Patpong Museum: Who was Coppola's real-life Colonel Kurtz?

If you've ever seen the 1979 film Apocalypse Now you'll truly remember Colonel Kurtz, the enigmatic character played by Marlon Brando. It's said that Francis Ford Coppola was inspired by Anthony Poshepny, more simply known as Tony Poe.

Tony Poe fought for the US Marines on Iwo Jima in World War II before receiving two Purple Hearts and being discharged as a sergeant. Not one for shying from a life of action and intrigue, Poe joins the CIA and becomes active in the Korean War. Here he participates in the CIA's Paramilitary Operation Branch, training refugees for sabotage missions behind enemy lines. 

Overland Corner Hotel - oldest pub on the Murray River

The Overland Corner Hotel (Roderick Eime 2021)

This classic colonial inn, reputedly the oldest surviving hotel to be built along the Murray River, has had a colourful past, hosting patrons ranging from bushrangers to ghosts.

Visiting Historic Yanga Homestead in #NewSouthWales

Yanga Homestead was constructed between 1867 1872. The homestead kitchen wing appears to have been constructed in two stages with the southern half of the building possibly built around 1862. The southern half features walls of adzed drop slabs set between vertical posts while the northern side of the kitchen wing is of drop log construction (Cypress pine logs with adzed ends). This section contains a pantry, kitchen, maid's room, storage rooms and the station office.

The main homestead wing facing east is also of drop log construction but the logs have tenoned ends and painted uprights. A tenon is a projection on the end of a piece of wood shaped for insertion into a mortice to make a joint.

Local drop log construction used either logs cleaned of bark or with bark attached. Bark has been retained on the logs used at Yanga. Cypress logs have also been used to support veranda roofs and rafters.

The interior design comes from the wool boom of the 1950s, with little evidence surviving from earlier periods.

Pressed metal ceilings and door lintels in the formal dining room appear to date from the 1920s following acquisition of the property by Sims Cooper in 1919. The northern end of the homestead was converted into an apartment for the manager and his family in the 1980s.

YANGA COUNTRY

BEFORE ALL THE DAMS, WEIRS AND IRRIGATION appeared along the Murrumbidgee River, the so-called 'flooded country below Hay' was a landscape of stately River Red Gum forests and blue lakes. Travellers to this river country' have long noted how its shade, water and lush seasonal grasses sharply contrast with the surrounding dry, saltbush plains.

For thousands of years the low 'Bidgee regularly spilled its banks as it neared the Murray River, full of snow-melt and spring rains carried from distant mountain ranges. These floods created a place teeming with fish and migratory birds that was a valuable economic resource for Aboriginal people in the area. The Nari-Nari, Wadi-Wadi and Mutthi-Mutthi people fished, farmed and hunted in what was one of the most densely populated areas in the country.

Although the river country was boggy, wet and swampy, some Europeans also saw it as a valuable resource. From the 1840s squatters such as George Hobler arrived, looking for grasslands to run their sheep. Some were driven off by Aboriginal warriors. Others either forced their occupation through firearms, or like Hobler, offered Aboriginal people work on their squatting runs. Huge swathes of Aboriginal land were claimed by squatters - sometimes up to 500,000 acres. By the 1850s a series of runs had been converted to a leasehold of nearly 300,000 acres called Yanga Station. Yanga stretched from the Nap Nap swamps in the north to Yanga Lake in the south - over one hundred and fifty kilometres of 'Bidgee riverbank. Much of the land flooded annually, so the early pastoralists made sure they had some 'high ground' for their stock to shelter on. When the floods receded each year, not only were the lakes replenished, but good grazing grasslands appeared. During the 1850s Augustus Morris and his wife Eliza built a red gum slab homestead on the peninsular overlooking Yanga lake. Eliza set about establishing a garden that was to be a well-known feature of the Yanga homestead for the next 150 years.

The Morris' simple red gum building was enlarged to a grander residence during the mid-nineteenth century and the remarkable pine drop-log homestead became the centre of operations of the largest freehold title pastoral station in Australia.

