Globe Trekker

Traveller Ian Wright begins his journey in the Middle East in Jordan. In the Wadi Rum desert he joins guests at a Bedouin wedding. Before travelling south to the ruins of Petra he rides a camel and has a swim in the Dead Sea. After Jordan, Ian travels on to Lebanon. In Beirut he rides with a motorbike brigade, then heads south into the occupied zone where he talks to the UN peacekeeping forces. Ian's next destination is Baalbeck in the fertile Bekaa valley, one of the most spectacular Roman temples in the world. It was a major place of worship sacred to the god Jupiter. Ian begins his visit to Syria in Damascus, where he observes the 'jumping sufis' experiencing religious ecstasy in a mosque, and relaxes in a Turkish bath. In Aleppo, Ian goes shopping in a large outside market called a Souk, then goes to see some clay beehive style houses nearby. He is introduced to the world of the 'whirling dervishes', one of Islam's important mystical orders, inspired in the 13th Century by the poet Mevlana Rumi. The final leg of his journey takes Ian south east to the ancient Roman desert town Palmyra. He ends his trip in the peace and quiet of a desert monastery.

Traveller Ian Wright Ian begins his exploration of Ethiopia in the northern highlands of Axum. He visits the oldest church in Ethiopia, which is supposedly the resting place of the Ark of the Covenant, and also attends a native wedding. An 8-hour bus journey takes Ian south to Lalibela in time to attend the most important festival on the Ethiopian calendar, Timkat. After the celebrations Ian visits the 11 churches hewn out of rock, which the locals believe were built by angels. He also finds out how aid donated by the West has helped Ethiopia since the famine of 1984. Ian's journey takes him to Bahar Dar, where he visits the spectacular Blue Nile Falls and samples some of the local cuisine with a couple of fellow British travellers. From Bahar Dar, Ian travels to the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. After drinking coffee with the locals, he goes bargain-hunting in Mercato, the biggest outdoor market in the whole of Africa and is pampered in a local hydrotherapy centre. The town of Harar is Ian's next stop, where he takes part in the popular pass-time of chewing a plant known as chat. He visits the Hyena Man, who is famous for feeding hyenas with his bare hands - surely one of the world's most bizarre tourist attractions. Flying via Addis Ababa once again, Ian travels south to Shashemane, passing through Lake Langano, one of several giant lakes in the heart of Ethiopia's great Rift Valley. A local Rastafarian community invites him to attend a coffee ceremony. The final leg of the journey takes Ian to the very south of Ethiopia, to the town of Arba Minch and the Mago National Park. He has his fortune told from a goat's intestine by the Hamar tribe, takes part in the bizarre macho ritual of cow jumping and is challenged to a stick fight by a member of one of Africa's fiercest tribes, the Mursi.

Traveller Ian Wright Ian skydives onto a Havana beach, where he begins his journey through Cuba & Haiti. He explores the bustling street markets in Havana and discovers the back-streets Waterfall in Camaguey which throb to the sound of the Rumba. From Havana Ian travels west to the tobacco province of Pinar del Rio where he lends a hand to the guajieros, visits a cigar factory and stays in the somewhat unusual holiday resort built by Fidel Castro's lover. Ian visits the site of the American invasion in the Bay of Pigs before arriving in Santa Clara, home of the Che Guevara University, where the famous revolutionary's memory is still very much alive. Camaguey is the wild west of Cuba. Ian tries his hand at rodeo and visits a paladar. Just outside Holguin he visits a marine park where he swims with the dolphins - an awesome experience. Santiago de Cuba is the music capital of the country. Ian visits El Cobre, takes a trip to Dinosaur Land, a bizarre theme park built by criminals on community service, and climbs the Gran Piedra. Ian continues his journey to Port au Prince - the capital of Haiti, which is the oldest black republic in the world. He stays in Haiti's most famous hotel, The Oloffson, immortalised in the Graham Greene novel The Comedian. After a quick visit to Jacmel to witness a cockfight, Ian gets involved in a peasant festival where he joins the Rara bands. In Souvenance, the most sacred site in Haiti, Ian is invited to a voodoo ceremony. Ian ends his journey in Cap Haitien in the north, where he pays a visit to a spectacular citadel.

