Gadara of the Decapolis in Jordan

Umm Qais, Jordan.
Gadara of the Decapolis.

About 14 kilometres from the Syrian border on Highway 25 you turn northwest towards the city of Irbid and onto Umm Qais. I asked Abu Saleem if it was possible to go into Syria. He candidly replied, "I won't. You, however, can try." Abu Saleem is Palestinian. He has played for the Jordan National Football team in his days. And I'm lucky to have him as my guide.
I'll take his wisdom over my curiosity today.

In the northwestern corner of Jordan, in the hills above the Jordan Valley, are the ruins of Gadara. Gadara was once the capital of the Decapolis. Today the ruins are famous for the well restored black basalt theatre and spectacular views of three countries: Jordan, Syria, and Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

In the photograph beyond these basalt columns of a 6th-century church, the plateau you see is the Golan Heights. 'The' Golan Heights. Israel took two-thirds of the Golan Heights from Syria in the Six-Day War.The north still belongs to Syria, the south, to Israel. There's a small buffer zone between the control lines to implement the ceasefire of the Purple Line.
Nonetheless, shelling is repeatedly exchanged here between the two countries.
Also, they say Jesus performed the miracle of the Gadarene Swine in Gadara.

I ask Abu Saleem... "Where have the miracles gone?"

(Content credit: @rubber_meets_the_road on IG)

Benjamin at the Mosul Dam in Iraq

Benjamin, now in Iraq, camped for the night at Mosul Dam on 2018-05-29.

(Source: @vanmerksteijn on IG)

Roadtrip to Sindhudurg Fort in Maharashtra, India from Navi Mumbai and Pune via Kolhapur

Located off the coast of Maharashtra, the Sindhudurg Fort is an ancient fortress occupying an islet in the Arabian Sea. This imposing construction is spread over an area of 48 acres, with its massive walls standing tall against the crashing waves of the sea. The main entrance of the fort is hidden away in such a manner that no one can identify it from the outside. The Sindhudurg Fort is a tangible example of the Maratha foresight and resourcefulness. Not only is this mighty fort a historically significant attraction, but the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape makes it a popular tourist spot. Protruding right from the midst of the mighty Arabian Sea, this fort makes up for a delightfully charming sight. Its rich historical background only adds to the experience of this place.

Built by none other than Chhatrapati Shivaji, the construction of Sindhudurg Fort utilizes the natural protection of the surrounding rocks to their advantage. With its solid walls and conspicuous gateways, this fort is a fascinating piece of history which makes it a favourite tourist spot. Perhaps one of the reasons why this magnificent fort has managed to stand the test of time would be its unique and unyielding construction style. The foundation of the mighty building was laid down in the lead, and the natural protection provided by the surrounding rocks acted as an impregnable barrier against any enemy forces. Sindhudurg Fort also has 42 bastions, which still stand tall and is surrounded by several smaller forts such as the Padmagad, Rajkot and Sarjekot Fort. A small temple dedicated to the Chhatrapati also finds a place within the bounds of the fort.

The strength of Sindhudurg Fort lies in its unshakable engineering, which utilised indigenous materials to the best of their properties. The main material used to build the fort was sand that was brought from Gujarat, while the foundation of the fort was laid down in hundreds of kilograms of lead. The complex of the fort is spread over a massive area of 48 acres and has a 3-kilometre long boulevard.

The walls of the Sindhudurg Fort stand 30 feet high and 12 feet thick, making it practically impossible scale. The main entrance is impossible to detect from the outside, which was further a deterrent to any invaders. One of the most peculiar yet intriguing details of Sindhhudurg Fort is its zig-zag walls, which house a number of pillars and bastions. As many as 23 Hindu and Muslim families still inhabit the bounds of the fort and a unique painting of Chhatrapati Shivaji without his iconic moustache is safely kept here as well.

Since the fort is situated on an island, the only way to reach it is by the means of ferries which are quite easily available from the Malvan coast. The ferry takes about INR 50 for a round trip and 15 minuted to reach this attraction.



Route & distance from Navi Mumbai (Panvel) and Pune (Katraj bus depot):
Panvel - Pune - Khed - Satara - Kasegaon - Peth - Kolhapur - Asgaon - Shenavade - Gaganbawda - Vaibhabwadi - Talere - Shirgaon - Salshi - Sindhudurg = 460 kms (approx).

Pune (Katraj Bus Depot) - Sindhudurg = 340 kms.

Something paranormal spotted in Kuldhara, a haunted and deserted village in Rajasthan, India

Indian Roadie follower Neeraj Pandey from Gurgaon, loves driving around India, a huge and fascinating country in his small Maruti car.
During his solo road trip to Rajasthan in August 2016, he clicked a photo at Kuldhara, infamously known as a deserted and haunted village.
He claims that there was no one around for miles when the photo was clicked. However, when he looked at the photo later, he spotted the paranormal, wherein he saw a group of people in a huddle!

(Photo & content credit: Neeraj Pandey)

Subho Nobo Borsho 1425 (Happy Bengali New Year)

This is Deep Banerjee (Founder - #IndianRoadie, #GlobalRoadie, #ShetravelsIndia, #BackpackingIndiaOnRoad, #Marketingpundit, #MarketingGyanology, #CarrotNStick, #KeepStrongStayHappy, #EducationAndCareerPundit, #RottenEnglish, #LaughAloud, #HowIndiaTravels, #HowWorldTravels) wishing Subho Nobo Borsho 1425 (Happy Bengali New Year) to all my friends, relatives, well wishers and their dear ones.
Keep strong. Stay happy.

