Year
type
month
Africa tours
Our Africa tours are run in accordance with YPT’s branding and ethos: a competitive price, expert guides, and most importantly an adventure that will stick with you for life. Every tour is accompanied by an experienced western YPT guide and to encourage friendships and good times we cap our tour groups at a maximum of 24 people. Once we hit 25, we divide our tours into two different groups with their own vehicle, local guides and western YPT guides. Group sizes are usually around 10 - 12 people. As we like to say, “we do group tours for people who hate group tours”.
Independent Tours
If our scheduled group African tours don’t match your travel dates or interests, we can create your very own private tour. Our independent tours are suitable for all solo travellers, couples, friends, families and travel groups. During your private tour you will be accompanied by local guides (several languages are available), and you will have your own driver and air conditioned vehicle. YPT provides full visa support.
- Horn of Africa: Djibouti, Somaliland, Eritrea, Somalia
- Northern Africa: Algeria, Bir Tawil, Egypt, Libya, and Sudan
- West Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Togo, Western Sahara
- East-Central Africa: South Sudan
- Southern Africa: Angola
- African Islands: Sao Tome and Principe
related blogs
7 Unusual Yet Beautiful Things to Observe in Ukraine...
01 June 2018
Gareth Johnson
Despite all the recent disputes between Ukraine and Russia along with other political issues Ukraine has been able to overcome all of it Ukraine recently has been able to attract a lot of tourists from all over the worldAccording to the report there were over 14 million tourists visiting Ukraine in 2018 and the tourism industry is getting better every yearImage Source WikipediaThere are plenty of things that you can do in Ukraine which are quite common and filled with fun You can easily book American airlines tickets and fly to Ukraine without any issues Many guides can help you explore Ukraine but they may miss out on unusual things that you need to see in Ukraine7 Odd Things in Ukraine that You Must ObserveAfter landing on Ukraine airport you might want to rest in a hotel and do all common and usual things when you visit a new place like roaming around the city area trying local foods and so on Once you finish walking around the city you should make some time out of the schedule to observe things that Im about to list here1nbspnbsp Do not miss out ChernobylThe first unusual area that you must visit is Chernobyl It takes around 2 hours of ride from Ukraine capital to reach Chernobyl area However one cannot access this area freely because of the nuclear power accident in this placeWith that said the organized visit to this place is still possible The guides will offer all the safety precautions that you need to take to observe the contaminated areas of this place At very first look you might be scared of the scenario as it is horrific The damage scale is massive and it is quite horrifying to see the enormous damage that a human blunder can cause in this EarthThis incident has inspired great virtual reality episodes computer games along with Transformers Dark of the moon It is not going to be a pleasant experience for those who do not want to observe mass destruction so keep this in your mind before visiting this placeImage Source ABC News2 Be amazed by the view of degustation of holodetsYou will be surprised and some of you might even feel unpleasant to observe holodets which is a unique Ukranian aspics This thing includes a frozen broth in combination with pieces of meat inside of itThe cooking style of the dish not only feel bad to watch but also to read At first you need to boil pork legs and then add more chopped meats in it After that there is a waiting phase of around 67 hours before it is ready to consumeRight after you observe Ukrainian people consuming it with delight and the kind of festivals Ukrainians observe you will be amazed right at the moment The food habits of Ukranian with every festival is like out of the world as this one But there is a good chance that you might find this food tasty despite feeling unpleasant to look at this dishImage Source YouTube3 Explore abandoned observatoryBialy Slon is an abandoned observatory that you need to visit and it is also Ukraines highest mountain construction In the winter season you cannot see any of it and for that reason we also call it white elephant The only thing we can see in the winter season is snow and it looks exactly like an animationThis observatory is not in operation and it has already been over 70 years since its closure However we can see old pieces of furniture and pieces of equipment inside of it With that said it is quite a challenge to reach it as it lies in Pip Ivan Mountain and is in the height of 2028 meters and ie 6653 ftImage Source Wikidata4 Roam around Lviv a historical cityLviv is a historic city that is fun to explore UNESCO has listed Lviv one of the seven World Heritage Sites Here is an image of this cityImage Source leo expressYou can observe the stunning museum and magnificent Cathedrals in this city You will be traveling through narrow cobblestone streets and there are also plenty of small and cozy restaurants in this area where you can relax and enjoy a variety of delicious mealsThere are shops in this area where you can find lovely souvenirs that you can take with you to your friends and family The charming atmosphere unique city structure and friendly residents will make you fall in love with this cityRelax enjoy delicious meals take a walk and observe historical sites in Lviv city5 Chernivtsi for observing Hogwarts in realityDo you want to see a palace that is very similar to Hogwarts If yes Chernivtsi is the right place for you to step in It is like a dream come true for Harry Potter fans once they visit this place and observe the palaceDalmatian and Bukovinian metropolitans used to live in this castle but now people have transformed it into the University of Chernivtsi It is the top university of Ukraine at the momentIt is also the UNESCO World Heritage Objects So imagine how it would feel like to research and study in this universityThere is a sizeable calm park around it where you can walk around and enjoy the sound of the birdsImage Source Wikipedia6 Kherson Oblast for checking out oldest European nature reserves and exotic speciesAskaniaNova is another historical site in Ukraine that makes it to the UNESCO listing It is also among the largest and the oldest European natural reserves This natural reserve is perfect for nature lovers to explore and the one who established it was also a lover of nature and his name is Friedrich FalzFeinFriedrich gave up even his belongings to create this reserve He traveled different parts of the world and bought many exotic plant and animal species in this area and made the environment favorable for those plants and animalsThere are over 430 species of plants and animals in this site Some of the species that you can find here are not even found in their native placeImage Source Wikimedia Commons7 Rivine RegionRivine Region also known a the Tunnel of Love is one of the most attractive destinations of Ukraine It is only around 2 miles away from a railway stretch and we can see trees surrounding this placeIt is an excellent destination for couples as the name sounds The time when you may want to visit depend entirely on your interests For instance there is a season for green trees whitesnow covered branches bright and colorful foliage in this placeImage Source Kyiv PostOver to YouYou will maximize your memory and fun in travel if you do not miss out on significant activities that you must do in a new city Often it can be stressful to plan everything on your own that is why it is better to get a travel guide with youWith that said reading articles like this and getting information on what to do will certainly help you get the most out of your travel plansBy visiting the places that Ive mentioned in this article you will add seven exciting and unusual things from Ukraine not only in your photo album or Instagram albums but also in your mind Moreover you have plenty of things to share from your memoryWould you want to add more unusual places to this list Feel free to share your ideas and experiences with our readers by commenting below