Traveller Neil Gibson Pakistan was formed by the division of India half a century ago, and founded in the name of Islam. Few Western people venture here but as traveller Neil Gibson discovers it offers some of Asia's most mind-blowing landscapes, a kaleidoscope of cultures and a deeply generous people. His journey begins in Karachi, a bustling port town. He comes across a film crew making a movie on the life of Jinnah, and takes the opportunity to find out more about the founder of Pakistan. Leprosy is still a massive problem amongst the poor in Karachi and Neil visits one of the hospitals that treats lepers. Neil then takes a horse and cart to the Saddar Bazaar, Karachi's main shopping area, and gets himself kitted out in a shalwar kamiz, Pakistan's native dress. From Karachi, it's a 17 hour train ride north to the sufi city of Multan, inhabited by the ancient Indus valley civilisation. The 4000 year old city is home to the mystical side of Islam and Neil arrives in time for the Urs festival, where every year the holy men come to chill out and trance out. Neil has his fortune told by a bird, has his turban stuffed with onions and rides a camel to the spectacular Derawar Fort in the midst of the Cholistan desert. Neil's next stop is Lahore, once the centre of the Mogul empire and considered to be Pakistan's cultural and artistic capital. Here Neil visits the last bastion of British colonialism, Aitchinson College where Imran Khan was once a pupil, and visits the incredible Badshahi mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world. Neil learns about the strict lifestyle required by the Koran and takes part in some Kushti wrestling. A bus journey 440 kilometres north-west takes Neil to the frontier town of Peshawar. Due to it's proximity to Afghanistan, the town is full of smuggled goods and as Neil discovers, it is possible to buy almost anything in the markets. Neil then visits the legendary Khyber Pass and looks out at the real-life 'Gateway to India'. Neil takes a short flight to the north-western extremity of Pakistan and the exotic valley of Chitral. This is where the game of Polo originated and Neil is invited to take part in a game. He stays with the Kalash people, believed to have descended from Alexander the Great. From here Neil journeys north to Gilgit for the incredible Ashura festival, a Shiite festival which commemorates the death of Iman Hussein, grandson of the prophet Mohammed who was murdered in the desert. During this festival, the Shiites whip themselves with knives to show their grief, until they are completely exhausted. From Gilgit Neil heads up to the Hunza valley to the start point of a three day trek, crossing two incredible glaciers and ending his journey looking out at the stunning views from Rush Peak.

Traveller Ian Wright Covering three quarters of the continent of Australia, the Outback is one of the most sparse and rugged landscapes in the world. Ian Wright begins his journey in Darwin, where many travellers meet before trekking through the Outback. From Darwin Ian passes through Kakadu National Park where he feeds the crocodiles and encounters a black headed python. From there he journeys to Katherine in time for the Barunga Aboriginal Festival of sports and culture. Cloncurry used to be the biggest copper producer in the British Empire, but these days the town is rather quieter. Ian is invited to participate in a Kangaroo hunt, which he does somewhat reluctantly. He also tries his hand at Bush Poetry with a little help from the locals. The next leg of Ian's journey takes him to Alice Springs where he looks at some Aboriginal Art and experiences working life on a cattle station covering a modest 300,000 acres of land. After all that hard work, Ian finds the most luxurious way to travel, floating in a hot air balloon over Alice Springs. About three hundred miles South West of Alice is Australia's most famous natural landmark - Ayers Rock. It's now known as Uluru, and Ian meets some of the few Aborigine people who still live around here. The area was home to the Anangu aborigines for thousands of years but now that it has become a major tourist attraction only a few communities remain. Ian heads north west along the 600 mile Tanami track which links Alice Springs and Hall Creek in Western Australia. Whilst travelling through the desert Ian eats a bush grub dug up on the roadside and also dines on kangaroo tail. Another four hundred miles west of Halls Creek, Ian visits the coastal town of Broome. At night he sees light reflecting on the mud flats, known locally as the staircase to the moon. He also visits an area around Cape Leveque, home to aborigines known as the Bardi people, where he is shown how to catch crabs. The final leg of his journey takes Ian to the town of Kununurra where he gets work as a bar man at a Bachelors and Spinsters Ball - a raucous event. He ends his journey in the Bungle Bungles, spectacular ancient hills in the Kimberley Ranges which few tourists visit.

