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Avoiding travel through the United States

This article describes routes that avoid a transit of the United States. Since the documentation requirements, processing times and cost to transit in the US can be onerous it may be preferable to select itineraries that avoid the United States altogether. However, finding these flights is not always easy; the United States is a hub for many airlines and travel planning sites lack the ability to search only for flights that do not transit the US. One way for obtaining information is finding out the number of the flight you consider using, then check the airports and route of that flight using a flight tracking site like Flightradar24.

Alternative routes described in this article may require visas and procedures similar to the ones you would encounter when transiting the US. Always check transit or entry conditions of all stops. You are responsible for checking and, if necessary, getting the visas and are advised to do so well before your planned trip. Nearly all airlines will refuse to let you board their planes if you lack a required visa, and none of them will refund your fare since they consider it your mistake. Most will switch the booking to a later flight that you can take after getting a visa, but they may charge a fee for the change. Even if you have previously traveled without a required visa, this excuse will not keep you from being denied service unless your visas are in order.

Understand

One reason to avoid US airports is that, unlike many other countries, the United States does not allow sterile transit, which means that for any stop in the US, you have to pass through Customs and Immigration. This policy applies to all landings: In all cases everyone has to get off and go through immigration; many travellers will therefore need either a Visa Waiver or C1 transit visa. The policy also applies for US territories such as Guam, the US Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico, though the visa rules are different there.
 * transferring – get off one plane and onto another without leaving the airport
 * at an intermediate airport – for example, flying from Tokyo to Rio and the plane touches down in New York City
 * your plane just stops for fuel – for example, some Asia-Canada over-the-pole flights refuel in Alaska

Sometimes fuel stops are not even mentioned on itineraries for long haul flights; for example charter operators may not disclose that their aircraft lack the range to reach Canada directly from Mexico without an intermediate stop for fuel. If you wish to avoid the US, check routes carefully.

The formalities are time-consuming and tedious; at the airport, four hours or more is recommended to be safe. Also, all visitors arriving in the US, even for transit, will be photographed and fingerprinted. Anyone who is not covered by the Visa Waiver Program or the separate provision for citizens of Bermuda and Canada requires at least a C-1 transit visa. This can be expensive (US$160 minimum) and time-consuming to obtain. You can easily be denied the visa since the requirements are the same as for the full B-2 tourist visa.

If you have been denied entry to the US or overstayed a US visa, and have been advised that entry may be refused in future, transit entry is as likely to be refused as any other entry. It will almost certainly be easier to avoid risking it.

If your final destination is within North America, then a visa waiver might not be an option, even if you'd otherwise be eligible, because the visa rules classify most travel within North America as not leaving the United States. If you have a one way flight or stay for more than 90 days, you may need to get an actual visa; it may be easier or cheaper to just avoid the stop in the USA.

Airlines check for appropriate visas before boarding and will not let you board if you lack a visa that their system says you need. If you do arrive in the US without a visa and aren't eligible for a waiver, you will be sent home and recorded as having been denied entry to the US; this will make any future entry much more difficult.

Border security
The US, like most other countries, has very strict security arrangements at borders; any traveller can be detained, searched and questioned, and some have been arrested or deported. Like most security measures anywhere, these are not at all transparent; it is almost impossible to discover why officials take particular actions.

Checked baggage may be opened and searched. There are TSA-approved locks which the inspectors can easily open. If you are not using one of those and they want to search, then they will break in and accept no responsibility for damage. SSSS stands for Secondary Security Screening Selection; if this, or "*S*" is printed on your boarding card, it means that you have been selected for more screening/questioning than other travelers. There seem to be all kinds of reasons that can get you an SSSS mark from prior travel to "suspicious" countries (and of course being a citizen of such a country) to having paid cash for your tickets. After the inspection your boarding card will be stamped to indicate that you have been screened; if you show up at the gate with an SSSS boarding pass without a stamp, you may be sent back to the security checkpoint.

Critics say the US system fails to guarantee basic standards of fairness, human rights and civil rights, with racial profiling used against various groups thought likely to include either terrorists or illegal immigrants. In one case, back in 2002, a Canadian citizen en route to Canada, Maher Arar, was grabbed while changing planes and deported to Syria (his country of birth) where he says he was tortured. Even American citizens who are critics of their government's policies have been targeted for searches that are arguably unconstitutional. These incidents are quite rare, but perhaps not rare enough to be reassuring.

The stamps in your passport can also be a problem. In 2017 a former Prime Minister of Norway, travelling on a diplomatic passport, was held and questioned for an hour or so because he had visited Iran several years earlier.

Digital privacy
Another issue is privacy of digital data; the authorities of course want to prevent import of various things – child pornography, bomb-making plans, copyright-violating media, and so on. They may demand that you give them passwords for your phone or laptop, or at least open the devices to them; they may also want the keys for any encrypted data, and in some cases they may also demand your social media passwords. Arguably all these are unconstitutional violations of privacy but the government position is that they are both lawful and necessary. There are a number of court cases challenging these intrusions, but as of early 2018 no clear resolution is in sight.

The traveller has a no-win dilemma here. If you are subject to a device search, you are already suspected of wrong-doing. If you let them in, they can use any information drawn from your devices to deny your entry and ban you from the United States. Additionally, they can read or copy all sorts of personal data, for example taking your contacts list for use in surveillance. If you decline a device search, they can certainly seize the devices and send them to a digital forensics lab, detain you a while, subject you to questioning, deny you entry and/or ban you from the United States. Of course they can also do any of those even if you comply; one Canadian was denied entry because they suspected he might be a gay prostitute after he let them into his laptop and they discovered he had an account on a dating site which they considered quite dubious.

The only effective mitigation for a device search is to minimize the amount of information they carry to the greatest extent possible. Many travellers find it advisable to leave some devices at home; set up an old laptop without any important private data and take it on your trip and/or buy a "burner" phone to use while travelling. Of course the US is by no means the only place where this might be worthwhile, and probably not even the worst threat; for example these are routine precautions for people bound for China.

For more detail on your rights and on defenses, the EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital civil rights advocacy group) have a guide to Digital Privacy at the U.S. Border.

Banned travel
The US has a no fly list; if your name is on that, you cannot board a flight that will pass through US airspace, even if the flight does not land in the US (e.g. flights from Mexico to Canada). Criteria to get onto that list are infamously opaque and the only reasons ever cited are "security" and despite many arguing that there should be, there is little to no legal recourse to get off the list once on it. In the case of mistaken identity (i.e. if somebody on the list has the same name as you), you can apply to the DHS Traveler Redress Inquiry Program, and if successful, you will be assigned a redress number that you can provide your airline with so they know that you are not the person on the list. Unfortunately, there are multiple lists maintained by various entities in multiple countries and bad information tends to propagate, so even if you manage to get off one list, the wrong information is likely to persist on others.

In Canada marijuana became legal, including for recreational use, in 2018. US officials have said Canadians may be banned for life from entering the US for legally smoking it, or for working for or investing in the legal companies involved. Marijuana being legal on the state level in several states of the US - including states that border Canada - has no bearing on this as immigration (and being turned back at the border) is a federal matter and federal law continues to deem cannabis illegal.

United States airspace
Although this article covers planning a travel itinerary that avoids landing in the United States, there is an additional concern regarding passing through United States airspace during a flight between two other countries.

For example, a flight between the United Kingdom and Mexico may well enter the airspace of the United States. Nearly all flights from Canada and East Asia to Latin America pass over the US, as do many flights from Canada to East Asia. Even domestic Canadian flights may do so since the geographically-shortest paths from Montréal to Halifax or Toronto to Winnipeg cross US territory.

All flights travelling through the airspace of the United States are required to provide passenger details to US authorities, even if there is no intention to land in the US. If your name is on a no-fly or other watch list, then your airline may deny you permission to board your flight. A worst-case scenario would be your plane being forced to land in the United States with you being placed under arrest.

US citizens
There can be difficulties for US citizens as well. Citizens are required to enter the country on a U.S. passport; a dual citizen may get in significant legal trouble for trying to enter on another passport. Also, unlike virtually every other country in the world, the U.S. imposes full tax liability on its citizens and on resident aliens, regardless of where they live or where they earn their income, so you may find yourself in serious legal trouble for not filing U.S. tax returns, even if you had no income during your time abroad.

If you were born in the United States, you will be considered a U.S. citizen unless your parents were on a diplomatic posting at the time or you have formally renounced citizenship. This is true even if your parents were undocumented immigrants at the time of your birth. People who have renounced their U.S. citizenship before proper U.S. authorities (a U.S. embassy or consulate in their home country) should carry copies of the paperwork they received upon renunciation.