A drive to Cadillac Ranch, Texas by Sojourner Tam, a lover of road trips

Off in the distance sits one of America's iconic roadside attractions ... Cadillac Ranch.

When I was a kid someone told me that old story about a Texas millionaire so rich and eccentric that when he tired of one Cadillac he'd "retire" it in one of his cow pastures and buy a new one. That "someone" was probably my father - it's the type of story he would have loved. Anything was possible in those wide open Texas plains. I must have inherited his romanticism because I prefer the old yarn to the real story.

When you drive across the country it's a bit of a roller-coaster, anything from weather to landscape to mood can change quickly. These photos are from a drive in October 2017.
When I left Southern California the temperature was 40 degrees Celsius - a full blown scorcher of a heat wave. A couple of days later I was freezing, just west of Amarillo, Texas. The temperature wasn't much and it came with a side order of icy wind - I didn't linger here long!

Although it's not true that an eccentric Texan millionaire retired his old Cadillacs by planting them nose first in one of his fields, there was a wealthy Texan - Stanley Marsh 3 - who backed this unconventional project. In 1974 the art collective Ant Farm, with Marsh's funding, installed ten vintage Cadillacs nose down, tail fins up - in a field near Amarillo, Texas. The cars' model years ranged from 1949 to 1963.

Almost from the start the "art public" made it their own. Cadillac Ranch quickly became a popular - one could say interactive - roadside attraction. Souvenir hunters and scavengers made off with the tail fins and other parts of the cars, and then came the spray cans of paint. At first I was dismayed when I saw the old Caddys covered with graffiti, because I love old cars and had seen early photos of the exhibit where each car still retained its original color and distinct shape. But I've since had a change of heart. Both Marsh and the Ant Farm seemed to welcome and embrace the deconstruction and evolution of Cadillac Ranch. The cars were periodically repainted along different themes (my favorite is the pink era) and eventually the whole shebang was even relocated to a new site adjacent to Interstate 40 as Amarillo city limits expanded.

Vive la change ... maybe next time I'll even bring along some paint.

Photo & content credit: Sojourner Tam (Lover of road trips, open roads, aspirational trucker).

#CadillacRanch

Homes across Kerala, India

Homes across Kerala, India have a very different look and feel than the rest of India.
This home seen in the attached photo was clicked from a moving bus by @foxonfeet (on IG) while traveling from Kochi to Munnar.

JOIN the Facebook 'groups' #IndianRoadie, #BackpackingIndiaOnRoad, #ShetravelsIndia, #GlobalRoadie for all your queries about India and please invite your friends to join, too.

India is a representation of everything beautiful that one can crave to see around the world.
Traveling by road is the best, safest & most economical option for wanderlust expatriates and Indians to get the true essence of India.

Who are the expatriates visiting India and willing to be my car travel buddy?

As a corporate marketing strategist and visiting faculty at b-schools pan-India, I gather out of the box marketing inspirations while driving around this huge and fascinating country with expatriate travel buddies in my own VW car.
Let's drive entire India or a part of it (and even Bhutan, Nepal) together in my own car absolutely hassle free and as travel buddies in total safety, comfort, flexibility and affordable cost.

However, this friendly offer/ invitation to expatriates worldwide should not be misconstrued as a business proposition.
Interested? I am all ears. Please revert to roadieglobal@gmail.com or WhatsApp +91 82408 49300.

Alyssa DeMarco practicing open leg rocker in Australia

Alyssa DeMarco practicing open leg rocker on a holiday at Chapel Street, Australia.
It's genuinely not easy. It's far more difficult than what one can visualize.

Fuel for motorized fishing boats being ferried in bullock carts in Rameshwaram in Tamilnadu, India

Bullock carts with plastic jerry cans filling up fuel from an Indianoil filling station at Rameshwaram in Tamilnadu, India for onward transportation to far flung remote fishing villages to fuel motorized fishing boats in mid 2017.

Photo: Navtej Singh (@nattysingh on IG)

It's not a simple fill it, shut it, forget it for a large chunk of the Indian populace whose life would come to a grinding halt without regular supplies of petrol, diesel or kerosene.
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#IndianRoadie #GlobalRoadie #ShetravelsIndia #BackpackingIndiaOnRoad #HowIndiaTravels

Gateway to Lake Michigan

This is what remains of the gate to Lake Michigan as in early 2018.
Photo: JonKArtography.

Drive to National Library of Belarus

Note the beautiful architecture of National Library of Belarus.
Photo: @reflectionsenroute on IG.
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Travelling becomes more rewarding if only you cherish roadtrips.

Drive to Varkala Beach, Kerala

Kallambalam is a town on NH66 from where one has to exit the National Highway and drive a little more than 12 kms to reach Varkala Beach.
Varkala Beach to Padmanabha Swamy Temple Trivandrum = 52 kms.
Varkala Beach to Alappuzha Beach = 119 kms.

Varkala Beach (in photos) and route to Trivandrum, Alappuzha

Varkala Beach in Kerala is famous for Vipasyana (meditation) and North cliff side is best for that.




Kallambalam is a town on NH66 from where one has to exit the National Highway and drive a little more than 12 kms to reach Varkala Beach.
Varkala Beach to Padmanabha Swamy Temple Trivandrun = 52 kms.
Varkala Beach to Alappuzha Beach = 119 kms.