Lebanon and Syria travel stories
I traveled to Syria and Lebanon for 11 days, September 17 to 27, 2010.
Those days when I went to Syria, Syrian people were really friendly and very peaceful, and security was good. It was exciting every day.
As you know, currently in 2013, Syria is in civil war. Every time I see the current situation in Syria on TV, I'm surprised and very sad. I can't believe it at all...
I'd like to tell you that very friendly people in Syria and the situation of Syria at that time it was peace.
I can't help hoping that peace will be come back in Syria.
Preparing for travel
Flight tickets
Before, Emirates was flying to Dubai from Nagoya Centrair airport in Japan.
But, to be sad, Emirates has left from Nagoya.
Happily, Etihad Airways started flying to Nagoya after leaving Emirates.
Like Emirates, Ethihad Airways is an airline company of the United Arab Emirates.
Emirates' base airport is Dubai, and Etihad Airways' is Abu Dhabi.
Dubai is more famous than Abu Dhabi in Japan. But I heard that Abu Dhabi has been remarkably developmed for few years.
I decided to use the Etihad Airways for Lebanon and Syria trip.
Outward: Nagoya - (Beijing) - Abu Dhabi - Beirut
Return: Damascus - Abu Dhabi - (Beijing) - Nagoya
Visa
About Lebanese visa: we, Japanese can get a tourist visa for one month at the Beirut Airport.
The problem is Syrian visa.
It is impossible for me to get Syrian visa at Syria Embassy in Tokyo in advance because Tokyo is far from my town.
If I asked visa agency to get, it would be so expensive.
When I searched through the Internet about issuing Syrian visa, I can't get the arrival visa in Damascus Airport.
At Syrian border from Turkey and Jordan, it seems that some people could get arrival visas but some people were not issued.
Finally I found that those entered Syrian boarder from Lebanon always succeeded to get Syrian visas.
On this trip, I decided to get Syrian visa at boarder from Lebanon.
That's the reason why I chose a flight to Beirut, and leaving from Damascus.
Money
Currency of Lebanon is Lebanese Pound. 1US Dollar = about 1500 Lebanese Pound (Sep,2010)
Currency of Syria is Syrian Pound. 1US Dollar = about 50 Syrian Pound (Sep, 2010)
According to the information on the Internet and my guide book, it is difficult to exchange Japanese yen cash to both Lebanese and Syrian currency.
In addition, installation of ATM also seemed less in those countries.
I decided to take U.S. Dollar cash which had been exchanged from Japanese yen cash in Japan before starting travel.
Day 1: Boarding to Etihad Airways at Nagoya Centrair Airport
Etihad Airways flight EY889 to Abu Dhabi leaves 9:45 p.m. from Nagoya Centrair Airport.
It is enough time to get to the airport after leaving my office.
There are few passengers at the boarding gate after passport control in Centrair.
After all, the aircraft took off the airport less than 10% load factor.
I'm afraid that like Emirates, Ethihad airways stops Nagoya Abu Dhabi air route.
Flight EY889 lands at Beijing Capital Airport.
Unfortunately, I was not possible to go out from the plane.
I had to wait on the aircraft about two hours at Beijing Capital Airport.
Just before departure , passengers from Beijing began to board the plane.
Nagoya - Beijing load factor was very low. But Beijing - Abu Dhabi was full.
Day 2: from Beijing to Beirut via Abu Dhabi
Flight EY889 Etihad Airways took off Beijing Airport for Abu Dhabi International Airport.
On Nagoya Beijing Flight, I got dinner, and I got a meal again after leaving Beijing late at night.
After eating , I took a sleep for hours.
When I woke up, outside of the plane began to be bringht.
After one hour, we arrived at Abu Dhabi International Airport.
I took killing time at Abu Dhabi airport for five hours, I boarded an airplane of Etihad Airways EY537 for Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport.
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| City of Beirut |
After 2 hours flight from Abu Dhabi, Ethihad aircraft was going to land at Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport.