Former citizens may potentially be discriminated against when trying to reenter. Although in theory you should have no issue in re-entering the country as a new foreign citizen (provided you meet the relevant entry requirements), passports showing the US as your birthplace will raise suspicions and the immigration officer can reject your entry if they are not satisfied with the genuineness of your travel. Moreover, if immigration officials believe you renounced your citizenship for the purpose of avoiding taxes, you can legally be denied entry, although this is extremely rare in practice.

Via Canada
Traveling from Europe or Asia via Canada allows reaching a number of Caribbean and South American destinations (see below for details), unless travel through U.S. airspace is a problem for you. This is also useful for flying around the world without entering the United States. There are numerous services from European cities to Montreal and Toronto, plus some to other Canadian cities, and Vancouver and Toronto have non-stop or direct services to Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Sydney.

In some cases, going via Canada may not be a much better alternative. Similar to the US, Canada also does not allow sterile transit, and requires passengers transferring between international flights to undergo customs and immigration checks. Everyone who can visit Canada visa-free other than US citizens must apply for an eTA, also if they're transiting. It's quite similar to the US ESTA but with some more questions for instance concerning employment. The CAD 7 fee for the eTA can only be paid by credit or debit card.

Virtually all nationalities who need a visa to enter the United States will likewise need a visa to enter Canada. The Canadian transit visa is at least theoretically free of charge, and the odds of approval are in general somewhat better than the US one, but it's still a visa you need to apply for and wait for to be processed and for some countries (chiefly from the Middle East and Africa), applicants will have to give their biometrics and pay a separate CAD 85 fee for that. In addition, if you have a criminal record, including a drunk-driving conviction (since that is criminal under Canadian federal law), it is likely that you will have even more trouble getting into Canada than into the States.

To North and Central America
Getting from Europe to Canada in practice never requires entering the U.S. and most flights don't even enter U.S. airspace. European airports big enough to have intercontinental flights often serve at least Toronto Pearson. From the largest European hubs there are often several daily flights to Canada's major intercontinental airports in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver and sometimes direct flights to other Canadian airports too (Calgary in particular has several connections through Air Transat, and soon WestJet as well).

As a rule, Mexico City Benito Juarez Airport can be reached on nonstop flights from most of the busiest airports in Europe, both by Aeromexico and European carriers. Mexican beach destinations, Cancún in particular, are also served by nonstop flights from Europe.

Iberia flies from Madrid Barajas to several Central American airports; Guatemala City, Panama City, San José. Panama Tocumen and San José have a surprisingly good coverage from major European airports; both also have flights from Amsterdam Schiphol, Frankfurt Airport and Paris CDG. Panama is additionally served from Istanbul Airport, San José from London, Munich Airport and Zurich Airport. From there regional carriers will take you to other parts of Central or northern South America. Note that KLM and Iberia codeshare with regional airlines from other airline alliances on some of these routes and booking them on a single ticket is much cheaper than flying to SJO/PTY and booking onward travel to - say - Managua separately.

To the Caribbean
Cuba and the Dominican Republic are likely the most popular destinations in the Caribbean and there are a number of direct flights from Europe – especially to beach destinations like Varadero, Puerto Plata and Punta Cana – but also to the capitals Havana and Santo Domingo. In addition, Montego Bay in Jamaica is served from several European airports.

Most other islands in the Caribbean were — or are still — ruled by either the British, Dutch or French. Therefore, if the island's airport is big enough for transatlantic flights there are most likely direct (both charter and scheduled) services from the former/current colonial capital; depending on the island Amsterdam Schiphol, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport or Paris Orly Airport and in some cases other European airports too. From there, you can get to the smaller islands by regional flights.

If you want to go on a Caribbean cruise, it's quite hard to find a suitable one if you need to avoid a transit through the US. Largely catering to American tourists, most of them start and end in a US port, often in Florida or Puerto Rico. There are some European-based cruise companies that start their cruises elsewhere in the Caribbean but do check the cruise itinerary carefully before booking it – there are other US territories in the Caribbean too.

To South America
In general, nonstop flights between Europe and South America go nowhere near the United States – exceptions are flights to Colombia and Ecuador that might fly over U.S. territories in the Caribbean. Again, the largest European airports all have services to the largest South American airports Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires and Santiago. From these four hubs there is a good access to all of the rest of the continent. Caracas used to be served from most of the above European airports as well, but in the late 2010s the unrest in the country as well as problems in getting bills owed by Venezuelan entities paid in hard currency has prompted several airlines to suspend their services there meaning that it can be quite difficult as of 2019 to get there.

In addition, capitals of Spanish-speaking countries are in general served by direct flights at least from Madrid but occasionally also other major European airports (for instance, Lima, Quito and Guayaquil are connected to Amsterdam by KLM). Most of the largest cities in Brazil, in turn are served by direct flights from Lisbon and Paramaribo and Cayenne are reachable from Amsterdam Schiphol and Paris Orly, respectively.

To Canada
There are some non-stop services to Vancouver. Air Canada flies from Sydney to Vancouver non-stop, with an onward direct flight on the same plane to Toronto). In addition, Qantas has seasonal flights on the same route. From New Zealand Air New Zealand has non-stop flights from Auckland to Vancouver.

You can also continue to book flights to Canada via either Auckland or major Asian transit points such as Tokyo, Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong. Check in each case that the flight is non-stop or via Vancouver as a first stop.

From most of elsewhere in Oceania, the only flights to the Americas go to either Honolulu or Los Angeles, and you have to backtrack to New Zealand, Australia or Asia to get to Canada.

To Latin America and the Caribbean
Santiago is served directly from Sydney and Melbourne by Qantas, and Sydney via Auckland by LATAM. The latter also operates a service from Melbourne. Buenos Aires can be reached by Air New Zealand direct flights from Auckland. These flights are substantially shorter than trips via North America, but are less frequent and can be more expensive. Book well in advance. Onward flights to the rest of South America and up to Mexico are available from both cities.

Getting to the Caribbean or Central America from Oceania entails quite a few flights; you can either fly via Canada or via Santiago or Buenos Aires with at least one additional transfer at some airport in northern South America. Going to some places in the Caribbean that are part of the Commonwealth might be possible with only one change of planes in London but expect the journey to take closer to two days.

Finally, for going to South America there's one rather exotic and probably expensive alternative; perhaps something to be considered for a round the world adventure. Papeete in French Polynesia has flights from some other cities in Oceania as well as from Tokyo. From there, LATAM flies via Easter Island to Santiago.

To Europe
Most flights from Australia and New Zealand heading to Europe connect in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, or Singapore. Other popular options include Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur.

To Canada

There are many non-stop flights to Vancouver from major East and Southeast Asian hubs on both Asian and Canadian airlines, as Vancouver is the closest North American port-of-call to Asia. A connection via Seoul's Incheon International Airport may be convenient because that is quite a good airport and closer to Vancouver than most points in Asia. Also, Korea does allow sterile transit so you need not worry about customs or immigration if only changing planes.

There are many non-stop flights from Hong Kong, Beijing, Tokyo, Manila, Taipei, Guangzhou and Shanghai to Toronto, owing to the business links and large expatriate Asian population in the city of Toronto. There are also nonstop flights from Beijing to Calgary and Montreal on Hainan Airlines and Air China respectively (with an onward flight from Montreal to Havana, Cuba), and nonstop flights from Shanghai and Tokyo to Montreal on Air Canada.

Several Middle Eastern carriers fly to Toronto. Moreover Air Canada has some Middle Eastern airports in their route network. Royal Jordanian and Qatar Airways fly to Montreal from Amman and Doha respectively, and Turkish serves Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal from Istanbul.

There are also flights to Toronto from South Asia. Air Canada connects Delhi to Toronto, and PIA has flights from several Pakistani destinations.

To Latin America and the Caribbean
Being located roughly on the other side of the planet, there are very few direct connections between Latin America and the Far East and you're in for a lengthy trip no matter which way you travel. While direct services do exist, due to the long distances there are hardly any non-stop flights. The plane has to stop and refuel somewhere, and that somewhere is for some routes an airport in the United States. Increasingly fuel efficient planes with bigger and bigger tanks bring longer and longer routes into the realm of possibility, so direct routes deemed impossible a few years ago may be tantalizingly close to reality.

One-stop connections from Asia to South and Central America and the Caribbean are possible by transiting via major European hubs. Passengers heading to South America may also consider transiting via Oceania (as described above) or southern Africa (as described below).

Benito Juarez Airport in Mexico City is the Latin American airport with the largest number of connections from the Far East; Aeromexico flies there from Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai (stop in Tijuana). Additionally, ANA flies there from Tokyo, Hainan Airlines from Beijing (stop in Tijuana) and China Southern from Guangzhou (stop in Vancouver, Canada). From there you can fly on to elsewhere in Latin America and the Caribbean. Finally Air China flies from Beijing to Havana with a stop in Montreal, and to Sao Paulo with a stop in Madrid.