1940 Summer Olympics The Games That Never Happened...
22 July 2021
Dominic Perry
So its that time of year Again Should have happened last year but with a certain disease going around royally screwing up everyones travel plans things got delayed And hell theyre saying the Olympics could be delayed again Nightmare But anyway I think theres a peculiar omen to this since there was another cancelled Olympics It was even to be held in Japan It too was delayed due to some truly unfortunate global events and if you know your basic history I think you might guess what delayed the 1940 Summer Olympics1936 Berlin Olympics1936 Olympics relayBefore we get into the 1940 Summer Olympics lets address what came before It was after all another Olympic games held in a fascist country though this was before that pesky world war went and made friendly international sporting events difficult What probably didnt help is that the vote was made in advance in 1931 as a matter of fact The runnerup was Spain which had declared the victory of its fascist forces not long before the vote was held So Really voting to hold it in Germany was the antifascist option How ironic Even funnier this too was a delayed Olympics The German Empire had been selected to host the 1916 Summer Olympics and a completely different world war ruled that outFor all the skincrawling evil of the Nazis they had emerged on the cusp of new technological progress that allowed them to revolutionise aspects of the games For one TV was becoming increasingly available in Germany and as such the 1936 Olympics was the first to be broadcast live Only in Germany though international broadcasts were still quite a way off The Nazis also pushed their grandiose propaganda and began the first torch relay a tradition that continues today and would have been attempted at the 1940 Summer Olympics With a massive feature film made of the event as well it proved to be a startlingly effective piece of propagandaHosting the Olympics was a sign of legitimacy While the Nazi regime was under major international pressure for its insatiable landgrabs ripping up of agreements and torture of its own citizens being able to show off its might and showmanship for a major international event was a way to boost their esteem and gain legitimacy The USSR traditionally didnt attend the games anyway and most western countries elected not to boycott giving tacit approval and recognition in the process On the whole it was a propaganda win so naturally you can see why a country suffering image problems would want to host the 1940 Summer Olympics1940 Summer OlympicsPoster for the 1940 Summer OlympicsWith the Nazis image problem in mind we should consider that during the 1930s Japan began to establish itself as an imperialist power most notably through its invasion and occupation of Manchuria It began to face international isolation and heavy protest something it wasnt quite equipped to handle alone For these reasons Japan launched a campaign to have the games held in Tokyo Miraculously they actually won this bid becoming the first nonwestern country planned to host the Olympics Very quickly though things were cast into serious doubt for the 1940 Summer OlympicsThe Japanese military was a pretty autonomous force in a lot of ways and they could not care less about international diplomacy In 1937 the second Sino Japanese war broke out causing enormous carnage and death While many western countries were willing to overlook the Nazis brutalising their own people an active imperialist power was a bit harder to swallow at a time when gaining new colonies was frowned upon but sitting on the ones you already had was fine Japans Olympic organisers scrambled to save the 1940 Summer Olympics but in 1938 it became clear that neither the international community nor the Japanese military really wanted it so it was reluctantly conceded to a different countryThat country was Finland And ah shit Finland got invaded by the Soviet Union in November 1939 Plus war had broken out in the rest of Europe just a few months prior So yeah that plan got cancelled too at which point Olympic organisers probably decided the year was haunted and just cancelled the 1940 Summer Olympics to wait until 1944 Well With one possible exception You see travelling between different countries at this time was pretty difficult But there was one big way to get physically fit men from many nations to gather in one place In POW campsThe POW OlympicsLiberation of Stalag XIIIAIt should be noted that a POW camp is often a very different thing to a concentration camp At least for some Those from the east colonies and of course those of Jewish descent would be treated much more harshly or simply deported to concentration camps instead This camp was rough but it was at least possible to survive and have a teeny bit of fun in Stalag XIIIA the particular camp this games