HOMESTEAD GARDENS

Photographic evidence suggests that the current garden layout was developed a short time before 1920 and retained its general character throughout the twentieth century. Early photographs show a profusion of annuals planted in the garden beds and a formal garden had also been established in the courtyard formed by the two wings of the homestead. Much of this was removed when a tennis court was later constructed.

A terrace between the formal garden and the lake once contained a substantial vegetable garden which produced sufficient produce for the needs of the station and sale of surplus in Balranald. A small gardener's hut is located at the northern end of this terrace. An orchard is located to the north of the formal garden.

Where: 38773 Sturt Highway, Yanga, NSW, 2711 - in Yanga National Park
Accessibility: Easy
Price: $15 for an audio set if you'd like to take a self-guided tour.
Opening times: Yanga Homestead precinct is open 8.30am to 4.30pm daily.
What to bring: Drinking water
Bookings: Collect a self-guided tour package (key, audio and map) at the Yanga National Park office on site.

TEXT SOURCE: NSW Parks & Wildlife Service

Visiting the NSW Southern Highlands

If any part of New South Wales resembles the country after which it was named, it's the Southern Highlands. Here the grass is greener, the air cooler and the countryside more prettily delicate than in the rest of the state. Tulips bloom in the spring, trees blaze russet in autumn, and sleek cattle graze on lush emerald slopes.

Situated 128 kilometres south of Sydney, the Southern Highlands stretch across a spur of the Great Dividing Range, from Mittagong in the north to Fitzroy Falls in the south. From Sydney, the most scenic route to the Southern Highlands is the steep and winding ascent over the misty Macquarie Pass.

Places of Interest 

The first Southern Highlands township you come to is Robertson, a quaint corner of old Australia, perched high on a hilltop with panoramic views to the coast. Stop for Devonshire tea in front of a log fire at Ranelagh House, a rambling old manor house where you can absorb the character of this unique area. Close to Robertson are some of the most attractive waterfalls in New South Wales – the Fitzroy, Carrington, and Belmore Falls.

Tulip Time in Bowral is always hugely popular. (Supplied)

Nearby is the quaint hamlet of Burrawang whose main street is lined with wooden cottages. The 127-year-old general store is a treasure-trove of old jars and potions. The owner makes his deliveries in a horse and sulky. From Burrawang you get good views over Wingecarribee Dam and the Fitzroy Falls Reservoir.

The main towns of the Southern Highlands are Mittagong, Moss Vale and Bowral. Bowral became a retreat for affluent Sydney folk in the late 1880s, many of whom built grand mansions here with magnificent gardens, like Milton Park which is now a luxurious hotel. Bowral nestles under Mt Gibraltar, the highest peak in the Highlands. This is a very appealing resort, especially in October, during the Tulip Festival, when Corbett Gardens blaze with colour.

Pies like these at Robertson are sought \
after all across the Southern Highlands

The showcase of the Southern Highlands is Berrima. The whole township has been listed by the National Trust and its main street, with colonial buildings clustered around a village green, is like a picturebook illustration of early Australia. Despite a profusion of craft shops and tearooms, Berrima retains the flavour of bygone days. Its impressive colonnaded courthouse was designed by Mortimer Lewis. Inside, the cells and courtroom exhibit startlingly realistic scenes with life-sized mannequins, while an interesting film explains the history of the region. The Surveyor General Inn is the oldest continually licensed hotel in Australia. Other historic buildings include forbidding Maitland Gaol, Harpers Mansion, Brian McMahon's Pub, Victoria Inn, the Barn Gallery and the Old Bakery.

Bundanoon, perched on the edge of the Morton National Park, was the honeymoon capital of New South Wales in the 1920s but today it is a naturelovers' capital with bush tracks to spectacular lookouts over rainforests, gullies and gorges. Bicycles may be hired here. Every April, a colourful highland festival transforms Bundanoon into Brigadoon.

Mittagong, on the Hume Highway, is a pleasant town with fine old sandstone buildings and craft shops. Lake Alexandra is a good picnic spot edged by a parkland reserve teeming with birdlife. A scenic drive leads to the top of Mt Alexandra.