From the Middle East the situation is the opposite, you can get directly to South America, but will need to transfer to get to Mexico, Central America or the Caribbean. Emirates (from Dubai), Qatar (from Doha) and Turkish (from Istanbul) all have services to Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires. Emirates also flies to Rio de Janeiro and Santiago

From Africa
There is a general lack of flights direct to non-US North America from Africa, so it might be a better idea to fly to Europe first. The exception is Northern Africa to Canada. Egyptair flies from Cairo and Ethiopian from Addis Ababa to Toronto. Both Air Canada and Royal Air Maroc fly from Casablanca to Montreal, and Tunisair flies there from Tunis, though for African and Middle Eastern citizens going via Canada is often not a much better alternative.

If heading from Africa to anywhere in South America – or for that matter anywhere in Latin America – there are a number of routes going via Brazil. Be aware that if you come from a yellow fever endemic country, a vaccination certificate is mandatory in order to enter Brazil. From the southern part of the continent, South African Airways and LATAM fly directly from Johannesburg to São Paulo and TAAG Air Angola flies direct from Luanda to Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Havana. For travelers starting in Eastern Africa, Ethiopian flies from directly from Addis Ababa to Sao Paulo and onwards to Buenos Aires, plus the Gulf States carriers offering a larger range of South American destinations may also be worth considering. Coming from Northern or Western Africa you can fly to Sal in Cape Verde and take Cabo Verde Airlines to Fortaleza, Recife or Salvador. Finally, Royal Air Maroc flies from Casablanca both to Rio and Sao Paulo.

Get around
Getting around the Western Hemisphere without landing in the U.S. is for the most part doable. There's a good selection of nonstop flights from Canada to Mexico, Central America, South America and Caribbean, but all of them pass through US airspace. If this is a problem for you, the only feasible alternative is flying a long detour via some European airport. What's more, the shortest path from eastern Canada to Spain and Portugal (which as per above have great connections to Latin America) as well as to North Africa (from where there are some flights to South America) crosses the northeastern U.S.

There are also good connections between Mexican, Central American and South American airports. However, Caribbean airports are in general only connected to other Caribbean airports and to airports in the US and Canada. Santo Domingo, Punta Cana and Havana have a range of flights to mainland Latin America, and some airports in the southern Caribbean have services to Caracas and Bogotá.


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Avon

There is more than one place called Avon:

United States of America

 * Avon (Connecticut) - A town in Connecticut.
 * Avon (Indiana) - A town in Indiana.
 * Avon (Massachusetts) - A town in Massachusetts
 * Avon (Montana) - A town in Montana
 * Avon (New York) - A village in the Western Finger Lakes region of New York.
 * Avon (North Carolina) - A town in North Carolina.
 * Avon (Ohio) - A town in Ohio.
 * Avon-by-the-Sea - A borough in New Jersey

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Avon


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Avon (Connecticut)

Avon, Connecticut is a little town just outside of the capital, Hartford.

Buy
Old Avon Marketplace – East Main St | The historic center is ideal for an afternoon of shopping and eating. A variety of shops are located in buildings built in the 1800s and offer items for any type of customer. Spend and afternoon visiting spas, custom jewelry stores, shopping for art, and earing with friends or family at restaurants that are all conveniently located in one space. Two popular restaurants, Elephant Trail Thai Cuisine and da Capo Italiano Ristorante, are definitely two places to stop in and eat for a unique atmosphere and great food.

Go next
Simsbury is a nearby town with a movie theater.

title: Avon (Connecticut)


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Avon (Indiana)

Avon is a city in the Nine-County Region of Indiana.

Understand
Avon has exploded from a sleep farm town to a large suburb of Indianapolis since the early 2000s. Corn fields have given way to strip malls and condos at a blistering rate—for over a decade, Hendricks County was one of the fastest-growing in the United States.

Get in
Avon is just west of Indianapolis. You can easily enter the town from Rockville Road/US 41. It is near the Indianapolis International Airport, via the large Ronald Reagan Parkway.

title: Avon (Indiana)


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Avon (Ohio)

Avon is a suburb of Cleveland with about 24,000 people (2018). There's not a lot to draw visitors, but those with a sense of whimsy may want to come in late June for the Avon Heritage Duck Tape Festival, which celebrates duct tape (yes, it's a festival about adhesive tape) and is sponsored by Duck brand duct tape.

Get in
I90/SR2 passes through northern Avon, reaching Cleveland to the east, and Toledo to the west.

Go next
Cleveland is about 10-25 minutes away on 90 East.

title: Avon (Ohio)


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Avondale (Louisiana)

Avondale  is a small city in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. It is on the West Bank of the Mississippi River, on the outskirts of Greater New Orleans.

title: Avondale (Louisiana)


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Avon Lake

Avon Lake is a suburb of Cleveland on Lake Erie in Lorain County. In 2018, it had a population of 24,000 people. The community has public beaches, 20 miles (32 km) of bike trails, a boat launch, and many other recreational amenities.

Get in
Highway US6 passes through Avon Lake, and I90/US2 is just south of Avon Lake.

Do
Approximately 220 acres (0.9 km²) is designated for parks and playgrounds. Avon Lake operates six community parks: Blesser Park, Miller Road Park, Veterans Memorial Park, Weiss Field, Avon Lake/Bay Village Park, and Bicentennial Park. Five neighborhood parks managed by the city are: Belle Road Park, Inwood Park, Overlook Park, Resatar Park, and Sunset Park each with adjoining bike trails to promote easy residential access and outdoor recreation.

title: Avon Lake


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Avon Park

Avon Park is a city in the Florida Heartland.

By car
Avon Park lies along US 27, a major north-south artery of the Florida peninsula, and US 98. These highways, which run concurrently through Avon Park, provide easy access to southeast Florida and to the Orlando area. SR 64 is a rural 2-lane highway providing access to Bradenton on the west coast. Avon Park is approximately one hour south of the Orlando metro area (including Kissimmee).

By train
The Amtrak station in Sebring (Code: SBG) is the closest Amtrak station. The Sebring station is served by the Amtrak Silver Star and Silver Meteor routes, which both connect Miami with New York City, following different paths through the Carolinas.

By plane
The nearest airports with regular, commercial flights are Orlando International Airport and—slightly further away—Tampa International Airport  and Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.

Lakeland Linder Regional Airport in Lakeland is capable of handling regular, commercial flights, but is only served by air taxi. Nearby Sebring Regional Airport, southeast of Sebring, is no longer served by air taxi.

Get around
Avon Park has no transportation services, so travel must be done by private vehicle.

Eat
Avon Park has a number of restaurants. Excluding fast food restaurants, this is a fairly complete list:

Sleep
Avon Park has a number of decent-quality places to stay while passing through town or visiting:

Go next

 * South a few miles to Sebring

title: Avon Park


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Avrankou

Avrankou (originally Avlankou) is a town in Southern Benin.

The original is derived from Avlan (a famous plantain picker) and KOU (death in Gun language). Later, the French changed the name to its present as they found Avlankou difficult to pronounce.

See

 * Zēkpon in nearby Adjarra is a sacred voodoo temple of water.
 * Several sacred forests where traditional festivities take place.

Buy
There is a medium-sized market every five days, two days after Adjarra.

Eat
On the main highway when you enter Avrankou there is a large intersection with a statue where there is a nice outdoor bar and decent restaurant, as well as various street foods including grilled chicken. This area (more Adjarra) is also known for it’s pork.

Sleep
Because of its close proximity to Porto-Novo, there aren’t really any decent hotels in Avrankou. See Porto-Novo’s page for hotels.

title: Avrankou


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Avşa

Avşa (pronounced aav-shaa) is one of the Marmara Islands of the Southern Marmara region of Turkey. As of 2019 it had a resident population of 3173, which swells to over 50,000 with summer visitors.

Understand
Although it's one of the smaller Marmara Islands, Avşa is the most heavily touristed. It's a short journey from Istanbul and developed in the 1970s as a budget resort, while the other islands restricted tourist development. Officially it's called Türkeli, but only government documents use that name. To everyone else (including the ferry companies) it's Avşa, from its Greek name of Ἀφησιά, Afissia.

The island has an hourglass shape and two settlements: the main town, also known as Avşa, on the west coast and the village of Araplar (officially Yiğitler) on the east coast. A ridge of hills runs down the middle, and attractive coves indent its coast.

Although Avşa is touristy, very few visitors come from outside Turkey. A small minority speak English or German, which is a far higher proportion than on the other Marmara islands. Confused conversations in shops or restaurants are resolved either by pulling out a mobile with a translation app, or by dispatching a small boy, who will return in five minutes with an English-speaker.

