Catch 10:00 Autocars Novatel bus at Gare Matabiau to Andorra la Vella.

Accommodation:  ArtHotel   Address: Prat de la Creu, 15-25, Andorra la Vella Phone: +376 76 03 03  Email: arthotel@andorra.ad

Flight Mallorca (Majorca) to Barcelona with Vueling Airlines flt#VY3925 depart 14:10  arrive 15:00

Accommodation:  Hostal Orleans  Address: Avda. Marques de Argentera, 13 1 08003, Barcelona, Spain  Phone: 034 933 197 382  Fax 0334 933 192 219   Email: contact@hostalorleans.com

Leave early (06:45) to train station to catch shuttle bus to airport's Terminal 3.  Flight from Marseille to Ajaccio, Corsica with AirCorsica flt XK0151A depart 09:15  arrive 10:05

Accommodation:

SNCM ferry "Scandola" departs 07:30 for Porto Torres.  Arrives 11:30.  FdS bus or train to Sassari for train to Cagliari. 

Accommodation for 3 nights:

Train to Mahdia (or Sousse and bus to Mahdia from there)

Accommodation:  Hotel El Medina,  Address: Viell e ville, Rue el Kaem, Mahdia, Tunisia 5100   NOTE: following information is either hotel or Lonely Planet's recommended partner for booking, HostelWorld.com found online -- Phone/Fax:  +216 2 2467922   email: best_celio@yahoo.fr  (may not speak English but may speak Lebanese or French)   Small hotel in the medina (old town).

Travel to Sidi Bou Said via TGM train from Tunis Marine and spend the day wandering.  Possibly check out Dar Ennejma Ezzahra.  Have dinner in SBS or go to end of TGM line to La Marsa and have dinner at Le Golfe.  Return to Tunis in EARLY evening, collect our bags and taxi or bus to airport red-eye flight to Cairo, Egypt.

TunisAir flt TU813 arrives in Cairo at 02:25.  Stay in airport upon arrival until buses start running in morning.   Earliest check-in at hotel is noon.   Rest, do laundry and get lost in the streets of Cairo.

Accommodation:  Cosmopolitan Hotel ; Address:  1, Ibn Tahlab Street, Off Kaser El Nile Street, Cairo   Tel: +20 2 3923956 

Expected arrival for Aswan in early morning, but as ever, should be prepared for "Egypt time"! Aswan has a distinctively African feel to it. Small enough to walk around and graced with the most beautiful setting on the Nile, the pace of life is slow and relaxing.  A morning walk in the souk (old town with it's market place).
Afternoon: board a local boat known as a felucca, to explore this area of the Nile from the water. Cross to the West Bank and mount camels for a short hour-long ride to view the ruined sixth century monastery of St. Simeon.  Back on felucca, sail past the Agha Khan Mausoleum and make a stop at the botanical gardens on Kitchener Island. Later visit a Nubian village where we'll take a walk around the community before experiencing  a traditional dinner at a local home.

Accommodations in Aswan

The felucca journey concludes a the town of Kom Ombo.  Travel by private bus to Luxor (approx 2.5 hours). Arrive Luxor in afternoon, check-in to hotel and spend afternoon exploring Luxor and and perhaps the bazaar.

Accommodations in Luxor.

Lazy morning.  Ferry across Gulf of Aqaba to Jordan.  May take some time to get through the border points. 
We have been warned there is only one daily ferry from Nuweiba to Aqaba. This ferry has no set schedule and is extremely erratic, as it waits in Jordan until it is full and then makes the crossing to Egypt and then returns to Jordan. It is not uncommon for the ferry to be delayed sometimes up to 3-4 hours.  The ferry crossing is 1.5 hours.

Accommodations in Aqaba. 

Morning exploration of Aqaba.
Noon start for 1 hour 4x4 desert drive to Wadi Rum; home to the nomadic Bedouin people to learn more of this ancient culture.  A  traditional Bedouin meal and perhaps an evening around a fire listening to stories told by our Bedouin hosts.

Accommodations:  one long goat-hair tent divided by blankets into twin-share “rooms” for privacy.  

Drive panoramic King's Highway, stopping at Shobak Castle, one of Jordan's most significant and impressive historical sites and Kerak Castle, the largest Islamic castle in Jordan.

Mount Nebo is the highest peak in the Moabit range and a centre for pilgrimages since the earliest Christian times, as the possible location of Moses' death. The town of Madaba is home to some of the finest Byzantine mosaics in the world including the famous sixth century mosaic map of Palestine.
Estimated travel time: Petra to Madaba, 10hrs (including stops)

Accommodations in Madaba.

Mid-morning departure for Dead Sea.  The Dead Sea is actually a lake, without any form of life whatsoever. The water is so dense that it is practically impossible to sink, being five to ten times more salty than regular sea water. We spend the morning at one of the resorts, which provides access to the beach with plenty of time for floating. The Sea's mud is reputed to have special healing powers ... it also penetrates cuts and has an unusual smell but there will be showers to wash it off.
After lunch travel to Amman, Jordan's modern capital.

Accommodations in Amman.

Spend day touring the Old City and spend some time at Bakdash people watching. 

Khaddam train station for train to Aleppo (est 4.5 hours).  Promenade in the early evening around the Citadel ("it's what everyone does").

Accommodation:

Spend day in Old City and perhaps experience a hamman (steam bath & scrub).

Early in the day spend time at the Citadel or in the Christian Quarter.  Mid afternoon taxi to train station for 16:10(?) train to Deir ez-Zur.

Accommodation: 

If we didn't make sunset we might try for sunrise.   Spend most of day exploring ruins.  Journey to Zenobia's castle just before sunset.

Al-Kadmous bus to Hama in morning.  Spend balance of day touring the norias (waterwheels up to 20m in diameter) and Old Town.

Accommodation:

International bus (Al-Samariyeh Garage) to Beirut (4.5 hours) crossing at the Masnaa border crossing.  Arrive at Charles Helou bus station.  In evening promenade the Corniche.

Accommodation for 2 nights:  Booked into a Bed & Breakfast in the neighbourhood of Ashrafieh through L'Hote Libanais   Phone: +961 3 513766 Mon-Fri 9am-6pm  Email: hotelibanais@hotmail.com   The home we are staying in is that of Mr. Azar  Address: Tabaris, 227 Selim de Bustros Street (3rd floor)  Phone: 03 846214