occurred in Reportedly the prisoners included men from Belgium France the UK Norway Poland Russia and Yugoslavia The games were reportedly held in absolute secrecy for fears of reprisal and only a few artefacts survived to be moved to museums many years laterThe event became pretty well known in Poland and even spawned a 1980 drama film depiction which was submitted for the Academy Awards It wasnt accepted but hey who gives a damn what the Oscars think Its a neat historical artifact and surely represents the spirit of the Olympics quite nicely Even if the Germans were being such arseholes they couldnt be involved in the 1940 Summer Olympics So not quite as good as the WW1 Christmas truce kickabout but still pretty good This however would not prove to be the only incident of Olympics in the midst of war but well get to that soon1944 Summer OlympicsThe flag from the 1944 POW OlympicsWith the story of the 1940 Summer Olympics covered lets consider a concerning question What about the next Olympics It was after all also in some of the darkest days of WW2 Japan sure as hell wasnt getting another shot and most of Europe was a vicious battleground between the Soviets Nazis and a few assorted allies and resistance groups Despite that there had been plans to arrange something finally opting for a location a bit less fascist Well unless you were Indian I supposeThats right the 1944 Summer Olympics was to be held in the UK The bid had been won in June of 1939 so to be fair there was no cataclysmic European war yet to throw things into uncertainty That was just three months away As Britain entered the war and most European countries fell to occupation it became almost immediately obvious that this would be no different to the 1940 Summer Olympics Reluctantly it was cancelled and the only official acknowledgement was a small ceremony in the Olympics headquarters in neutral Switzerland Quite a lucky place to host your headquarters at that time it has to be saidLondon would get its time in the spotlight ahead of Japan and Finland in 1948 but there was at least one sporting event in 1944 to keep the tradition going When the Nazis occupied Poland some higher ranking officers were treated with more dignity in POW camps 500 officers were forced to build their own prison camp from 1939 to 1942 which ended up being a small town of 7000 people with some fairly decent facilities In this unique situation the Nazis were a little less Nazilike and when it was suggested in 1944 that a camp Olympics be played to pay tribute to the sport the fascists surprisingly agreedOr perhaps not so surprisingly By the summer of 1944 the war was becoming pretty obviously hopeless Many not engaged in hopeless struggle on the front were keen to set themselves up nicely for a postwar scenario and many suggest that the Nazis allowed the POW Olympics to go ahead so that itd look good if they ever went to trial The same cynical reasons for the 1940 Summer Olympics and the 1936 Olympics before that Its all about optics But anyway the camp really went all out even printing posters and commemorative stamps for the eventOn the 23rd of July the POW Olympics was held With only Polish POWs it wasnt exactly the grand expression of international sporting some may expect from the Olympics but it was still a grand effort 369 prisoners participated in 464 competitions with a few dangerous sports like archery fencing and pole vault not approved by the guards The winners got some medals made of Paper I guess the war effort demanded bronze silver and gold Despite all this seemingly lovely solidarity the oncoming Red Army saw the Nazis transform into their usual selves sending the POWs on a death march that left only an estimated 300 prisoners aliveConclusionThe 1940 Summer Olympics maybe puts things in perspective somewhat Japan seriously cant catch a break on its Olympic dreams and with the upcoming Olympics mired in controversy and set amidst a backdrop of global pandemic with many cases its entirely possible itll be cancelled again Though at least this time theyll probably not just give up and hand it over to Finland instead You may also wonder understandably what any of this has to do with YPT Well its certainly not the first time weve discussed the OlympicsNot to mention were a travel company Our whole shtick is organising unique events that gather people around the world to exotic interesting destinations Weve certainly had our share of sportrelated tours and well so Im feeling a certain sympathy for their plight Lets hope for safety Hopefully this wont turn out like the 1940 Olympics And maybe we can take it as a good omen for travel and tourism as a whole going forward Might as well right
18 Helpful Tips to Remember When Traveling with Your...
29 October 2017
Gareth Johnson
Planning a big trip with your pets We put together a list of twenty helpful tips to remember when tr...
