A group of British tourists have returned from a trip to Iraq – the first since the end of “major hostilities” from coalition forces – but they say they were lucky to survive the experience.
As reported by News From Abroad, six tourists travelled to the country with UK-based Hinterland Travel, a specialist operator that has been visiting Iraq for some 30 years. The group had visited Baghdad, Babylon and other historic sites, but despite some hair-raising moments had all returned to the UK safely.
One member reportedly told The Daily Telegraph: “I felt very uneasy when we drove through bandit country on the road from Amman, Jordan, and later in the northern city of Mosul we passed a man being beaten to death with iron bars – but we didn’t get bombed, blown up or shot at. Nor did we run out of petrol.”
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) reportedly told the Telegraph it was glad that the group had returned safely but added that Iraq “was not a place to go on holiday at the moment”. The FCO website still advises that terrorists are targeting western interests in Iraq and still warns of possible chemical or biological attacks.
Hinterland Travel is reportedly planning another “post-war Iraq” tour later this year, and a “full programme” of visits for 2004.
