Travel Ideas

OK, we put this in as a joke as, unless you’re a Muslim then you’re not allowed to go anywhere near Mecca or Medina, the focal points of the Hajj.

Within the Muslim world, anyone who makes the pilgrimage to Mecca (and it’s supposed to be an obligation for able-boded Muslim men) is regarded with great respect thereafter and will often dye his beard a little red to make it known that he’s a hajji.

There is hope for infidels though, desperate to make their way to the holiest place in Saudi Arabia, in the shape of Richard Burton who made the pilgrimage disguised as a doctor from Afghanistan. Sadly, unless you possess the genius linguistic and anthropological talents of the 19th century traveler, you’re liable to be lynched for making fun of the Islamic faith.

Tom has been traveling non-stop since the age of 18 and co-founded Road Junky in 2004. He’s the author of Hand to Mouth to India, an account of hitchhiking from England to India with no money and available via Amazon.

He also writes fiction for anyone who never really grew up and his latest novel is Bozo and the Storyteller – download the audio book for free or even buy a copy…

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