7 Unusual Yet Beautiful T...
01 June 2018
Gareth Johnson
Despite all the recent disputes between Ukraine and Russia along with other political issues Ukraine has been able to overcome all of it Ukraine recently has been able to attract a lot of tourists from all over the worldAccording to the report there were over 14 million tourists visiting Ukraine in 2018 and the tourism industry is getting better every yearImage Source WikipediaThere are plenty of things that you can do in Ukraine which are quite common and filled with fun You can easily book American airlines tickets and fly to Ukraine without any issues Many guides can help you explore Ukraine but they may miss out on unusual things that you need to see in Ukraine7 Odd Things in Ukraine that You Must ObserveAfter landing on Ukraine airport you might want to rest in a hotel and do all common and usual things when you visit a new place like roaming around the city area trying local foods and so on Once you finish walking around the city you should make some time out of the schedule to observe things that Im about to list here1nbspnbsp Do not miss out ChernobylThe first unusual area that you must visit is Chernobyl It takes around 2 hours of ride from Ukraine capital to reach Chernobyl area However one cannot access this area freely because of the nuclear power accident in this placeWith that said the organized visit to this place is still possible The guides will offer all the safety precautions that you need to take to observe the contaminated areas of this place At very first look you might be scared of the scenario as it is horrific The damage scale is massive and it is quite horrifying to see the enormous damage that a human blunder can cause in this EarthThis incident has inspired great virtual reality episodes computer games along with Transformers Dark of the moon It is not going to be a pleasant experience for those who do not want to observe mass destruction so keep this in your mind before visiting this placeImage Source ABC News2 Be amazed by the view of degustation of holodetsYou will be surprised and some of you might even feel unpleasant to observe holodets which is a unique Ukranian aspics This thing includes a frozen broth in combination with pieces of meat inside of itThe cooking style of the dish not only feel bad to watch but also to read At first you need to boil pork legs and then add more chopped meats in it After that there is a waiting phase of around 67 hours before it is ready to consumeRight after you observe Ukrainian people consuming it with delight and the kind of festivals Ukrainians observe you will be amazed right at the moment The food habits of Ukranian with every festival is like out of the world as this one But there is a good chance that you might find this food tasty despite feeling unpleasant to look at this dishImage Source YouTube3 Explore abandoned observatoryBialy Slon is an abandoned observatory that you need to visit and it is also Ukraines highest mountain construction In the winter season you cannot see any of it and for that reason we also call it white elephant The only thing we can see in the winter season is snow and it looks exactly like an animationThis observatory is not in operation and it has already been over 70 years since its closure However we can see old pieces of furniture and pieces of equipment inside of it With that said it is quite a challenge to reach it as it lies in Pip Ivan Mountain and is in the height of 2028 meters and ie 6653 ftImage Source Wikidata4 Roam around Lviv a historical cityLviv is a historic city that is fun to explore UNESCO has listed Lviv one of the seven World Heritage Sites Here is an image of this cityImage Source leo expressYou can observe the stunning museum and magnificent Cathedrals in this city You will be traveling through narrow cobblestone streets and there are also plenty of small and cozy restaurants in this area where you can relax and enjoy a variety of delicious mealsThere are shops in this area where you can find lovely souvenirs that you can take with you to your friends and family The charming atmosphere unique city structure and friendly residents will make you fall in love with this cityRelax enjoy delicious meals take a walk and observe historical sites in Lviv city5 Chernivtsi for observing Hogwarts in realityDo you want to see a palace that is very similar to Hogwarts If yes Chernivtsi is the right place for you to step in It is like a dream come true for Harry Potter fans once they visit this place and observe the palaceDalmatian and Bukovinian metropolitans used to live in this castle but now people have transformed it into the University of Chernivtsi It is the top university of Ukraine at the momentIt is also the UNESCO World Heritage Objects So imagine how it would feel like to research and study in this universityThere is a sizeable calm park around it where you can walk around and enjoy the sound of the birdsImage Source Wikipedia6 Kherson Oblast for checking out oldest European nature reserves and exotic speciesAskaniaNova is another historical site in Ukraine that makes it to the UNESCO listing It is also among the largest and the oldest European natural reserves This natural reserve is perfect for nature lovers to explore and the one who established it was also a lover of nature and his name is Friedrich FalzFeinFriedrich gave up even his belongings to create this reserve He traveled different parts of the world and bought many exotic plant and animal species in this area and made the environment favorable for those plants and animalsThere are over 430 species of plants and animals in this site Some of the species that you can find here are not even found in their native placeImage Source Wikimedia Commons7 Rivine RegionRivine Region also known a the Tunnel of Love is one of the most attractive destinations of Ukraine It is only around 2 miles away from a railway stretch and we can see trees surrounding this placeIt is an excellent destination for couples as the name sounds The time when you may want to visit depend entirely on your interests For instance there is a season for green trees whitesnow covered branches bright and colorful foliage in this placeImage Source Kyiv PostOver to YouYou will maximize your memory and fun in travel if you do not miss out on significant activities that you must do in a new city Often it can be stressful to plan everything on your own that is why it is better to get a travel guide with youWith that said reading articles like this and getting information on what to do will certainly help you get the most out of your travel plansBy visiting the places that Ive mentioned in this article you will add seven exciting and unusual things from Ukraine not only in your photo album or Instagram albums but also in your mind Moreover you have plenty of things to share from your memoryWould you want to add more unusual places to this list Feel free to share your ideas and experiences with our readers by commenting below