At Moss Vale, 14 kilometres from Mittagong visitors can browse in antique shops, visit the historic Throsby Park Homestead, and picnic at the Cecil Hoskins Nature Reserve on the banks of the Wingecarribee River where eighty species of bird have been recorded.

Scenic Attractions 

Don't miss the Wombeyan Caves which are situated in a scenic valley 65 kilometres from Mittagong. These cathedral-like caverns are renowned for their unusual formations. Daily tours are available, but you can explore one cave independently. A bushland reserve surrounds the caves, with tracks leading to a creek and waterfall.

One of the most beautiful drives in this region leads from the spectacular Fitzroy Falls, down Barrengarry Mountain, to Kangaroo Valley. The medieval-style, castellated Hampden Bridge spans the Kangaroo River which meanders through picturesque countryside and is ideal for canoeing, swimming and bushwalking. The trails start from the Pioneer Farm, a delightful recreation of life on an early dairy farm.

National Parks 

Morton National Park covers over 150 000 hectares of spectacular scenery and extends for 130 kilometres from Belmore Falls in the north to Yadboro Creek in the south. Striking features of this Park are deep rugged gorges and sandstone cliffs over 250 million years old which tower over deep gullies eroded by the Shoalhaven, Kangaroo, Endrick and Clyde rivers.

The Visitor Centre at Fitzroy Falls has maps and useful information to help you identify the main features along the tracks. Check with them before starting off, as the condition of tracks can change. A picnic area with fireplaces is provided nearby.

The Fitzroy Falls Lookout is very close to the Visitor Information Centre. The falls are a stunning sight, plunging 82 metres over a sandstone cliff into the rainforested slopes of the Yarrunga Valley below.

Two magnificent walks, one on each side of the escarpment, provide stunning views from a series of lookouts along the way. Each track is about 3 kilometres long, and takes one to two hours easy walking. After one kilometre on the west rim walk, you come to the Twin Falls, an unusual double cascade. The East Rim walk which leads to Lamond Lookout is a wildflower track.

Less famous than the Fitzroy Falls, Belmore Falls provide an incomparable picnic spot. These attractive falls drop into two rocky pools and divide into two waterfalls. A short walk through eucalypt forest leads to several lookouts. There's a fantastic view of Kangaroo Valley and the steep sandstone escarpment above the rainforest from Hindmarsh Lookout. Among the many birds here are Lewin honeyeaters, grey shrike thrush, superb fairy wren and rufous fantails. For the best view of the upper and lower falls, follow the loop track to Belmore Falls Lookout.

The Bundanoon section of Morton National Park has sixteen walks which vary from short strolls to long, steep hikes. You can reach the main lookouts by car, or cycle around the Park's circular track. One of the easiest walks leads from William Street to Glow Worm Glen. As glow worms are only visible after dark, you'll need a torch to see the track. You can follow tracks to Grand Canyon, Dimmocks Creek, Fern Tree Gully and Fairy Bower Falls. A steep descent leads from Track Junction to Bundanoon Creek. For something different, walk from Gambells Rest to Erith Coal Mine, which was opened in 1860.

Animals that inhabit the Park include the grey kangaroo, swamp wallabies, red-necked wallabies, spiny anteaters, bandicoots and platypuses. You may see wombat burrows near the walking tracks. Two threatened bird species – the eastern bristle bird and the swamp parrot - various types of parrot and large birds of prey such as the wedge-tailed eagle and whistling eagle. Other birds include scrub wrens, shrike tit and the noisy gang-gang cockatoos. The satin bower bird and grey thrush are sometimes seen near Fitzroy Falls.

Budderoo National Park, currently being developed, features Carrington Falls. The Park can be reached by turning off the Jamberoo Road, Nature Reserve with its bird observatory, walking trails and picnic facilities. Carrington Falls drops 50 metres into Kangaroo Valley, and can be viewed from several lookouts. There are walking tracks, picnic and barbecue facilities, and a specially constructed track for disabled people. A 600-metre loop walk leads into a rainforest gully.

The outstanding feature of this Park is its pocket of Minnamurra Rainforest, near Jamberoo. A 2-kilometre loop walk, with access for the disabled, has been designed to show visitors the rainforest vegetation.