Traveller Justine Shapiro Justine Shapiro's journey through south west United States begins in Gallup on the New Mexico border, where she visits a Native American intertribal ceremonial. The event lasts for six days and whilst there, Justine attends an Indian Rodeo, checks out Native American cuisine and watches some amazing tribal dances. From Gallup, Justine takes a spectacular train journey north east to Santa Fe, where she acquires a motorbike and cruises along to Taos. She stops in Taos to investigate the Earthships - homes constructed entirely with recycled materials. Justine heads south from Taos to Roswell, the site of a reported UFO crash in 1947. Justine investigates the incident, which has become shrouded in secrecy, and hears some convincing evidence about the case. Justine continues her journey by bike, stopping next at the small town of Deming, where she takes part in the Great American Duck Race. She then heads north west to Tucson, in the state of Arizona. Here she meets some cowboys and takes a horse ride through the desert. She also trades in the motorbike for a car and finds a fellow traveller to share costs on the way North to Sedona. When they reach the New Age capital of Sedona, Justine has a physic reading, and is told that her new car will break down in six to eight months time. The next day the car gets towed to the nearest garage, and Justine gets a lift to Peach Springs at the West rim of the Grand Canyon. She goes on a white water rafting trip, then takes to the skies in a helicopter to view this awesome natural beauty. After picking up her car again, it's an eighteen hour drive north-west via the bright lights of Vegas, to the Black Rock Desert. Here, Justine ends her journey at the Burning Man festival. All that is weird and wonderful can be found here, as Justine discovers, when she visits the smut shack, is offered frozen bugs, and joins the Pagan revellers for the burning of a forty foot neon man.

Traveller Nikki Grosse Nikki Grosse's trek in Central Africa takes her through the dramatic and remote landscapes of Uganda and Eastern Congo (formerly Zaire). Nikki's route begins in South West Uganda in the 'Switzerland of Africa', where she travels on the back of a truck to Bwindi National Park, also known as the "Impenetrable Forest". Bwindi is one of the last remaining habitats of mountain gorillas in the world, and the current gorilla population is estimated at 320. With the help of guides and slashers who cut at the dense undergrowth with machetes, Nikki tracks a gorilla family for hours through difficult terrain and is finally rewarded when she finds herself only metres from a Silverback. Nikki travels north through the wildlife haven Queen Elizabeth National Park, en route to the small town of Kasese. Kasese is situated at the base of the Rwenzori Mountains and is the last place where trekkers can buy provisions before setting off into the mountains. Nikki buys a pair of wellies for the infamous Bigo Bog and organises a team of Ugandan guides and porters to accompany her on the trek. The Rwenzori Mountains are also known as The Mountains of the Moon because of the glaciers at the summit which can be glimpsed through a veil of cloud. They are a true African wilderness and Nikki treks through impossible undergrowth, along slippery paths, through knee deep bogs and thick mud, under towering giant heather forests and over snow covered peaks and glaciers, ending her journey a few hundred metres of Margherita Peak, the third highest in Africa. For the final part of Nikki's journey she crosses the border into the Congo and travels to Beni, where she is diagnosed with Malaria. After a course of medical treatment and a few unplanned rest days, she heads off into the Ituri forest in Eastern Congo. She travels in a truck along some of the worst roads in Africa; the recent rains have turned it into mud-filled potholes. Leaving the vehicle and setting off on foot Nikki eventually reaches a Mbuti Pygmy community. The pygmies are the indigenous people of the Ituri forest, which provides them with nearly everything they need. Here Nikki helps the children collect caterpillars and crabs for the evening meal, has ticks removed from her hair and on her final night is invited to listen to their traditional music.