Get in
IDO ferries for foot passengers normally sail from Istanbul in summer, but they're not running in 2022.

Gestaş car ferry sails twice a day from Erdek on the mainland to the south, taking two hours via Balıklı on Paşalimani island. It then continues to Marmara Island, also calling at Ekinlik two days a week, then returns to Avşa, Balıklı and Erdek. The boat is based on Avşa so the first early morning sailing is from here out to Marmara, and the last evening ferry from Erdek returns here via Marmara. In 2022 the single fare from Erdek is 25 TL, car 65 TL.

May-Aug a Gestaş waterbus for foot-passengers also plies from Narlı, the beach resort 15 km northwest of Erdek main town. It's a single daily sailing via Balıklı.

Marmara RoRo also sails once a day between Erdek, Avşa and Marmara. Most of this company's ferries are from Tekirdağ on the European mainland, but these bypass Avşa: you could change boats in Marmara town.

is central in the main town, with the bus station beside it.

(or Yiğitler) is the east coast port and settlement. No ferries, but there's a marina and long breakwater sheltering the harbour.

Get around
Buses and dolmuşes fan out from Avşa main square by the ferry port.

The roads are in variable repair, so scooters and cyclists especially need to watch out for potholes. No self-respecting Turkish driver cares a hoot for the safety of cyclists.

Between Avşa and Yiğitler on the east coast is only 2 km so you could walk, but it's a ratty road under a hot sun.

See

 * is the marina at the island's north tip. Come here to watch the sunset.
 * is the small island north, about 3 km long by 500 m wide. The ferry to Marmara Island calls here M W and a day-trip from Avşa is feasible. This was a Greek community named Koutalis, prospered as a resupply station for the ships at the age of sail, but the subsequent earthquakes wrecked the architectural heritage, so there is not much to see or do here except stroll along the south shore road to Voli beach then stroll back to the village. It's likely the inspiration behind fictional Ant Island of the An Island Story tetralogy by Yaşar Kemal, one of Turkey's most internationally acclaimed writers and who regularly took his holidays in nearby Marmara Island.
 * is the island seen to the west towards Paşalimanı. It has no permant residents, although there is a small collection of summer cottages around its southern tip, and no ferry service.
 * is a low-lying island, larger than Avşa but with very few visitor amenities. It's an easy day trip from Avşa, the ferry drops you at Balıklı en route to Erdek, and you'll want a bicycle to explore its quiet lanes.

Do

 * Lunapark is a funfair just north of Avşa ferry pier at İnönü Cd 7. It's not open in 2022.
 * Beaches are sandy, many public, with a series of little coves around the island.
 * Hills are low, not exceeding 200 m, so they're an easy hike.

Buy

 * Stores are clustered near the ferry port. Migros at Iskele Cd 22 is open daily 08:30-22:00.
 * At the fish market by the port you can make your choice and have it cooked up.

Eat

 * Avşa town has a slew of places along the shore, mostly serving fish. Choose from Köşem, Meral, Rıhtım, Yarar, İskele Lokantası, Dürümcü iso, Erol'un Yeri, Karadeniz Pide, Seagull Bar and Omer Deniz Restaurant.
 * Richie Beach by Araplar harbour is open daily 09:00-02:00.

Drink

 * Bortaçina is a local vineyard, offering wine-tasting with meals.
 * The island lacks free-standing bars, so cafes and restaurants are the best bet for a drink.
 * Island water is drinkable, but is produced by desalination so it's flat and dull. Restaurants will offer bottled water.

Sleep

 * Avşa town also has Ataş Aqua Otel, Avantgarde Hotel, Hotel Europa, Pegasus Motel, Güneş Motel, Hotel Avşa and lots of pansiyons.
 * Araplar on the east coast has Bahar Otel Aqua Resort, Afissia Garden Hotel and Lavinia Butik Otel.
 * Avşa town also has Ataş Aqua Otel, Avantgarde Hotel, Hotel Europa, Pegasus Motel, Güneş Motel, Hotel Avşa and lots of pansiyons.
 * Araplar on the east coast has Bahar Otel Aqua Resort, Afissia Garden Hotel and Lavinia Butik Otel.
 * Araplar on the east coast has Bahar Otel Aqua Resort, Afissia Garden Hotel and Lavinia Butik Otel.

Stay safe
Standard advice: safeguard valuables, beware traffic and stay clear of idiot drunks.

The sun is fierce, there's little shade, and in the breeze you may not realise how frazzled you're getting. Avoid the midday sun, cover up with broad hats and long shirts and slacks, and apply high-factor sun block.

Connect
As of May 2022, there is 4G from Vodafone across much of the island. There's a patchy signal from Turkcell and nothing from Türk Telekom. 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

 * The other inhabited Marmara Islands (Marmara, Ekinlik and Paşalimanı) can all be reached by ferry from Avşa. A day-trip will be long enough.
 * Erdek the closest mainland port has little to detain you. Head east for the historic sights of Bursa.
 * Tekirdağ on the north mainland coast is in an industrial region of Thrace. Northwest is the fine Ottoman city of Edirne.

title: Avşa


text:
Awa

Awa (阿波市 Awa-shi) is a city located in the north-central part of Tokushima prefecture, on the north bank of the Yoshino river. Itano-cho lies to the East, Mima City to the West, Yoshinogawa City to the South, and Kagawa prefecture is located to the North. The border with Kagawa prefecture to the north is marked by the Asan mountains.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site. Its download section has some materials in English.

Go next

 * Mima
 * Yoshinogawa
 * Tsurugi
 * Higashimiyoshi
 * Miyoshi
 * Kamiita
 * Itano
 * Naruto
 * Tokushima

title: Awa


text:
Awadh

Awadh is the central region of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, known as the granary of India. It is the centre of various period films of Bollywood and modern films.

Cities

 * — birthplace of Lord Rama, the central character from the Hindu mythology Ramayana. Nearby Faizabad was the former capital of the Oudh State.

 * — The perfume factory of India

 * — once known as the "Manchester of India", now famous for its leather works and IIT Kanpur

 * — capital of Uttar Pradesh, the City of Nawabs, also home to one of the IIMs

 * (Allahabad) — holy place where the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati meet

 * — river city, Sufi centre

 * — a university city

 * — a small temple city

Other destinations

 * — a project for wildlife preservation

Understand
Awadh is the name of a province of all the major Islamic dynasties in India, including the Mughal Empire. With the decline of late Mughal Delhi, Awadh became a major source of literary, artistic, religious and architectural patronage in northern India under the rule of its eleven rulers, called Nawabs. From 1720 to 1856, the Nawabs presided over Awadh, with Ayodhya and Faizabad serving as the region's initial capitals. Later, the capital was relocated to Lucknow, which is the present capital of Uttar Pradesh.

By plane
The commercial airports in the region include:
 * Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport, Lucknow
 * Kanpur Airport, Kanpur
 * Prayagraj Airport, Prayagraj

By train
Kanpur Central is a major railway station of India and well-connected with other parts of India. Railway stations of Lucknow, namely Lucknow Charbagh (code: LKO) and Lucknow Junction (station code: LJN) are also well-connected with the rest of India. Prayagraj Junction in Prayagraj is also a major railway station of Awadh.

By car
The Bundelkhand Expressway, inaugurated in July 2022, connects Etawah to Chitrakoot at.

Eat
Awadhi cuisine is famous and represents a continuation of the heritage of the Mughal Empire. In the non-vegetarian space, Awadh is first and foremost known for its range of delicious kebabs, ranging from shami kebab patties to seekh kebab skewers.

title: Awadh


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Awaji Island

Awaji Island (淡路島 Awajishima) is a not-terribly-large island - about the same size as Singapore - that marks the eastern boundary of the Seto Inland Sea of Japan. Thanks to a set of new bridges and a cross-island expressway, most visitors just zip through on their way from Honshu to Shikoku.

Understand
The island is occupied by three cities: Awaji, Sumoto and Minami-awaji.

History
Awajishima has some claim to being the oldest settled area in Japan; the Kojiki mentions it under the name "Onokoroshima" and burial mounds (kofun) dating back thousands of years have been found on the island. The ningyo joruri puppet theater, which has evolved into bunraku, seems to originate from Awajishima.

Awajishima made a very unusual but brief appearance on the world stage as the epicenter of the Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1995 that killed over 6000 people. However, Awajishima was (and remains) far less built up than the suburbs of Kobe across the bay, which took the brunt of the damage. It was also the island where the England soccer team stayed during the World Cup in 2002.

Geography
The southern tip lies a mere kilometer off the coast of Shikoku, and a bridge now straddles the Naruto Strait, famed for the whirlpools that form as the tide flows in and out. The very name "Awaji" means "road to Awa", the former name of current Shikoku prefecture of Tokushima.

