express in terms of comfort. Two days at a snail’s pace, 45 degrees C, and carriages often shared with crates of onions and garlic. But plenty of time to meet fellow travellers – both locals and backpackers – and a great way to nose into the African interior.
Top five places worldwide?
Hatra, northern Iraq. Ancient sun temple near Mosul, like an Acropolis in the middle of the desert. Vast, spectacular and rather spooky – it was used as the backdrop to the opening scenes of The Exorcist.
Band-e-amir, central Afghanistan. Six beautiful mineral lakes, with water so clear you can see about 40 feet down, and a jagged Lord of the Rings-style mountain backdrop.
Imlil, Morocco. Lovely little village on a river that acts as a base camp for the Atlas mountains.
Baalbek, Lebanon. In the Bekaa Valley, and a stronghold of Hezbollah, whose flags are everywhere, but you can still get a great glass of Lebanese red.
Dohuk, northern Iraq. One of many beautiful mountain towns in the Kurdish north, which is far safer than the rest of the country and should be a great tourism draw one day.