Traveller Justine Shapiro Justine explores the world's eighth largest country, Argentina. Her journey begins in Iguazu where she visits the incredible Iguazu Falls, which are almost a mile wide. From Iguazu Justine travels west to Jujuy, the most traditional region of Argentina and the first part of the country to be colonised by the Spanish. She buys a bracelet made from goat's toenails and drinks mate with the locals. Her journey then takes her to Salta to catch the train known as The Train to the Clouds, one of the most spectacular railway journeys in the whole of South America. The journey takes three days and rises to 15000 feet in places. Back in Salta, after a late night with an English bar owner and his singing customers, she travels south to Catamarca. Justine spends a day with the Gauchos, the Argentinian cowboys and feeds bread to the alligators. She also attends a religious festival in honour of the Virgin of the Valley. From Catamarca, Justine heads to Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires, with it's 20 lane roads and European atmosphere. She visits Eva Peron's grave, learns to Tango and parties the night away in the city which is arguably one of the most exciting in the world. For a welcome break from the hectic lifestyle of the capital, Justine travels to south Argentina's lake district and El Bolson. Here she samples the simple life and visits a fellow American who left the rat race behind to build his own house here, living on just $2000 a year. From El Bolson Justine hitches east to Trelew where she visits the largest penguin colony in the South Atlantic. In Gaiman she visits a theme park made entirely of garbage. The final leg of her journey takes Justine to the southern most extremes of Argentina, to El Calafate. She visits the mystic caves, beautiful scenery and the Parque Nacional Los Glaciales, a spectacular sight, where glaciers meet green grass.

Traveller Justine Shapiro Justine Shapiro's journey begins in the cosmopolitan city of Cape Town on the West Coast of South Africa. She visits Robben Island, where President Nelson Mandela was held prisoner for 18 of his 27 years in prison. She speaks to an ex-political prisoner who lived in the cell opposite to Mandela for 7 years. The townships in Cape Town are the scene of much history and political strife. Justine explores a Cape Town township and visits a Sanoma - a South African faith healer. From Cape Town Justine heads east on board the Trans Karoo Express, through the lush wine regions north of Cape Town, then into the arid landscape known as the Great Karoo. She stays with an Africaan family in Laingsaburg and rides an ostrich in Oudtshoorn. After going deep sea fishing in Coffee Bay on the Wild Coast, Justine arrives in South Africa's third largest city, Durban. One a white enclave, Durban's streets now reflect a wide variety of cultures. It has always been home to the largest Indian and Pakistani community in South Africa, and the Kavadi festival in February where devotees celebrate the Hindu God Muruga by allowing their bodies to be pierced all over. Later, Justine hangs out with the young Durban surfers and meets the National Surfing Champion Shane Thorn, before having a go at surfing herself. The next destination is the Zulu homeland north of Durban, where she attends a Zulu ritual and talks with a young Zulu about the history of this warrior tribe. Justine journeys on into the mountain kingdom of Lesotho. A country in itself, it has its own language, culture and currency. The people of Lesotho are known as Basotho and Justine attends a puberty initiation ceremonies for the young teenage boys of the tribe. From Lesotho Justine travels north-west through Lesotho, and back down to the South African border, reaching Ficksburg and Rustlers Valley. Here she stays with a hippie community and experiences a 'sound journey'. Kruger National Park has the greatest variety of animals of any game park in Africa and Justine gets to see the big five: elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino. Finally Justine ends her journey in the township of Soweto, Johannesburg. She lived in South Africa as a child and returns to visit her nanny, Linda, who she has not seen since the age of 10. Justine has a tearful reunion with Linda, who is surprised and delighted to see her after so long.