At the other end of the island, some 50 km away, the northern tip is not far from the port city of Kobe on Honshu, and the immense 3.9 km Akashi Kaikyo Bridge — the world's longest until 2022 — now connects Awaji to the mainland. Politically (and in geographic terms somewhat oddly), despite its proximity to Shikoku, Awaji is a part of Honshu's Hyogo prefecture.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a multilingual guide site.

By plane

 * Highway buses connect Kobe Airport and Sumoto four times daily (two hours, ¥2000).
 * (Awaji-Kanku Line, ferry line between Sumoto and Kansai International Airport was discontinued in 2018.)

By car
The inter-island expressway will get you from Akashi to Naruto, but it isn't advised unless you're willing to part with ¥5000 in tolls. Furthermore, signage is in Japanese and may be incomprehensible to a foreigner.

By bus
A more affordable option than private cars are highway buses, which charge around ¥600 for crossing the bridge and ¥1800 for a one-way trip from Kobe to Sumoto.

By train
There are no direct train services to Awaji Island. Highway buses run directly from major train stations, such as Shin-Kobe on the shinkansen (¥1800 to Sumoto), and Osaka and Sannomiya stations on the regular JR line (¥2300 and ¥1800 to Sumoto, respectively). From Shin-Osaka station you must either take a local train one stop to Osaka station, or remain on the shinkansen to Shin-Kobe, to transfer to the bus.

Buses to Awaji Island are not valid with the Japan Rail Pass. Tickets can be purchased from "Midori-no-Madoguchi" locations at each station.

By ferry
Even cheaper and more scenic, but available for the northern crossing only, are ferries that cross from Akashi to Iwaya for ¥450 (13 minutes) via the Jenova Line located south of JR Akashi Station.

Get around
Public transport is limited to very occasional buses. Awaji Kotsu (English page) site has its bus routes on the island (Japanese). Unusually for Japan, there are no trains on the island. If you don't have your own set of wheels, hitchhiking is a viable option.

See
Check out the beaches, especially on the more sparsely settled northern coast. They're a popular nearby summer getaway for Kansai-ites. There are also a number of hot springs (onsen), the best known of which are Awaji's largest town Sumoto and the mildly radioactive (!) waters of Iwaya adjacent to the northern bridge.

Today's Awajishima is known primarily for its bridges and onions. The current total population hovers around 150,000, and (unlike most rural areas in Japan) is slowly on the rise due to the improved connections to the mainland. Scattered here and there are a number of herb and biwa (loquat) farms. The southern coast has a hideous but huge concrete statue of the Buddhist deity Kannon and the inevitable Onokoro Amusement Park.

Eat
Awaji is famous for their onions, fish and cheese.

Sleep
Awaji has a scattering of ryokan and minshuku, concentrated in the hot spring areas. There are also a number of campsites, especially on the less populated western coast.

title: Awaji Island


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Awasa

Awasa (also Awassa or Hawassa) is in Southern Ethiopia.

Understand
Awasa is on the eastern shore of Lake Awasa and is a growing resort town with two luxurious resorts directly on the lake, and a large number of cheap and middle priced hotels. In 2013, many of the streets in Awasa and the walking path on the lake were fixed up with cobble stone, and there is a growing number of good cafes, small bars, and good Ethiopian and European restaurants. Tourism here is mostly local, but Awasa is also a common stop for Cairo-to-Cape Town travelers and foreign tourists.

It is home to renowned Hawassa university.

Get in
Awasa is 5 hours by road from Addis Ababa.

By bus
Sky Bus has good and relatively modern Neoplan buses, and runs from Meskel Square in Addis Ababa every day (except Mondays) around 13:00h for 149 birr for a one-way trip. Buy tickets a day or two before you leave as they often sell out for the day. Get them at the Sky Bus office at Taitu Hotel or on Meskel Square. The bus often leaves late, so expect to arrive around 21:00 or later in Awasa.

Another option is to take Selam bus (Yutong bus) that runs every day and costs 200 Birr as at January 2020. If you want to do this, you should buy (a) ticket(s) in advance. The is as shown on Google Maps, across the road from the huge bus station at Meskel Square. The bus leaves at 6:30 and takes about 5 1/2 hours. The last stop in Awasa is near the intersection just on the town side of the bus station, about 500 m north east of the Sidamo monument.

There are many coaches to Addis Ababa from Awasa they leave from outside the bus station at about 6:00 and normally you would get a seat without needing to buy a ticket in advance however if you wish to make sure there is a Sky bus ticket office in the Alliance marketing centre near the Sidamo monument on the main street heading to the lake.

There are also many village buses running between Awasa and surrounding towns, including to Addis Ababa, all day long. They are usually faster and leave whenever they have enough passengers, but they are also less safe.

Get around
Awasa is a small town and walking is the best way to get around. The town center is Piazza Road that goes from the shore of Awasa Lake eastwards. There is Dashen Bank (Visa and MasterCard ATM) and many hotels and restaurants on Piazza.

If you need transportation, there are countless blue motorbike rickshaws everywhere in town and a ride should never cost more than a few Birr.

Do
Bicycle the 55 km around the lake. It is extraordinary beautiful opposite of Awassa as you ride the small path through the villages on the shore speckled with cacti and wild olive trees. Beware of the children, especially when they are in a large group with no adult around as they could start grabbing you and throw stuff.

Buy
Monday is market day.

Eat
The better hotels also have some of the best restaurants in town.

Drink
Where Piazza Rd meets the Lake, there is a number of small bars with chairs on the street and music. Some also have fried fish, fresh from the Lake. Great to sit outside in the evenings and see the sunset over Lake Awasa. A half liter St George draft beer is 10 Birr (as of 2013).

Sleep
Awasa has many hotels of various standards, from the very basic for around 50 Birr to up to the luxurious Haile Resort and the Lewi's Resort. Rooms in the best hotels typically cost $50-70 per night, rooms in good traveler hotels with a bed and a shower are between 100 and 150 Birr (as of 2013). If you come on Sky Bus from Addis Ababa, it will not stop at the bus station, but on Piazza Rd. There are some good and cheap (around 100 Birr) and medium priced hotels close to the bus stop. (as of 2013)

 * Zebra Hotel (next to the roundabout at the beachside of Piazza Rd, walk the first dirt road into the houses). New Hotel run by an expat. Quiet and clean rooms with a nice garden to relax and a kitchen to use.Good Wifi. Single 230 Birr (Sep 2016).
 * Circle of Life (next to the beachside of Piazza Rd) Nice rooms and a huge garden with included restaurant. Rastafarian vibes. Quite noisy. Single 250 Birr (Sep 2016).
 * Zebra Hotel (next to the roundabout at the beachside of Piazza Rd, walk the first dirt road into the houses). New Hotel run by an expat. Quiet and clean rooms with a nice garden to relax and a kitchen to use.Good Wifi. Single 230 Birr (Sep 2016).
 * Circle of Life (next to the beachside of Piazza Rd) Nice rooms and a huge garden with included restaurant. Rastafarian vibes. Quite noisy. Single 250 Birr (Sep 2016).
 * Circle of Life (next to the beachside of Piazza Rd) Nice rooms and a huge garden with included restaurant. Rastafarian vibes. Quite noisy. Single 250 Birr (Sep 2016).

Go next
Awasa is less than an hour by bus to Shashemene (known for its Rastafari settlement). Every morning (except Sundays) at 6:30h Sky Bus leaves Awasa Bus Station to Meskel Square in Addis Ababa. There are daily buses to go to Wolaita Sodo and then to Arba Minch, another resort town famous for its two lakes. Wondo Genet is east of Awasa and south of Shashemene.

title: Awasa


text:
Awash National Park

Awash National Park is in Ethiopia. The Lower Valley of the Awash, a site where some of the earliest human remains have been found, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1980.

Flora and fauna
Awash is one of the best areas in Africa to observe hyenas.

By car
Awash National Park is 200 km by road from Addis Ababa, 3 hours drive using the Addis Ababa–Adama Expressway. It's 105 km north-east from Adama (Nazreth), national highway 4.

The is located in between two towns: Metehara (14 km west) and Awash (16 km east).

Get around
Large areas of the park need a good 4×4 with high chassis, particularly to visit the northern part including the Hot Springs, where the dirt road is damaged. A standard car can access the southern area south of national highway number 4.

Go next

 * Sodere - a 1-hour detour on the way back to Addis Ababa, to see the natural hot springs and the spa, near Awash River. 25 km south of Adama on national highway 8.

title: Awash National Park


text:
Axarquía

Axarquía is a region in the Province of Malaga, Andalucia, Spain. The coastal part of Axarquía is often known as the Costa del Sol Oriental (Eastern Costa del Sol). It is one of the sunniest places in mainland Spain, with an average of 320 sunny days a year.