Read More
1940 Summer Olympics The ...
22 July 2021
Dominic Perry
So its that time of year Again Should have happened last year but with a certain disease going around royally screwing up everyones travel plans things got delayed And hell theyre saying the Olympics could be delayed again Nightmare But anyway I think theres a peculiar omen to this since there was another cancelled Olympics It was even to be held in Japan It too was delayed due to some truly unfortunate global events and if you know your basic history I think you might guess what delayed the 1940 Summer Olympics1936 Berlin Olympics1936 Olympics relayBefore we get into the 1940 Summer Olympics lets address what came before It was after all another Olympic games held in a fascist country though this was before that pesky world war went and made friendly international sporting events difficult What probably didnt help is that the vote was made in advance in 1931 as a matter of fact The runnerup was Spain which had declared the victory of its fascist forces not long before the vote was held So Really voting to hold it in Germany was the antifascist option How ironic Even funnier this too was a delayed Olympics The German Empire had been selected to host the 1916 Summer Olympics and a completely different world war ruled that outFor all the skincrawling evil of the Nazis they had emerged on the cusp of new technological progress that allowed them to revolutionise aspects of the games For one TV was becoming increasingly available in Germany and as such the 1936 Olympics was the first to be broadcast live Only in Germany though international broadcasts were still quite a way off The Nazis also pushed their grandiose propaganda and began the first torch relay a tradition that continues today and would have been attempted at the 1940 Summer Olympics With a massive feature film made of the event as well it proved to be a startlingly effective piece of propagandaHosting the Olympics was a sign of legitimacy While the Nazi regime was under major international pressure for its insatiable landgrabs ripping up of agreements and torture of its own citizens being able to show off its might and showmanship for a major international event was a way to boost their esteem and gain legitimacy The USSR traditionally didnt attend the games anyway and most western countries elected not to boycott giving tacit approval and recognition in the process On the whole it was a propaganda win so naturally you can see why a country suffering image problems would want to host the 1940 Summer Olympics1940 Summer OlympicsPoster for the 1940 Summer OlympicsWith the Nazis image problem in mind we should consider that during the 1930s Japan began to establish itself as an imperialist power most notably through its invasion and occupation of Manchuria It began to face international isolation and heavy protest something it wasnt quite equipped to handle alone For these reasons Japan launched a campaign to have the games held in Tokyo Miraculously they actually won this bid becoming the first nonwestern country planned to host the Olympics Very quickly though things were cast into serious doubt for the 1940 Summer OlympicsThe Japanese military was a pretty autonomous force in a lot of ways and they could not care less about international diplomacy In 1937 the second Sino Japanese war broke out causing enormous carnage and death While many western countries were willing to overlook the Nazis brutalising their own people an active imperialist power was a bit harder to swallow at a time when gaining new colonies was frowned upon but sitting on the ones you already had was fine Japans Olympic organisers scrambled to save the 1940 Summer Olympics but in 1938 it became clear that neither the international community nor the Japanese military really wanted it so it was reluctantly conceded to a different countryThat country was Finland And ah shit Finland got invaded by the Soviet Union in November 1939 Plus war had broken out in the rest of Europe just a few months prior So yeah that plan got cancelled too at which point Olympic organisers probably decided the year was haunted and just cancelled the 1940 Summer Olympics to wait until 1944 Well With one possible exception You see travelling between different countries at this time was pretty difficult But there was one big way to get physically fit men from many nations to gather in one place In POW campsThe POW OlympicsLiberation of Stalag XIIIAIt should be noted that a POW camp is often a very different thing to a concentration camp At least for some Those from the east colonies and of course those of Jewish descent would be treated much more harshly or simply deported to concentration camps instead This camp was rough but it was at least possible to survive and have a teeny bit of fun in Stalag XIIIA the particular camp this games occurred in Reportedly the prisoners included men from Belgium France the UK Norway Poland Russia and Yugoslavia The games were reportedly held in absolute secrecy for fears of reprisal and only a few artefacts survived to be moved to museums many years laterThe event became pretty well known in Poland and even spawned a 1980 drama film depiction which was submitted for the Academy Awards It wasnt accepted but hey who gives a damn what the Oscars think Its a neat historical artifact and surely represents the spirit of the Olympics quite nicely Even if the Germans were being such arseholes they couldnt be involved in the 1940 Summer Olympics So not quite as good as the WW1 Christmas truce kickabout but still pretty good This however would not prove to be the only incident of Olympics in the midst of war but well get to that soon1944 Summer OlympicsThe flag from the 1944 POW OlympicsWith the story of the 1940 Summer Olympics covered lets consider a concerning question What about the next Olympics It was after all also in some of the darkest days of WW2 Japan sure as hell wasnt getting another shot and most of Europe was a vicious battleground between the Soviets Nazis and a few assorted allies and resistance groups Despite that there had been plans to arrange something finally opting for a location a bit less fascist Well unless you were Indian I supposeThats right the 1944 Summer Olympics was to be held in the UK The bid had been won in June of 1939 so to be fair there was no cataclysmic European war yet to throw things into uncertainty That was just three months away As Britain entered the war and most European countries fell to occupation