Traveller Shilpa Mehta Shilpa visits some of the Philippines' 7000 islands. She begins her journey in the town of Baguio on the island of Luzon, where she visits the giant statue of Marcos and finds out what life was like in the Philippines during his rule. She also visits a faith healer renowned for his ability to perform surgery without the use of tools or incisions. From here, Shilpa takes the bus and journeys south to Sagada through the beautiful Filipino countryside, where she visits the famous Hanging Coffins and the amazing rice terraces, often considered to be the eighth Wonder of the World. Next stop San Fernando, where every year on Good Friday incredible real-life crucifixions take place as a form of penance. Shilpa travels south to Manila to witness one of the Philippines' most popular sports, cockfighting. She meets a karaoke singing taxi driver and goes to one of the busy ballroom dancing nightclubs, as well as seeing evidence of the darker side of Manila - child prostitution. A local outrigger boat takes Shilpa to the island of Boracay and its stunning beaches. She explores the old part of Boracay on horseback and goes diving around the corals off its exotic shores. Shilpa's next stop is the island of Negros, the sugarland of the Philippines, and the town of Bacolod. She travels on the vintage steam engines still used on this plantation, the largest in the world, and visits the beautiful but controversial Saint Joseph's Chapel. From Negros Shilpa travels to Davao on the island of Mindanao, where she samples local delicacies such as roast pig, the Durian fruit that 'tastes like heaven and smells like hell' and a popular aphrodisiac - a duck embryo. She also visits the Sea Gypsies and the amazing Tiboli people that live on Lake Sebu, as well as attending a horsefight. Next, Shilpa travels west to the island of Palawan and the city of Puerta Princesa, where she visits the open prison. North from here in El Nido, cavers risk their lives collecting swallow saliva, a key ingredient in the local delicacy, bird's nest soup. Finally, Shilpa visits the last discovered tribe of the Philippines, the Tau't Batu who live in the caves in the jungle near El Nido.

Traveller Neil Gibson Peru is one of the most geographically and culturally diverse countries on earth. It stretches from the Amazon, across the Andes to the Pacific Coast. Neil Gibson's journey begins in Lima, one of the fastest growing capital cities in Latin America. Here he meets Father Eugene Kirke, an Irishman who runs a mission in Villa El Salvador, which was on of the first shanty towns to spring up on the outskirts of Lima. He also samples food found in local markets. From Lima, Neil travels North for nine hours by coach to the Andean city of Huaraz, the center for trekking and mountaineering in Peru. After acclimatizing to the altitude, Neil takes a day trip to a glacier at 16 000 ft above sea level. From Huaraz, Neil travels by bus for twelve hours to the coastal town of Trujillo and visits the beach at Huanchaco, where surfers flock during the summer. Here he takes a trip in a traditional reed boat, and visits a Shaman. The next part of his journey takes Neil into the Amazon, via Peru's largest jungle city Iquitos, where he explores the rainforest wildlife. From Iquitos, he flies back to Lima before heading South through Peru's coastal desert towards Ica. In the desert Neil is taken to an ancient burial site that has been destroyed and looted. The next leg of Neil's journey takes him south to Nazca, where he takes a flights over the mysterious Nazca lines - shapes of animal forms up to 200 meters long, drawn over an area of 350 Sq. miles. From here he journeys on to Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world, and crosses from the town of Puno to the island of Taquile. Here he celebrates the potato harvest with the self-sufficient islanders. Neil's final destination is Cuzco, the Inca capital. His visit coincides with the sun festival of Inti Raymi, celebrated at the time of the summer solstice at the Inca stronghold overlooking the town. He also treks the famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, walking for 2 days along the sacred path before reaching the awe-inspiring Inca ruins, where he ends his journey.