Cities

 * — this bustling, inland market town is the most important city of the region, and not dominated by tourism
 * — won the award for most beautiful town of Spain multiple times
 * — a beachside resort that isn't dominated by large concrete hotels
 * — a Moorish village where the vine was its main crop
 * — a beachside resort whose beach has been awarded with the Blue Flag
 * — a coastal town of many festivals and traditions celebrated throughout the year

Other destinations

 * — a natural park stretching through the mountain ranges between the provinces of Málaga and Granada.
 * — a natural reserve located between Nerja and Almuñecar, formed by a series of cliffs and coves.

Understand
Its name is traced back to Arabic الشرقية (aš-Šarqiyya, meaning "the eastern [region]"). Its capital and most important town is Vélez-Málaga.

The economy of the region is based mainly on agriculture, fishing, livestock and the construction sector, as well as the tourism sector. Unemployment is around 17% (2021) and the mean income is slightly lower than that of the rest of the province.

Climate
Axarquía has a coastal Mediterranean and semitropical climate, with warm summers and mild winters. The average annual temperature is 18ºC and temperatures do not generally surpass 35ºC in the summer or drop to less than 10ºC in the winter. It is one of the sunniest regions in mainland Spain. There is an average of only 54 rainy days every year. Extreme meteorological phenomena such as droughts or torrential rains have become more common, but are still quite rare.

By car
The A-7 highway runs along the coast, connecting all the coastal centres. The A-356, the A-7000 and the A-402 roads run through the region.

By plane
The closest airports are those of Malaga and Granada.

By bus
ALSA and other bus companies operate buses from Málaga, Granada, Marbella, Ronda, Seville, Almería and other Spanish cities to the biggest towns in Axarquía. The most important bus stations are:

By bus
Regional buses are operated by ALSA (formerly Alsina Graells), Autocares Valle-Niza, Autocares Carlos and other companies. Lines and schedules can be found in most cases in each town council's website. The biggest bus stations in the region are located in Torre del Mar, Vélez-Málaga and Nerja. They serve as hubs for many lines running to smaller villages.

Eat
Among the dishes of the Axarquia cuisine that stand out are goat fried with spices, fennel stew, the enblanco, the ajoblanco or the chickpeas with tripe.

Drink
The Muscat grape of the Axarquía has been declared a world agricultural heritage by the Fodand Agriculture Organization.

Go next

 * Málaga — capital of the province and bustling port city with a broad museum offer.
 * Antequera — castle town full of churches located roughly in the centre of Andalusia.
 * Alhama de Granada — an old spa village located over a gorge.
 * La Alpujarra — a mountainous region south of Sierra Nevada with small and enchanting villages.
 * Granada — world-known city, home of the spectacular Alhambra palace.

title: Axarquía


text:
Axminster

Axminster is a small town in East Devon, close to the Dorset border.

By train
South West Trains from London Waterloo to.

By bus
Bus service 885 connects Axminster to towns and villages including Colyton, Seaton & Beer.

Connect
Axminster has 4G with all UK carriers. As of May 2022, 5G has not reached this area.

Go next
The famous coastal town of Lyme Regis on the Jurassic Coast can be reached by bus from Axminster train station in around 20-25 minutes.

title: Axminster


text:
Ayacucho

Ayacucho is in the Southern Sierra region of Peru. Ayacucho is embedded in a broad sunny valley with mild climate. It is home of the Morocucho people, a group of the Quechua. The population is about 100,000, altitude 2,700 m.

Understand
During the 1980s and early 1990s, Ayacucho was mostly under control of the Sendero Luminoso, an extreme leftist terrorist group. After the successful anti-terror fights under president Fujimori, the influence of the Sendero Luminoso decreased almost completely.

The Tourist Office is found in the Plaza de Armas.

Get in
The airport has flights from Lima. Small airlines in Peru are a bit sketchy, but a good alternative for those who don't like a rough long bus ride.

Daily buses to and from Lima on a well-paved road (11 hr). It goes over a high mountain passes which make some people sick.

Daily buses to and from Pisco the same well-paved road (6 hr).

Daily buses/colectivos to and from Huancavelica offer 3 alternatives (note: dirt roads may be impassible in the rainy season): The above three options also work in reverse. However, the bus from Huancavelica to Rumichaca leaves at 04:30.
 * 1) The direct way via colectivo to Julcamarca, a second colectivo to Lircay, and a third colectivo to Huancavelica (all dirt roads).  With luck and an early start, you could make it through in one day.  Basic accommodation is available in Julcamarca and Lircay, if necessary.
 * 2) Via Rumichaca and St. Ines. Take a morning bus along the main road from Ayacucho to the coast until Rumichaca (paved and in good condition), and then catch a bus to Huancavelica (departure 10:30, dirt road). The landscape is unique and impressive, most of it is between 4000 and 5000 m above sea level.
 * 3) Take the morning bus to Huancayo, get off at Izuchaca (8-10 hours) where the dirt road becomes paved, and then catch onward local transport to Huancavelica (~1 hour).

Daily buses to and from Andahuaylas, run by Molina, Wari (leaves at 05:00) and others (at least 10 rough hours). The dust road is partly in very poor condition, but the magnificent scenery is more than a compensation for that.

Get around
Taxis run for S/3 in the city.

Do
Willy Del Posa Posa runs a tourist agency near the Plaza de Armas. He proved honest and helpful on a few occasions.

 * If you want to go for a walk, get the bus 13 (S/0.70) in the big red arc (Jr 28 de Julio) until Santa Helena or a bit further. Then get down to the river Watatas and come back to Ayacucho walking along the water (2 hr). At the concrete bridge, or wait for a collectivo or walk until the center (a bit far).
 * For a warmer but a bit dirtier river, get the collectivo to Muyurina (S/2.5) in the Paradero de Quinoa-Huanta. Come back to Ayacucho along the water one the right side (don't cross) cause of the dogs. Always avoid the houses. After the bridge (30 min) the way is hard on the right side, so ask if you can follow on the left side. The way is long so you will have to join the road and stop a collectivo or hitch-hike.
 * Get up the great mountain of south (left of the cross). It's rough but really nice.

Buy

 * High quality wool and alpaca tapestries, carpets and embroideries can be found in Barrio Santa Ana. You come there following the Av. Grau. A number of family run shops line the Plaza Santa Ana.  In most you can see weaving in process, and purchase tapestries.  Santa Ana is the main outlet for many of Ayacucho's weavers. The shops on the Plaza Santa Ana typically feature both the work of the owner's family, as well as tapestries, embroideries and other artesania that they purchase from throughout the area.  Most of the families with shops on the Plaza Santa Ana have been in the weaving business for several generations.  The Santa Ana tapestries are woven on upright looms.  The best are made from handspun yarns, and dyed with natural dyes.  Many of the motifs are drawn from archaeological textiles.  Ayacucho is also known for its eye-popping three dimensional designs. Many of the shops are set up with a typical handicraft store in the front room.  It is often necessary to ask to see the better, more expensive tapestries.

Eat

 * The Cafe of the University (UNSH(?)) is in the atrium of a lovely colonial building besides the Cathedral at the Plaza de Armas.
 * Magia Negra (Black Magic) - a few blocks from the Plaza de Armas. Serves Pizza, is a bit upscale and comfortable for Americans and a foose ball table
 * Don't miss the best hamburgers ever, served by the street vendors near the plaza at night. Perfect drunken food. You should get the 'triple'. You can get it with a cheap thin hamburger, egg, hotdogs, potato sticks, olive mayonase. It is recommended to get it "sin lechuga" (without lettuce) as lettuce is supposed to particularly harbor micro-organisms. Don't eat too many.

Try Puka Picante (potatoes cooked with beetroot and peanuts) and Papa con Quapchi (potatoes with cheese and herbs) in the market or little restaurants.

Drink

 * Centro Turístico Cultural San Cristobal, a block and a bit from the Plaza de Armas, 28 de Julio 178. The best place for caffeinated beverages (i.e. it actually has cappuccinos, and Americanos). There are a few little cafes here. As the name of the centre suggests, the area is intended for tourists and is a bit pricier than other areas.

Try chicha de manis (peanut-sesame), agua de nipero or manzana (apple) for S/0.5, in the market (right of the big red arc, Jr 28 de Julio)

Sleep
On the road towards the bus station, some places offer nice but simple double rooms for less than S/20, and S/13 for the use of only one bed.

You can stay at the Plaza Hotel for as long as you need.

