Incredible trip report, as always. Thank you for bringing us to these further flung destinations!

As always, a fascinating and incredible trip report. Love the pictures and history lessons that accompany each of your reports.

Did you have police escort only while in Basra?

Thank you, Palal:). It it was 1700 pounds for the trip, including food, tips, incidentals etc. except airfare. Julian organised the trip. He visited a few years ago as part of a tour and used the same fixer/guide, Raad: Baghdad to Basra Challenge - Banger Rally, Plymouth Dakar, Banjul Challenge, Timbuktu, Morocco, Banger Challenge, Nouakchott, Banger Rallies, Murmansk Dakar Challenge 2015
Many thanks, fotographer:). Although they get plenty of pilgrims, I think annual western tourists to Iraq number only in the hundreds so was great to get a chance to visit this unique country.
Thanks, 07L 25R:). Safety seems to be relatively good at the moment so a great time to go.
​​​​​​​
Cheers, kalderlake:). A fascinating destination and great to spend a week seeing the very interesting sights.
​​​​​​​
Thanks, isabeloh:). Yes, I used Google for the translation too:D.
​​​​​​​
Thank you, chongl:). Yes, a great place to experience some interesting sights and photograph them too.
​​​​​​​
Many thanks, lds89:). I've been wanting to visit the country for a while, so was awesome to be finally to be able to do so.
​​​​​​​
Thanks, GSBtravels:). We had a policeman guiding us at the stadium in Basra, not no police escort other than that. Raad said that he had had them before, but said they were more hassle than they were worth.

Absolutely fascinating. Thanks so much for sharing.

I love the contrast between the desert and the city. Great TR and we look forward to your next adventure, Daniel!

Wow!

By the way, in 1973 it was still possible to take the train to Baghdad from Istanbul. When I was 20, my (late) first wife and I traveled to Teheran by train from Istanbul, the Trans-Asian Express leaving Istanbul was a train of two halves, half of the train going to Teheran and the other half to Baghdad. The train would 'split' past the city of Van (I think)

Very, very impressive trip report as always, both the text telling the different stories as well as the photos! I started thinking that I today only should read the first part, but was not able to stop until I had read the whole report :-)

So incredible. Thanks for sharing yet again.

Mind sharing the name of the travel forum you are a member of?

Amazing report and photos. What an incredible looking trip, and as always, great photos of everything you did and saw. I felt like I was right there with you!

Great report and photos.

Thank you, stevie, a great few days in Mesopotamia:).
Cheers, kubrick:). Next TR will be visiting 2.5 countries in Eastern Europe:).
Thanks, londonfog:). A train from Europe to the Middle East sounds so surreal, very different today unfortunately:(.
​​​​​​​
Many thanks, broenor:). Good to hear you enjoyed it all in one go:).
​​​​​​​
Thank you, rob_flies_ua:). A great few days exploring a place that I mainly heard of before on CNN and in the NY Times.
​​​​​​​
Here it is: https://www.facebook.com/groups/everypassportstamp/
​​​​​​​
Many thanks, 757:). Hopefully I've tempted you to visit sometime yourself:)!
Cheers, ​​​​​​​Annalisa12, a very interesting country with literally thousands of years of history.

Thank you so much for your amazing TR!

Fabulous trip report. I went in July to Erbil overnight, was very interesting

I am living my life vicariously through your beautiful trip reports [MENTION=673700]DanielW[/MENTION]. I think telling my wife I wanted to travel from Baghdad to Basra would be more dangerous than actually traveling from Baghdad to Basra. I had a hard enough time convincing her to do parts of Africa with me.

I can't tell if having her read your trip reports is better or worse for my chances of getting her to some of the more off the beaten path places, but it might be worth a shot!