it became almost immediately obvious that this would be no different to the 1940 Summer Olympics Reluctantly it was cancelled and the only official acknowledgement was a small ceremony in the Olympics headquarters in neutral Switzerland Quite a lucky place to host your headquarters at that time it has to be saidLondon would get its time in the spotlight ahead of Japan and Finland in 1948 but there was at least one sporting event in 1944 to keep the tradition going When the Nazis occupied Poland some higher ranking officers were treated with more dignity in POW camps 500 officers were forced to build their own prison camp from 1939 to 1942 which ended up being a small town of 7000 people with some fairly decent facilities In this unique situation the Nazis were a little less Nazilike and when it was suggested in 1944 that a camp Olympics be played to pay tribute to the sport the fascists surprisingly agreedOr perhaps not so surprisingly By the summer of 1944 the war was becoming pretty obviously hopeless Many not engaged in hopeless struggle on the front were keen to set themselves up nicely for a postwar scenario and many suggest that the Nazis allowed the POW Olympics to go ahead so that itd look good if they ever went to trial The same cynical reasons for the 1940 Summer Olympics and the 1936 Olympics before that Its all about optics But anyway the camp really went all out even printing posters and commemorative stamps for the eventOn the 23rd of July the POW Olympics was held With only Polish POWs it wasnt exactly the grand expression of international sporting some may expect from the Olympics but it was still a grand effort 369 prisoners participated in 464 competitions with a few dangerous sports like archery fencing and pole vault not approved by the guards The winners got some medals made of Paper I guess the war effort demanded bronze silver and gold Despite all this seemingly lovely solidarity the oncoming Red Army saw the Nazis transform into their usual selves sending the POWs on a death march that left only an estimated 300 prisoners aliveConclusionThe 1940 Summer Olympics maybe puts things in perspective somewhat Japan seriously cant catch a break on its Olympic dreams and with the upcoming Olympics mired in controversy and set amidst a backdrop of global pandemic with many cases its entirely possible itll be cancelled again Though at least this time theyll probably not just give up and hand it over to Finland instead You may also wonder understandably what any of this has to do with YPT Well its certainly not the first time weve discussed the OlympicsNot to mention were a travel company Our whole shtick is organising unique events that gather people around the world to exotic interesting destinations Weve certainly had our share of sportrelated tours and well so Im feeling a certain sympathy for their plight Lets hope for safety Hopefully this wont turn out like the 1940 Olympics And maybe we can take it as a good omen for travel and tourism as a whole going forward Might as well right
Read More
18 Helpful Tips to Rememb...
29 October 2017
Gareth Johnson
Planning a big trip with your pets We put together a list of twenty helpful tips to remember when traveling with your dogsIfyoure like 85 million other families in the USyou have at least one dog in your household These furry palsnbspare yourbest friends your life companionsBecause of that you probably want to take them everywhere you go including on vacation But you might not knownbspwhat you need to ensure their safety and comfort and are worried you may not be wellprepared for an upcoming tripIfyoure traveling with your dogs soon here arenbsp18 helpful tips toremember1nbspResearch VetsIfyou already know where youre going and what stops youre going to makeresearch a few vets who are on the way Emergencies with your dogs may happenso you want to be prepared just in caseWritedown all the pertinent information and store it somewhere safe and easy toaccess2 Get a Clean Bill of HealthThisis especially important if your dogs are on the older frailer sideItsunderstandable that you want to bring your pooches on trips with you butsometimes its just not feasible Make sure they get thorough exams before youconsider bringing them with youIfthey arent in the best of conditions it may be best to leave them home with asitter instead3 Research Airline PoliciesAreyou taking a flight Then make sure to read up on their flight policiesregarding dogsEvenif youre sure of what their policies are you should also call them up Thingscan change so its good to get verbal confirmation from a staff member beforeyour trip4 Research Your HotelsIfyoure making multiple stops you need to ensure the hotels youve booked arepetfriendly You can really hit some snags in your plans if you plan to staysomewhere that doesnt allow dogs so make sure you do your research early onDontplan on winging it when it comes to accommodations Although spontaneity can befun for some trips its not worth the hassle when youre bringing yourpooches5 Bring All Their Important PapersGatherall your dogs medical records IDs and other important documentation Thebest place to keep all these papers is in a large Ziploc bag Not only are allthe important documents in one place but theyre also waterproof in case anyaccidents happen6nbspPack a SqueegeeNothis isnt for cleaning up liquid messes from your pets It actually has areally great use picking up dog hair from carpets and upholsteryAllyou have to do is run this small tool over the carpet or upholstery and itllpick up all the hair for you Plus its very compact so you wont need togive up much space to pack it7nbspGet a Convenient Pet TravelCarrierThepet accessories market is huge considering how much people like to pampertheir pets One thing you should consider before going on a trip is getting apet travel carrierThenormal ones allow you to put your dogs in a cratelike structure but there aremany more that enable you to bring your pets along easily For instance thereare carriers made like backpacks Or there are some you can roll around onwheels8nbspTry a Short Trip FirstIfyour dogs have never been in the car before then its not ideal to bring themon a long road tripYouneed to make sure theyre comfortable with being in a car especially for longdurations Take them out when you run errands to see how they tolerate itStartsmall then gradually increase the lengths of your trips so they know being ina vehicle is no big deal This will decrease the chance of them kicking up afuss when you