Macquarie Pass National Park is located along the Illawarra escarpment near Robertson. It consists of steep, densely timbered ridges and rainforest gullies towered over by cliffs. You can walk into the forest along Clover Hill Road, the Cascades Walking Track and Glenview Road. There are picnic and camping areas available.

- Original text from Gregory's Touring Australia

MORE: History on the Hume series

Around the World with Captain James Cook

Lonely Planet: Curiosities and Splendour

The latest travel literature anthology from Lonely Planet,
Curiosities and Splendour is a collection of classic writing from
29 great authors and adventurers from the past
 – including Captain James Cook.

The Three Voyages of Captain James Cook around the World

By James Cook

From Chapter IV

The next morning, at low water, I went and sounded and buoyed the bar, the ship being now ready for sea. We saw no Indians this day, but all the hills round us for many miles were on fire, which at night made a most striking and beautiful appearance.

The 21st [June 1770] passed without our getting sight of any of the inhabitants, and indeed without a single incident worth notice. On the 22d we killed a turtle for the day’s provision, upon opening which we found a wooden harpoon or turtle-peg about as thick as a man’s finger, near fifteen inches long, and bearded at the end, such as we had seen among the natives, sticking through both shoulders: it appeared to have been struck a considerable time, for the wound had perfectly healed up over the weapon.

Alaska Cruises with Princess

Alaska could have been designed as the perfect cruising venue. Its serrated coastline is characterised by sounds, bays, inlets and coves, and many of its cities can only be reached by sea or air.

Island Princess at the Hubbard Glacier (Supplied)

With more Australians taking a cruise each year, it's no surprise many are heading to Alaska. Indeed, the cruise industry experienced a 14 per cent growth last year - or well over 20,000 passengers - and our enthusiasm is outstripping both the US (4.6 per cent growth) and the UK (11 per cent). While our local Pacific region remains the most popular, followed by Asia, Alaska is ranked equal third with Europe in popularity.

Zipline Tours in Thailand

ZIPLINING IN THAILAND

Bob Anthony chases his boyhood dream

AS a youngster, I use to marvel at Tarzan's ability to swing through the trees on conveniently placed vines and envied him thinking how much fun that would be.

Now a few years older, I found you can experience the same exhilaration in the jungle forests of Thailand.

Zip lining adventure parks are the 'next big thing' in eco-based tourist experiences and they cater for all ages and physical abilities.

The adventure parks are a great way of appreciating the countryside while providing the thrill of flying through the tree canopy suspended from a large wire cable.

For someone like myself who has a fear of natural heights, it was also a way to overcome that, being focused on the instructions provided by the guides.

On the island of Phuket, there are several different zip line parks, located around the island and each offering various levels of physical intensity.

Holidays tend to be a time when you push yourself or try something different and having been on numerous boat tours, ATV rides, go karts and other day trips, a day hanging from wires and flying through the trees sounded appealing.

There are numerous parks offering different packages involving courses offering a number of 'platforms' – from 18 up to 32 with some park offering as many as 40.

Prior to embarking on the course, you are weighed (very important); the guides fit you up with a suitable size and strength harness and a helmet.

It's off the course in the back of a troop carrier jeep and once at the starting platform, our guide gave a through but very entertaining run down of dos and don'ts while on the course.

Safety is the key to these parks and while our guide 'Tony' joked about losing people "yesterday", he and his assistant keep a constant eye upon our group of eight.

We three Aussies, my wife Paula and our friend Alan were the oldest in the group but also the most eager.

The starting platform isn't that high off the ground and the spiral staircase around the tree wasn't too physically challenging.

The first zip is only short to get us ready for what is to come but it also had us hungry for more.

You must place your trust in the guides who do all the unhitching from the safety cables leading to each platform and connecting to the zip line and once across reversing the process , hooking you back to a safety cable while waiting for the other member of the group to cross.

Not all platforms involve zip lines - there are suspension bridges, net bridges, spiral stairs, sky bridges, a flying skateboard for two, a superman prone zip line (if you want to really fly) and abseiling sites.