 * Hotel La Crillonesa, one block from the main Mercado and just a few from the Plaza de Armas, Nazareno 165. They ask for S/50 for a room with private bathroom and double bed, but may accept lower offers. Rooftop terrace (great view), cafe, cable TV in most rooms, 24-hr hot water, friendly service. You may like being near the market and the bustling pedestrian-only street that goes by it.

During Semana santa, the prices increase crazily. You can contact Leira Figuero 990454539, at the cross between Jr Callao and Venezuela. They rent a mattress on the floor for S/10 (6 can enter), in a small room with WC, cold shower, and your own key.

Go next

 * Huari/Wari is the oldest urban center in the Andes You can visit the ruins and the museum (S/2) daily. Take a colectivo in Av. Cáceres to come there (45 min, S/2). On the way back, be sure to get a colectivo before 17:00, otherwise it may become difficult.
 * La Quinua is a nice village with old buildings. Nearby, you can visit the Pampa de Quinua with its 44-m high obelisk, remembering to the famous battle of Ayacucho in the Peruvian war of independence. The colectivos to Huari proceed to La Quinua.
 * Go to Vilcashuaman (3-4 hr, S/15). The way is really nice. The city is calm, some Inca ruins, very few tourists. Try the chicken of Polleria El Sol. Walk to a Laguna, going up the street Camino Real (30 min).
 * Andahuaylas by combis (6 hr, S/25)
 * Huancayo with buses Molina at the terminal Wari (far from the center), go at 20:30 (all night, S/30).
 * Expreso Los Chankas, Pje Cáceres 150. Perhaps the only place to offer direct service to Cusco. S/55 each for a 22-hour ride on a semi-cama bus. Buses at 06:30 and 19:00.

title: Ayacucho


text:
Ayaz-Kala

Ayaz Kala (also spelled Ayaz Qala) and Toprak-Kala are archaeological sites in the autonomous republic of Karakalpakstan in Northern Uzbekistan.

Understand
Ayaz Kala is on the wastern side of the Sultan-Uiz-Dagh Mountains. The site consists of three fortresses which were built from the 4th century BCE to the 7th century CE. The fortresses were part of a series of forts at the edge of the Kizilkum Desert, which provided defence against raids by nomads and the Saca of the Syr-Darya delta

The World Monuments Fund has put Ayaz Kala on the watch-list of 100 most endangered sites.

Get in
Ayaz Kala is easily accessible by vehicle from Khiva and Urgench via Biruni and Buston. Ayaz Kala is about 70 km from Urgench on a bitumen road. The last 2 km are on a sand road to the Ayaz Kala Yurt Camp. There are numerous foot paths between the sites. It is about 32 km from Ayaz Kala to Toprak-Kala.

Get around

 * Toprak-Kala
 * Ayaz Kul Lake
 * Badai Tugai Nature Reserve

Ayaz Kala 1
A fortress dating back to end of the 4th or beginning of the 3rd century BCE. In this time Khorezm had become independent from Persia. Ayaz Kala 1 was part of a chain of fortresses protecting the agricultural settlements from attacks by nomads. The fortress is situated on the top of a hill, approx. 100 m high, providing wide views over the surrounding plains. The fortress is rectangular in plan with sides 182 and 152 m long. The main axis is oriented from South to North.

At the southern end of the axis is a square gateway, which is a typical element of frontier fortresses of Khorezm. The enemies' approach lies parallel to the south east walls and invaders were vulnerable to attack from above. A massive gateway defended by two rectangular towers leads into a small rectangular chamber. This chamber was overlooked on all sides by high walls from which bowmen could shoot at the enemy in case the first gate was breached.

The enclosure of the fortress consists of an inner and outer wall with a vaulted corridor between them, about 2 m wide. The walls continue above the vaults, forming a protected rampart walk. The walls are up to 10 m high and at their base 2.2 to 2.4 m thick. The walls are reinfoced in the 3rd century BCE by 45 watchtowers in half elliptical form, at a distance from each other of 11.5 m at the northern and of 14 m at the eastern and western sides.

The fortress seems to have been in use until the 1st century CE and might have served as a refuge for the locals up to the early medieval period.

Ayaz Kala 2
A feudal fortress dating from the 6th to 8th century CE. in the Afrighid period. It was built on the top of a conical hill, about 40 m high, situated south west of Ayaz Kala 1. The fortress consists of the entry on the south western side and the main building which is oval in shape.

In the 6th to 8th century CE Khorezm was ruled by the Afrighid dynasty of Khorezmshahs. At this time the "dihqans", a new class of feudal landowners came into existence. They were descendants of the ancient nobility, courtiers or soldiers who had been rewarded for military services. Their agricultural estates were called "rustaq". They lived in "donjons", small square forts surrounded by a defensive wall. An important example called Yakke Parsan is situated 10 km south of Ayaz Kala.

Ayaz Kala 2 was built of rectangular mud bricks on a foundation of "paksha" (cob). The upper parts of the outer walls were crenulated. The building was fortified with low battlements and a row of arrow slits. Ayaz Kala 2 had a 50 m long sloping man-made staircase on the southern side of the fort.

The main building is considered as a palace with residential quarters, ceremonial halls with ceilings supported by multiple columns and a fire temple, luxuriously decorated with wall paintings. This building seems to have been the residence of a feudal lord loyal the Khorezmshah. The building was built in the 4th century CE and destroyed by two separate fires. The palace was in use during the 6th and 7th cent AD as a domestic dwelling. Ayaz Kala 2 seems the have been the center of a small rural community and might have been in use until the Mongol invasion in the 13th century CE.

Parts of the film Gengiz Khan were shot on Ayaz Kala 2. The best view of the site is from the top of Ayaz Kala 1. The best pictures of Ayaz Kala 1 and 2 are taken at sunset.

Ayaz Kala 3
A fortified garrison dating from the 1st to 2nd century CE. The monumental building in the north east corner may have been founded in thr 5th or 4th cent. BC: The site covers an area of about 5 hectares.

The enclosure wall is one of the largest fortresses in Karalpakstan. Ayaz Kala 3 is 66 percent larger than Ayaz Kala 1. The biggest of these fortresses is Akcha Khan Kala, which is three times larger than Ayaz Kala 3. It has the shape of a parallelogram with sides 260 m and 180 m long. The structure of the external wall is similar to Ayaz Kala 1. The external walls are 7.5 m wide. The circular watch towers have a size of 8 m. The fortress was built with paksha in the lower parts and masonry in the upper parts. made of adobe blocks. The entrance to the fortress on the western side consists of an S-Shaped extension of the external wall. The interior of the fortress is empty.

The monumental buildings in the north east corner cover an area of 2,400 m². The building has 40 rooms divided into 4 groups by 2 central corridors. There are remains of a narrow corridor on three sides of the buildings. The southern and eastern walls have square watch towers, about 2m x 2m.

It is supposed that Ayaz Kala 3 was used in Kushan times as a garrison or as a ruler's residence and refuge for the local farming population and that a small force used Ayaz Kala 1 as a lookout post.

Do
The land around the fortresses is owned by Ayaz Kala Tours. They run the Ayaz Kala Yurt Camp, organise tours to the fortresses, camel rides as well as boat excursion and bird watching on Ayaz Kala Lake.

title: Ayaz-Kala


text:
Ayder

Ayder is a resort town in Eastern Karadeniz region of Turkey, up in the lush Kaçkar Mountains, surrounded by waterfalls.

Get in
Getting in is easy(ish): take a bus from either Trabzon, Rize or Hopa to Pazar and take a dolmuş from there (though the last departure is at about 6PM during summertime)

Get around
Walk till your heart's content or take a dolmuş back to Chamlihemshin (to get cash or get into another valley) or Pazar.

It's a nice trek up to Yukarı Kavron, mountain pastures higher in the valley, towards the Kackar peak. However, there are far too many vehicles during the summer. It'a better idea to take the dolmuş, from the center of Ayder, and start your trek from Kavron.

See
Beautiful mountain scenery and maybe Hemshin people dancing and playing a peculiar sounding bagpipe.

Do

 * Walk through the beautiful mountain scenery of the Kaçkar Mountains. Head up Mount Kaçkar or to the three lakes: lots to see and do. It is advisable to hire a guide though.
 * Take a dip in the hot spring pool at the local hamam—hot and wonderful after a day's hike.

Go next
Take the dolmuş to Pazar and from there a bus to Trabzon or Rize.

title: Ayder


text:
Aydincik

Aydıncık is a small town (population: about 7,000) in southern part of Cilician Mountains, Mediterranean Turkey. Its former name was Gilindire, which comes from the name of the Roman city modern town of Aydıncık replaced: Kelenderis.

By car
The town is served by D400, main highway between Antalya and Adana. Although these are two of Turkey’s biggest cities, and D400 is classified as a highway, the road to both directions is narrow (wide enough for two cars passing side by side though) and very winding.