Traveller Shilpa Mehta Sixty million visitors come to Spain each year but most head for the tourist resorts in the south. Shilpa Mehta's journey takes her through the less travelled north of the country. Shilpa Mehta at the Running of the Bulls in PamplonaStarting in Barcelona, Shilpa explores the city's rich architecture and discovers Flamenco dancing in the street. Just outside Barcelona is the small town of Terrassa, where Shilpa watches a Catalan traditional event of building human castles. From Terrassa Shilpa heads for Pamplona in the province of Navarra, where the annual Bull Run known as 'El Encierro' is taking place. Running alongside the bulls whilst they are herded through the streets is seen as a test of machismo, but participants risk serious injury and even death. Shilpa hitches a lift north to San Sebastian, where she samples the tapas dish unique to the Basque region, known as pintxos. She then continues her journey to Asturias, where she explores the Somiedo National Reserve by mountain bike. The next leg of Shilpa's journey takes her to the heart of the country, Madrid. Just outside the city, she visits a school for young bullfighters, and picks up some of the skills required for the job. From Madrid, Shilpa's road trip takes her northwest through the cities of Segova, Avila, Salamanca and finally Zamora. On this journey she glimpses a spectacular aqueduct, visits a farm that raises bulls for the ring, and finally witnesses a bull fight with a famous female matador. In the north west of the country Shilpa joins the Pilgrim Trail, staying in refugios along this famous religious route. The trail ends in Santiago, and Shilpa arrives in the picturesque city just in time to celebrate the anniversary of the death of Spain's patron saint, St James. After attending a service in Santiago cathedral, Shilpa watches a spectacular fire work display, symbolising the turning of the Moslems out of Spain and victory for the Catholic faith. In contrast to the lively festival in Santiago, Shilpa ends her journey further west on the Atlantic coast. This is a vast expanse of virtually unpopulated country, stretching to the edge of Europe. This destination is known as Cabo Finisterre, which means ëthe end of the world'. A fitting place to end an incredible journey through one of Europe's most enticing countries.

Traveller Ian Wright Ian Wright starts his adventure in Budapest, the capital of Hungary where he finds that tourism has boomed since the fall of communism in 1989. He samples the traditional Hungarian sausage, luxuriates at the thermal baths and steps into the past when he visits a communist theme park. From Budapest Ian hitches a lift to Eger, stopping off on the way at a refuge for zoo animals where he gets friendly with one of the bears. Once in Eger, Ian checks out the city's baroque architecture, and goes grape picking with a local family who encourage him to drink plenty of the fruits of his labour! Travelling by bus, Ian continues his journey to Hortobagy National Park situated on the Great Plain or Puszta, which covers one third of the country. The Puszta is home to whipcracking Hungarian cowboys, renowned for their horsemanship, and Ian gets to see a display of their impressive skills. Ian crosses the Hungarian border into Romania by train, and his first stop is Transylvania's medieval town, Sighisoara. This picturesque town was the birthplace of the ruler who became known as Dracula, and Ian investigates the history of his famous tale. He also samples Romania's most popular dish Tripe soup, before embarking on the next leg of his journey into the Carpathian mountain range. After making merry with the locals in a small mountain village, Ian climbs the Fagaras peaks, and discovers some breath taking views. Then taking to the road, Ian travels through a landscape of orchard covered hills to the small town of Bistrita, where Romania's Gypsy community gather for a festival. At the festival, Ian observes the fiercely held traditions of gypsy culture, and joins in with the drinking and the dancing. From Bistrita, Ian travels East to the Romanian capital Bucharest. Here he tours the many reminders of the Ceauscescu era, including a visit to the Grand Palace and the leader's final resting place. Ian finishes his journey discovering evidence that the country is no longer locked behind the Iron Curtain, and life is changing for the better. Conditions for some of the street kids in Romanian orphanages has improved greatly and in one particular refuge Ian plays basketball with children who have benefited from the support provided.