You also can place your faith in the guides and their photographic abilities by giving them your phones to capture you in action – highly recommended rather than paying for onsite photographers.

Looking back on the video on your phone and hearing the yells from the guides as you fly across gullies and between gaps in the trees provides great memories.

The courses are designed to take advantage of the natural; landscapes with some of longest zip lines in Phuket stretching across 500m valleys.

One thing is certain - at the completion of the course, your blood is pumping, it is very addictive and you feel like going again.

Most parks offer free hotel pick-up and packages can also include lunch with most offering water, tea or coffee.

Don't be fooled into thinking it is an activity for young people - we are all over 50 and in reasonable shape and couldn't wait for the next platform on the course.

You don't have to wait to go to Thailand to experience this form of excitement, there are plenty in Australia but if you do find yourself in Phuket and looking for an adventure, just head for the trees, you never know who you might see zipping about!

For more information, www.phuketatvtour.net or contact your local travel agents.

Words: Bob Anthony. Images: With thanks to Tony 'The Guide'

Feature supplied by: www.wtfmedia.com.au

Captions:

Zip line 1 – Flying through the trees with the greatest of ease at a Thai adventure park. (pic is of Bob Anthony)

Zip line 3 – Get a different view of the world from a zip line.

Zip line 2 – Adventure parks have offer challenges like sky bridges to negotiate on the way between the various zip line platforms.

Zip line 4 – Aerial skateboards will test your balance.

Zip line 5 – There's no time to be afraid of heights when on a zip line high above the jungle.

Zip line 6 – Various platforms nestled in the trees are the arrival and departure points for zip lines in the adventure parks and allow you to get a great view of the countryside.

Tiger spotting in India

RANTHAMBORE NATIONAL PARK

(Now open in August and September)

For many decades the hunting preserve of the Princes of Jaipur and offers a fascinating combination of crumbling monuments, living temples, wild beauty, and your best chance to spot a wild tiger. Set within a high, jagged escarpment, Ranthambhore Fort has towered over the park's forests for nearly a thousand years and has witnessed many a bloody combat -- even the Mughal emperor Akbar fought a battle for supremacy here in the 16th century. Inside the fort, lie a number of ruined palaces, step wells, and a celebrated Ganesha temple visited every year in September by two million pilgrims. But it is the forests, that lie shimmering in the gorges below, scattered with more ancient crumbling monuments that attract the foreign pilgrims, who come during the winter months to catch a glimpse of the mighty Bengal tiger. The Park generally remains closed from July to September however the Rajasthan Forest Department has just issued a decree to reopen Zone 6 to 10 in the months of August and September as well.

Ranthambore is accessible from Jaipur via a 4 hour drive and a 5.5 hour train ride from Delhi. There is a range of accommodation from the very luxurious Aman Resorts, The Oberoi Vanyavilas to the environmentally sensitive Khem Villas.

Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort - showering with elephants

Showering with #Thailand’s gentle jungle giants

Elephant shower at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort (supplied)

by Ian McIntosh

The small, brightly painted traditional Thai long tail boat was racing along the mighty Mekong River so quickly the ripples sounded like we were smacking rocks. We flashed past the huge Buddha marking the Golden Triangle – ahead was Burma, to my left Thailand and to the right Laos. And here is our resort, my lovely guide Tuk yelled in my ear. She was pointing to a hill of thick bright green jungle and a rather decrepit looking landing. Resort? Not that I could see.

Hervey Bay: The Whale Watching Capital of the World

Few people could deny watching whales in their natural habitat, anywhere in the world, is a special and emotional experience. Getting up close and personal with some of the world's largest animals is certainly awe-inspiring.

Switzerland’s Matterhorn Celebrates 150 Years

Switzerland Tourism has announced that travellers to Zermatt in July this year will be in for a treat as celebrations for the Matterhorn's 150 years since the first ascent on 14 July 1865 will be in full swing with a multitude of activities taking place throughout July and August.

Director or Switzerland Tourism, Mark Wettstein, says Zermatt has lined up a series of highly enjoyable events to celebrate the occasion, including an the open-air theatre, possibly meeting Queen Elizabeth, village tours, hikes and the Zermatt Folklore Festival where they can get in and amongst the 1,200 participants from around the country dressed in folklore costumes.