go on your actual road trip9nbspTire out Your DogsIfyour pooches are the type to get very anxious and restless during trips youmay want to tire them out for the road tripInthe days leading up to your journey take them out for extra exercise When thebig day arrives theyll be too pooped out to make a fuss Theyll either bevery complacent andor sleepy which means youll have an easier time10nbspBring Their Favorite ItemsThecar can be a somewhat unfamiliar place especially when compared to your homeYou can help your dogs feel more comfortable by bringing their favorite itemssuch as a blanket or toyPutthese things in the car first so when you bring them in their scents alreadyin the vehicle Then once they get in they can find comfort in their favoriteitems11nbspPack Some Baking SodaBakingsoda is handy for a number of things that can happen on a road tripAspill An accident from an overly filled bladder A bee stingBakingsoda can take care of it allJustpour some over the affected area for all 3 situations For the first 2 thebaking soda will get rid of both the stains and smells For the last scenarioit can help with swelling and pain12nbspBring a Box of NecessitiesWhenpacking for a trip it can get quite hectic You dont want to accidentallymiss out on throwing in something essential for your pupsTheymay not need a suitcase but allocating a small box for your dogs is a goodidea In it place their food medications treats toys water bowls waterbottles and poop bagsThatway everything you need for your canine friends can easily be found in oneplace13nbspPlan for Motion SicknessJust like with humans dogs can get motion sickness too To assist with this let your dogs get a window view since this can help them get their bearings and feel less nauseaPacksome chicken broth too Put a tiny bit in with their water it can have atherapeutic effect on your dogs just like it does on you when youre sickYoucan also ask your vet for some antinausea pills that are safe foryour dogs14nbspGet Car SeatsYoumay be tempted to let your pups roam free in the car you want them to stretchtheir legs after allButthis can be dangerous If you slam on the brakes for any reason they can goflying and really hurt themselvesThere are some dog car seats you can secure your dogs in Not only does this ensure their safety but yours as well You wont have to deal with random dogs crawling into your lap and whining for your attention while youre focused on drivingTo learn about the safest car seats for dogs click here 15 Be Within Your Dogs Lines ofSightYourdogs will need a clear line of sight to you Without it they can feel unsafeand insecure during the trip which may cause them to act outIfyour dogs are in car seats or carriers position it so they can see you whileyou drive If no ones in the passenger seat you can put them up there and petthem occasionally for reassurance16nbspTake Lots of BreaksItmay be annoying to take more breaks than planned but itll be all worth it forthe wellbeing of your pooches This is especially true if you have them in carseats or pet carriers for the entire journeyTakebreaks often so everyone can stretch their legs Take some laps around thepark throw a ball around and relieve yourselves before making the nextstretch of your journey17 Bring Some MultivitaminsBring some bottles of thebest dog vitaminsandpremium CBD for your petto keep your pooches happy healthy and energetic These are easy to feed them just give them one a day and itll help them with joint inflammation and protect against things like cell damage and anxietyItmay be a good idea to start them on these multivitamins before you leave Notonly will it improve their health in the long term but itll also get themused to it That way you wont experience difficulty feeding your dogmultivitamins while on the trip18nbspDont Leave Your Dogs Alonein the CarYoumight want to just pop inside a diner to eat a quick lunch but dont leaveyour dogs alone in the vehicle Depending on the temperatures outside they mayquickly become uncomfortable within an hour It can even be dangerous for theirhealthMakesure you bring some leashes so you can tie them up in the shade outside ofbuildings Leave a water bowl with them so they can drink whenever they needtoMake Traveling With Your Dogs aCinchWhenit comes to traveling with your dogs it should be no problem now that you knowsome of the best tipsThemost important thing is both you and your pooches are safe happy andcomfortable Know everyones limitations and dont push them By taking it easyand utilizing our tips youll be able to go anywhere with your precious dogsFormore travel tips please take a look at our other blog articles
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23 Reasons you should vis...
27 April 2022
Gareth Johnson
While still technically at war and while definitely feeling the pinch of sanctions Syria is now at relative peace and very much open for tourism Heres why you should visit Syria in 2024Why 23 reasons to visit Syria Well its 2024 and while there are many more than 22 reasons to visit this wonderful country by doing this we get to write a 23rd reason to visit Syria next year and so onSo in no particular order here are our 23 reasons you should visit Syria in 2024The Syrian War is basically overVisit Syria Despite Islamist held Ibid the Turkish held parts and the whole craziness that is Rojavanbsp 70 percent of Syria is under government control This means that visiting Damascus visiting Aleppo and other great places like Homs and the like is now safe Of course many governments would say otherwise but this one is for you to decideOld Damascus is a great place to partyWhen ISIS were knocking at the door of Damascus the people simply continued to party It is amazing how resilient Syrians truly are Damascus has great food great drinks and wonderful people to hang out with You can read about our favourite bar in Damascus hereSyrian food is amazingVisit Syria Another reason you really should visit Syria is the rich and flavoursome foods Forget Iran and Iraq Syria wont get boring and everyday is different Of course you will eat kebabs too but they have a bunch of other ides including all meats and enough salads and the like to keep vegetarians and vegans happy To read about street food in Aleppo click herenbspSyria is literally a cradle of civilizationnbspSyria is a truly ancient country and has been involved in everything from ancient times right up until the current but at least almost over brutal civil war Churches mosques colosseums citadels you name it