It’s fair to say that not many journalists know more about what life is like in Iraq more than Paulien Bakker, who has traveled to the country 15 times during the last few years to cover the country’s recent tumultuous past, as well as to document the everyday lives of the Iraqis living there.

Her fascinating video short, “Hello Baghdad,” is a selection of narrative stories from Iraqis living in Baghdad far outside the constraints of the protected Green Zone. Paulien followed them in their lives during the last few years (2011-2014), and documented them via photography to help tell a story not often heard outside of the country.

To read the full photo essay, check out Bakker’s blog at Tumbler here.

By Matt Stabile /

Matt Stabile is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of TheExpeditioner.com. You can read his writings, watch his travel videos, purchase the book he co-edited or contact him via email at any time at TheExpeditioner.com.

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What’s going on in Egypt this week may just be the clearest sign yet that things are changing in Iraq. As what is described as a “geopolitical shift,” the NY Times reported how foreign countries were busy flying out nationals this week, and then noted how “even Iraq decided it would evacuate its citizens, sending three planes — including the prime minister’s plane — to take home those who wish to return at no charge.” A small bit of irony given that Egypt is home to thousands of Iraqis who had fled the country during their own hard times just a few years back.

So it’s inevitable, just like how even travel to Afghanistan still continues, Iraq itself is starting to notice some travelers trickle back. Heck, it even made the Top 41 Places to Go in 2011 — beating out Durham and Kosovo! Okay, maybe the whole of the country isn’t exactly Orlando, and it should be noted that most travelers see the country by way of Kurdistan — the semi-autonomous region just over the border from Turkey — but come on, how cool is this?

“So where did you go last summer? Paris? Pretty cool. Yeah, I was just in Iraq for a few weeks, you know, just to check it out.”

And to get a first-hand look at what it’s like to travel someplace where you’re sure to come back with a great travel story for at least a year or two, check out Wandering Earl’s trek through 91 heavily-guarded checkpoints and into Kurdistan to see such cities as Dohuk, Erbil and Sulamainiyah.

And what were his biggest annoyances while there? Stray artillery shells, war-torn poverty, anti-Americanism? Actually, beside the aforesaid traffic checkpoints, seems he was most annoyed by the proliferation of shawarma — seems to be pretty popular there and crowds out most other options. Eh, it could obviously be worse.

The post Come See What It’s Like To Travel In Iraq appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

You know the type you run into at the hostel. They’ve been everywhere, and they can’t wait to remind you of that fact. So the next time that happens, ask them whether they’ve been to Iraq.

When they say no, remind them so Iraq is sooo accessible these days, that anybody in London can just hop on an Iraqi Airways flight and be there the same day. That’s right, as reported by the Guardian, as of April 26th, the 20-year-old ban on flights between the two countries has been lifted.

Then knock their cup of ramen over in a sign of hostility and turn and walk away. It will feel so good.

The post Please Fasten Your Seatbelts, We Will Be Landing In Baghdad Shortly appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

It was announced this week that this September, commercial flights from Bahrain to Iraq will begin courtesy of Gulf Air, as well as flights from London to Baghdad via Iraqi Airways, eliminating the necessity of traveling by pesky military armored caravan or private diplomatic aircraft.

In all seriousness, I think this is great for the country. Not that anyone expects a flood of tourists to begin pouring into the country soon, but the small prospect of travelers and family members seeking to visit the country is a sign that Iraq is on its way to normalcy. Just think of some of today’s hottest travel destinations — Colombia, Cambodia, Vietnam — who would’ve thought these countries would be travel hotspots just a decade or two ago?

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Okay, that title may be a little tongue-in-cheek, but think about it a little bit. If you told somebody that you were planning on traveling through either Vietnam, Laos, the Baltics, Northern Ireland, Brooklyn, Nicaragua or Colombia during many points during the last few decades, you probably would’ve been looked at like you had two heads. But things change and those places that remained off-limits yet so much in the public eye for so many years become oh-so enticing for seasoned travelers.

As MatadorTrips points out, if you’re itching to head to the cradle of civilization and explore Iraq, there are a few smart ways to go and ahead and do so. First off, it’s a big country, so like many other places, you can pick and choose where you want to spend your time (southern Iraq or Kurdistan for example are probably better choices than Baghdad right now).

Second, start off in Amman, Jordan (only 500 miles from Baghdad), to get a feel for what the current state of affairs are like in Iraq before you venture in.

Finally, if you really want to see the country and spend a good amount of time there, join the Army. Warning, this may be looked at by some as a little bit of a commitment as well as a slight inconvenience for anyone hoping to have a normal life in the near-future, but the upside is that you get free food and lodging.

For the full article and more tips on travel to Iraq, click through to Matador here.

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