To kick off the celebration, Zermatt's first open-air theatre at 2,600m above sea level on the Gornergrat will see 40 performers artistically deliver the "The Matterhorn Story". Documenting the dramatic and triumphant, yet tragic first ascent of the pyramidal summit, the theatre performance guarantees to take audiences on a gripping emotional roller coaster. It premiers on 9 July and concludes on 29 August.

During the jubilee week of 10-18 July, other events that will keep visitors occupied and entertained include the illuminating of the Matterhorn, a range of alpine excursions and the celebration of Italy Day where alpinists from Italy, France, the UK and Switzerland join famous alpinists such as Hervé Barmasse in Valtournenche in Italy to commemorate the Matterhorn.

To top it off, the much-anticipated celebration may even be graced with the presence of her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth of England, along with other international guests of honor during the Gala event.

According to Mark, more than 13,000 Australians visit Zermatt each year; and while most visits peak during winter for skiing and snowboarding, more and more Aussies are enjoying the region during the warmer months as well.

Bangkok's World Puppet Carnival

Strings, Masks and Marionettes

The puppets are packed away, costumes are back in storage and the stages dismantled. But the smiles on the faces of the local people are still seen across the city and the recent Harmony World Puppet Carnival, held for the first time in Bangkok, is the only topic of conversation.

The success of the festival is a reminder that people from all over the world are stirred by the same fundamental passions. You'd think that the modern world, where we carry films, comedy and culture around on our phones would render puppets on strings, dancing dolls and age-old tales as passé. But every show at the Carnival was packed – heroes were cheered, villains booed and young and old alike were awed by the puppets and ingenuity of the puppeteers.

The Harmony World Puppet Carnival (held 1-10 November, 2014), was the largest international gathering of puppets (and their owners) ever brought together with more than 150 puppet troupes from over 70 countries represented. Shows were held all over Bangkok and puppet lovers agreed that Thailand was the perfect venue.

Thailand has a rich tradition of puppetry, from courtly dramas played out by exquisitely made marionettes, to shadow puppet shows, with characters cut from cowhide and taken from village to village. For centuries, Thailand's best known epics and folk tales; such as, the Ramakien were passed down through the medium of puppet shows. So the Carnival was a timely reminder that these traditions and skills need to be preserved.

The interest of the public was piqued from the start, thanks to a colourful parade from Maha Jessadabodin Pavilion to the main stages at Sanam Luang. This fun procession was made up of the performers and their mesmerising creations, ranging in size from a few inches, to huge marionettes that towered over the crowds and required several operators.

The main events took place around the landmarks of Rattanakosin Island. The National Gallery, Theatre and Museum all provided stunning backdrops for the shows and to ensure that the Carnival reached out to everyone, Siam Paragon hosted events so that office workers and shoppers could get their fix of the fun.

Sanam Luang staged the biggest shows – the beautiful backdrop of the Grand Palace, with its glittering spires and towers added to the theatre. Culture lovers and tourists waited with anticipation for each act and those who had chairs were soon outnumbered by people crowding the wings, happy to be a part of this huge event.

The kids loved it. Even a generation raised on the Internet and special effects found something magical about the moving dolls and mannequins who seemed so eerily human. The first few rows were made up of children of all nationalities, eager to volunteer or content to gaze in wonder.

And there were wonders to see. Among the shows this writer saw were a magical dancing couple who turned out to be one talented and flexible Russian artiste (when he stood up for his applause jaws dropped); a ten-foot devil from Iran that required audience participation to subdue; snakes, lizards turtles and dragons from Vietnam and even a 6-inch doll from New Zealand who was able (thanks to skilful manipulation from the puppeteer) to draw a tiny portrait of a delighted audience member.

Vietnamese troupe, the Vietnam Puppetry Theatre took advantage of the evening dusk to stage a mesmerising celebration of rural life. Black clad figures, barely discernable to the audience manipulated costumes and puppets, and we got to see scarecrows moving supernaturally across the stage while chickens, with human hands for feet danced and laid eggs.