theyve gotnbspPalmyranbspHeres a great reason to visit Syria in 2024 Palmyra Sadly mostly destroyed by ISIS but the drive is worth it Truly an amazing place to visit but also equally heartbreaking as to how much has truly been lost in this area Traveling to AlepponbspIf youre traveling to Syria you need to travel to Aleppo Formerly one of the richest places in the region and host to the most prestigious souk in the region Now much of the city lies in ruins with as my Syrian partner putting it This is the price of democracy Again great food and a pretty cool citadel Oh and you can visit a hotel that Lawrence of Arabia stayed atnbspAleppo GuideVisit Syria for the drinksAnd no I dont just mean alcohol although that is also part of it Lots of strange teas juices local beers and arak Youve not been here unless youve had arak To read about the best drinks in Syria click hereVisit Syria for the peopleI know everyone literally says this about every country but Syrians truly are some of the most welcoming people n earth Expect to get invited into houses to make great friends and enjoy tea or arak over great conversationnbspVisit Syria for the people Visit Syria for the multiculturalismOK so this is kind of part of the general people and culture thing but it is truly great to see and enjoy a genuine multicultural country with people going about their faith without hassle Seeing all this working together and just breatheng in the culture is truly an amazing thingVisit Syria equals helping peoplenbspWhatever your thoughts on the Assad regime sanctions usually effect people rather than governments Syrians are now earning on average 45 a month Syria is not a state run economy like North Korea so what you spend goes to the real people of the countrynbspIs it safe to travel to Syria To read about if it is ethical to visit Syria click hereThey have a Kim IlSung parkOK so a very YPT geek thing to add but it makes the list regardless and we do not apologisenbspTo read about things named after Kim IlSung click here Syria has great ShawarmanbspOK so it fits in with food but this gets an extra entry just because I am English OK so burger sauce but not once did I tire of a Syrian shawarma Oh and falafel too but I feel giving that its own entry would be lazyVisit Syria and BosraBosra is a qweird place that is still kind of rebel controlled but in actuality is at pace with the government We are one of the few companies that get out to here Has the oldest coliseum outside of Rome yep that is pretty impressive BosraVisit Syria to hear the Lords Prayer in AramaicnbspnbspWhether you are religious a Christian or merely interested in history there is something really special about hearing the Lords Prayer in Aramaic the language of Jesus by people who speak it as their mother tongue in a church built out in a caveYou get to see BeirutMost tours to Syria go via Beirut which is also super super cool so add on a few more days and see the city for yourself Better still do it on our Lebanon tourA picture taken on August 5 2020 shows the damaged grain silo and a burnt boat at Beiruts harbour one day after a powerful twin explosion tore through Lebanons capital resulting from the ignition of a huge depot of ammonium nitrate at the citys main port Rescuers searched for survivors in Beirut after a cataclysmic explosion at the port sowed devastation across entire neighbourhoods killing more than 100 people wounding thousands and plunging Lebanon deeper into crisis The blast which appeared to have been caused by a fire igniting 2750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate left unsecured in a warehouse was felt as far away as Cyprus some 150 miles 240 kilometres to the northwest Photo by STR AFPVisit the best bar in DamascusBarbershop Damascus not just the best bar I have been to in Syria but in my top ten in the world I do not take best bar titles lightly let me tell you You can read about Barbershop hereSay a big screw you to terrorismISIS very nearly took over both Iraq and Syria by visiting you are not only saying no Islamic Fundamentalism but you are saying a big yes to secularism And believe me the people appreciate itIs it safe to travel to Syria Visit Syria for the soapnbspYes you read that right Aleppo soap is the oldest continuously running brand in the world at 800 years bar a few it missed due to ISIS Go to Aleppo and see it made as well as grab some souvenirsnbspVisit the Baron HotelnbspVisit Syria Kings queens princes and even Lawrence of Arabia have stayed here Agatha Christie wrote Murder on the Orient Express here and to top it all off the manager is what one might call a characterTo read about the Baron Hotel click hereVisit Syria and buy a football shirtOK so perhaps this is a bit a frivolous reason to visit Syria but reason it is none the less I collect football shirts and Syria have a nice little red number You can also watch a live game if you come with YPTVisit Syria and hear THEIR side of the storyProbably the most important reason to visit Syria or indeed any country that is in any way vilified by the west is to go and hear their story Syria frankly is no different You will meet Syrians tortured by ISIS or Al Nusra or have lost loved ones or were part of the liberation fight You will meet people that do not like Assad BUT you will meet people who see him as the saviour of the country Essentially you never know a story properly until you go and see and hear it for yourselfYou can combine it with LebanonTo get to Syria you pretty much have to go through Lebanon and that in itself is a treat Combined these two countries probably have the best food drink and people in the MiddleEast Come before the crowdsBefore the war Syria was a Mecca for tourism going right back to French colonial times In fact if this was anywhere else in the world it would be jam packed with tourists Nothing stays the same forever and Syria is no different Now is the time to Visit Syria before anyone else So if you want to visit Syria and see it for yourselfnbsp then why not join one of our Syria Tours
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Gallery
Beautiful lake in Africa. Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Burundi Bujumbura lake Tanganyika, windy cloudy sky and sand beach at sea lake in East Africa, Burundi sunset with boat from wood. Thatch african roofs on umbrellas
BRAZZAVILLE, REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO, AFRICA - CIRCA AUGUST 2010 : Scenery of street in BRAZZAVILLE.
Crossing the river with Mama Africa