Sail away Sail away

I started in Tripoli where I witnessed more billboards dedicated to one man (Colonel QADHAFI) then I've ever seen anywhere. It could also have simply been advertising for Ray-ban and Police sunglasses.

Libya boasts the longest stretch of coast in the mediteranean. To highlight this fact they've also enhanced it by ensuring that all the sewerage and pollution of the city runs directly into it, entirely untreated. If you cant see or hear the ocean....you'll at least smell it!

I spent most of the time in the middle of the desert, in the mid-east of the country: It was totally flat and completely barren except for the occasional gas flare. The land was without colour, undulations or any variation whatsoever, save the rather artistic and comprehensive peppering of litter throughout the sands.

It was also Ramadan during my visit so it was an opportunity to go without sleep, food, or any form of joy. I was also fortunate to witness the end of the holy month and be part of the 'Eid' celebrations which go for three days. This included even more prayers, less sleep, plenty of food and the slaughtering of a Ram at the Production Facility. Just over 1hour elapsed between patting the alive creature to patting a belly full of lamb steak. I even got to wash it down with unleaded beer.

I was also fortunate to experience some of the Socialist Muslim culture and learn the full beauty of the term 'Inshallah'. Meaning 'God Willing', its the 2nd best expression i've ever heard. It's a comprehensive and ubiquitous phrase which negates any requirement to attempt, perform, achieve, deliver, much less persevere, with anything. Every task is prepositioned with the phrase and thus any failure is simply the will of god and therefore entirely unquestionable. The people thus have the worst work ethic i've ever seen. The only thing you can rely on, is that you cant rely on anything.

All in all, I would recommend Libya to anyone who wishes to witness a world where everything is done the way it should not.

You'll have a blast....inshallah..