The Harmony World Puppet Carnival educated people in exhibitions and workshops about puppet traditions from all around the world. The wonderful and distinctive Ratchadamnoen Contemporary Arts Centre, hosted an exhibition about Thailand's distinctive puppet types as well as films and videos about puppets in art and culture.

The event came to a glorious finale on 10 November when puppets and performers took their last bows. Everyone had fun and the legacy of the carnival should be felt for a long time to come. It has been a reminder that even in an ultra-modern world, we're ready to suspend disbelief for a while to enjoy exquisite craftsmanship, fine storytelling and interact with otherworldly creatures. Surely this is something worth preserving.

Is it Safe to Visit Jordan?

We Meet At The Olive Tree

By Jon Killpack


Bombarded daily by images of a violent interpretation of Islam, Islamophobia is digging deeper into many Western nations.

Fear creates a chasm of distrust that keeps us far from one another. Even before we look across to the other side, we associate the other with the images we’ve seen on the news. We assume ill intent; “They want to harm us.”

When the only thing crossing that rift are weapons, we need an alternative.

Our suggestion: Have a real experience with a Muslim. Take back the ground that fear has settled into. You may be unsure if now is the time to travel in the Middle East. As an American currently living in Jordan, I can say that while the Western media often clumps it in their discussions of a tumultuous region, Jordan remains a safe destination full of welcoming people.

This Fall, Westerners and Arabs are together taking back some of that ground. Shoulder to shoulder, they will be hand harvesting olives on a local Jordanian farm. The olive branch has long symbolized peace. When we join in the symbolic gesture of picking olives side-by-side, we bridge a gap that has kept us from trusting one another. When we commit to compassionately identifying with others and make ourselves available to have real experiences with Muslims, we take back ground that was given to fear.

After picking olives together, we share a lunch with our hosts and enter into an Arabic tradition, the “bread and salt” contract: if we have eaten together we have become friends; I will stand with you when problems arise.

If you are hungry for inspiration instead of fear, we invite you to gather around a tree and hand pick olives with local Arabs.

“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing, and rightdoing, there is a field. I will meet you there.” – Rumi

Source: Engaging Cultures

World's Busiest Airports

Just part of Atlanta's massive airport.

Rank	Airport	Location	Code (IATA/ICAO)	Total Passengers	Rank	%
1.	Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport	Atlanta, Georgia, United States	ATL/KATL	94,430,785		1.1%
2.	Beijing Capital International Airport	Chaoyang, Beijing, China	PEK/ZBAA	83,712,355		2.2%
3.	Heathrow Airport	Hillingdon, London, United Kingdom	LHR/EGLL	72,368,030		3.3%
4.	Tokyo International Airport	Ōta, Tokyo, Japan	HND/RJTT	68,906,636		3.3%
5.	O'Hare International Airport	Chicago, Illinois, United States	ORD/KORD	66,883,271		0.1%
6.	Los Angeles International Airport	Los Angeles, California, United States	LAX/KLAX	66,702,252		4.7%
7.	Dubai International Airport	Garhoud, Dubai, United Arab Emirates	DXB/OMDB	66,431,533	3	15.2%
8.	Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport	Roissy-en-France, Île-de-France, France	CDG/LFPG	62,052,917	1	0.7%
9.	Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport	Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, United States	DFW/KDFW	60,436,266	1	3.2%
10.	Soekarno-Hatta International Airport	Cengkareng, Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia	CGK/WIII	59,701,543	1	3.4%
11.	Hong Kong International Airport	Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong, China	HKG/VHHH	59,609,414	1	6.3%
12.	Frankfurt Airport	Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany	FRA/EDDF	58,036,948	1	0.9%
13.	Singapore Changi Airport	Changi, East Region, Singapore	SIN/WSSS	53,726,087	2	5.0%
14.	Amsterdam Schiphol Airport	Haarlemmermeer, North Holland, Netherlands	AMS/EHAM	52,569,250	2	3.0%
15.	Denver International Airport	Denver, Colorado, United States	DEN/KDEN	52,556,359	2	1.1%
16.	Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport	Huadu, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China	CAN/ZGGG	52,450,262	2	8.6%
17.	Suvarnabhumi Airport	Bang Phli, Samut Prakan, Thailand	BKK/VTBS	51,363,451	3	3.1%
18.	Atatürk International Airport	Istanbul, Turkey	IST/LTBA	51,172,626	2	13.6%
19.	John F. Kennedy International Airport	Queens, New York City, New York, United States	JFK/KJFK	50,413,204	2	2.3%
20.	Kuala Lumpur International Airport	Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia	KUL/WMKK	47,498,157	7	19.1%
21.	Shanghai Pudong International Airport	Pudong, Shanghai, China	PVG/ZSPD	47,189,849		5.2%
22.	San Francisco International Airport	San Mateo County, California, United States	SFO/KSFO	44,944,201		1.2%
23.	Charlotte Douglas International Airport	Charlotte, North Carolina, United States	CLT/KCLT	43,456,310	1	5.4%
24.	McCarran International Airport	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States	LAS/KLAS	41,856,787	1	0.5%
25.	Seoul Incheon International Airport	Incheon, Republic of Korea	ICN/RKSI	41,679,758	4	6.5%
26.	Miami International Airport	Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States	MIA/KMIA	40,563,071	2	2.8%
27.	Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport	Phoenix, Arizona, United States	PHX/KPHX	40,318,451	2	0.3%
28.	George Bush Intercontinental Airport	Houston, Texas, United States	IAH/KIAH	39,865,325	2	0.1%
29.	Madrid Barajas Airport	Madrid, Spain	MAD/LEMD	39,729,027	10	12.1%
30.	Munich Airport	Freising, Bavaria, Germany	MUC/EDDM	38,672,644		0.8%
31.	Sydney Airport	Sydney, New South Wales, Australia	SYD/YSSY	38,254,039		2.4%
32.	Indira Gandhi International Airport	Delhi, India	DEL/VIDP	36,712,455	5	7.3%
33.	São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport	Guarulhos, São Paulo, Brazil	GRU/SBGR	36,460,923	10	10.6%
34.	Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport	Fiumicino, Rome, Italy	FCO/LIRF	36,165,762	5	2.2%
35.	Toronto Pearson International Airport	Mississauga, Ontario, Canada	YYZ/CYYZ	36,037,962		3.2%
36.	Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport	Changning District, Shanghai, China	SHA/ZSSS	35,599,643	3	5.3%
37.	London Gatwick Airport	Crawley, West Sussex, United Kingdom	LGW/EGKK	35,448,590	1	3.6%
38.	Narita International Airport	Narita, Chiba, Japan	NRT/RJAA	35,341,341	4	7.6%
39.	Barcelona Airport	Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain	BCN/LEBL	35,210,735	5	0.2%
40.	Newark Liberty International Airport	Newark, New Jersey, United States	EWR/KEWR	35,016,236	2	3.0%
41.	Orlando International Airport	Orlando, Florida, United States	MCO/KMCO	34,973,645	8	0.8%
42.	Seattle-Tacoma International Airport	Seattle, Washington, United States	SEA/KSEA	34,824,281	2	4.8%
43.	Minneapolis/St Paul International Airport	Fort Snelling, Minnesota, United States	MSP/KMSP	33,870,693	2	2.3%
44.	Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport	Shuangliu, Chengdu, Sichuan, China	CTU/ZUUU	33,445,817	2	5.8%
45.	Ninoy Aquino International Airport	Pasay/Parañaque, Metro Manila, Philippines	MNL/RPLL	32,856,597		3.1%
46.	Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport	Detroit, Michigan, United States	DTW/KDTW	32,389,544	2	0.6%
47.	Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport	Bao'an District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China	SZX/ZGSZ	32,268,457	2	9.1%
48.	Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport	Mumbai, Maharashtra, India	BOM/VABB	31,940,026		6.3%
49.	Benito Juárez International Airport	Venustiano Carranza, Mexico City, Mexico	MEX/MMMX	31,534,638		6.9%
50.	Domodedovo International Airport	Domodedovo, Moscow Oblast, Russia	DME/UUDD	30,765,078		9.2%