By bus
All buses operating between Antalya and Adana and all the way to Southeastern region cities have to pass via Aydıncık, though it is not certain if they accept passengers for Aydıncık.

Drink
There is a very nice open-air tea garden next to the little wharf. It is like an oasis with its shading trees in the peak of summer heat. A (small) glass of tea costs 0.25 TL and a cup of tea costs 0.50 TL there.

Connect
The telephone code for Aydıncık is 324.

Go next
Anamur, Alanya, and Manavgat on the road west to Antalya; Silifke, Heaven and Hell caves (Cennet-Cehennem), and Maiden’s Castle (Kızkalesi), on the road east to Mersin.

title: Aydincik


text:
Ayia Napa

Ayia Napa (now officially transliterated into English as Agia Napa from the Greek) is a tourist location at the easternmost end of the Republic of Cyprus. It is widely considered the premier nightlife location of Cyprus.

Understand
Ayia Napa is Greek for "Saint Napa", the patron saint of the town, whose Venetian-era monastery is in the centre of the town, next to the square which today is clubbing central.

It's in the far eastern end of the Republic of Cyprus, east of the UK Sovereign Base Area Dhekelia. Ayia Napa is synonymous with clubbing on the island, having made a transition from a popular, all-ages family holiday destination to a "dance party capital", similar to Ibiza in Spain. In particular, it is popular as the summer holiday destination for followers of London's UK Garage music scene. British tourists are still the most prevalent here, but there are a lot of Russians holidaying in the area. It is also a long-time favourite among Scandinavians.

Beyond the clubbing, however, Ayia Napa attracts tourists world-wide because of its fun-loving (some would say, totally hedonistic) outlook by night and its sandy Mediterranean beaches by day.

By plane
Most travellers arrive at Ayia Napa by flights to the island of Cyprus that land at Larnaca airport. From there, it is a 45-minute taxi ride to Ayia Napa. Total fare should be around €45-55.

By road

 * Service taxis
 * Regular bus services IntercityBuses and OSEA connect Ayia Napa to the main cities.
 * Rent a car. Prices are reasonable compared to other Mediterranean destinations, and will allow you to explore the area further. In the summer try and get an air-conditioned vehicle.

Get around

 * On foot. Ayia Napa is small enough to be considered just about walkable.
 * Bicycle. Widely available, lots of bicycle lanes.
 * Mopeds. Again widely available, and can be fun. However, these can be death traps if not driven with the appropriate care and responsibility. If in doubt of your driving skills and discipline, avoid them at all costs.
 * Car rental. These are useful in exploring the wider area, but traffic and parking in the centre of Agia Napa can be a problem. If you are thinking of drinking don’t risk driving, as local laws are very strict.
 * Taxis. Compared to most European cities these are quite affordable. Widely available. Make sure the driver turns the taxi meter on, or negotiate the total fare to your destination prior to departure.

Beaches
Ayia Napa attracted its first tourists (mostly Scandinavian) on the back of its incredible beaches. There is a selection of idyllic powder white sand beaches. The water is crystal clear with a lovely blue-green colour. The water tends to be quite shallow. Even if you are a swimming pool person, visiting Agia Napa’s beaches will surely convert you. Every beach will have a water sports centre so make sure you know the boundaries of the swimming and powerboat areas. Accidents have happened. Food, drinks, umbrellas and sunbeds are all available but during the season you need to get there early to reserve yours. The beaches are under the management of the city. Umbrellas and sunbeds are lent at municipal stands for each €2.5 per day. Bungee jumps come in and out of fashion.

Buy
Shopping in Ayia Napa is comparatively expensive. There are many convenience stores or supermarkets. Many sell food and souvenirs side by side. They are more expensive than usual supermarkets in other locations though they heavily advertise their prices. It is hard to find food for homemade preparation like fresh fruit. Bigger supermarkets can be found in Paralimni around 6 kilometres to the north or in Larnaca.

Drink
Ayia Napa is famous for its nightlife. The Square should be your first choice for nightlife in the area. Although the area is a lot smaller than you might expect, there is a lot packed into the area and there are plenty of places to drink. Main bars include Bedrock, the Castle Club and Ice. Competition between various bars is phenomenally fierce and most bars employ promotional staff who will accost you on the street with offers of free shots or drinks. These people are exceptionally persistent and will even go as far as to grab you should you refuse to acknowledge them. Although they pose no threat they can be very annoying. Be particularly aware of those trying to promote Toga Toga or Moulin Rouge, the main strip clubs on the island. By all means, listen to the various PR people if you're partially interested because they can get you genuine deals in bars and clubs, but remember that their sole aim is to make you poorer and them richer, so politely tolerate but don't fall for their efforts to try and make friends with you. However, it can be amusing to distract them from their job and try to engage them in long conversation.

Clubs and bars are open until daybreak and as a result, the 'scene' doesn't really begin to pick up until around 23:00-ish. Patrons who are used to attending bars from 20:00 and heading to a club around midnight will need to reset their body clocks. The square is practically deserted until 21:30: most clubbers don't even bother going out until after 11:00, and most clubs won't open until after 01:00. Those expecting a cheap night out are also going to be slightly disappointed. Drinks prices are generally the same in most bars. Watch out in clubs. Admission fees can also be high, but canny clubbers should be able to find a good deal. Promo people can be quite helpful in this regard, and if you know where you're planning to go, you can usually pick up cheaper advance tickets. Some bars also have arrangements with clubs - one of the bars behind Castle (Red Square) offers buy-one-get-one-free on some of their drinks and will give you free entrance ticket to Castle or Starskys.

For an area that's fuelled by alcohol, Ayia Napa seems to suffer very little from anti-social behaviour. Provided you observe general bar and club etiquette you are extremely unlikely to encounter any trouble from other clubbers, locals or the police. The atmosphere in general is a very good, positive one, which offsets the fact that your night out is going to be more expensive than one in the UK.

Sleep
If you are looking to get away from it all and relax with your family in privacy, then a holiday villa may be the right choice for you. By renting a private villa, you will have your own kitchen, living/dining room, bedroom and in many cases your own private swimming pool. Renting a villa provides you, not only, with more space and privacy but may also be a more economical option rather than staying at a small hotel room. A villa can usually accommodate a minimum of 4 people, and the rental price is charged per week making it more cost-effective than staying at a hotel.

Connect
Many of the beaches provide free Wi-Fi.

Go next

 * Paralimni
 * Larnaca
 * Protaras

title: Ayia Napa


text:
Aylesbury

Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire.

Understand
The town dates back to the 4th century BC when it was an Iron age hill fort. By Anglo Saxon times it had grown to be a major market town. In 1529 Henry VIII declared the town the town as the county town of Buckinghamshire although, it is thought the decision was more to gain favour with Thomas Boleyn (father of Anne Boleyn) who was owner of Aylesbury Manor. 1603/4 saw the population decimated by plague. The town played a significant role in the Civil War when it was a stronghold for Parliamentarian forces (1642 was the Battle of Aylesbury, won by the Parliamentarians).

Other "claims to fame":
 * A stronghold for the Parliamentarian forces in the English Civil War (1642 say the Battle of Aylesbury - won by Parliamentarians). Nearby Great Hampden has resulted in John Hampden becoming something of a "local hero"
 * The Aylesbury duck - breed of domesticated duck bred for meat and appearance although only one breed remains active today.
 * Great Train Robbery (1963) culprits were tried in Aylesbury Crown Court (1964)
 * Home to Stoke Mandeville Hospital, which includes one of the world's leading centres for research, treatment, and rehabilitation of spinal injuries. The hospital is even more notable as the birthplace of the Paralympic Games. The UK's National Centre for Disability Sport is located next to the hospital, including an athletics stadium, indoor arenas for court sports and bowls, tennis courts, and a 25-metre swimming pool.

In 2005 the town was selected to be one of 6 "Cycling Demonstration Towns" receiving significant funding to develop cycling and cycle infrastructure in and around the town. As a result of this the town is well served by local cycle routes.

By road

 * The town lies on the A41 London to Birkenhead road, running to Tring, Berkhamsted, Hemel Hempstead, Kings Langley, Watford and London to the SE and to Bicester and the M40 motorway to the NW.
 * The A418 connects the town to Oxford to the W and to Leighton Buzzard to the NE.
 * The A413 connects the town to Amersham and West London to the SE.
 * The A4010 connects the town to High Wycombe

By bicycle

 * The National Byway cycle route passes 5 miles to the NW of the town.
 * Regional Cycle Route 30 and local cycle routes leave the town to the SE connecting to most other towns to the SE including Tring, Berkhamstead, Amersham, Great Missenden, etc.
 * Regional Cycle Route 30 and local cycle routes leave the town to the SE connecting to most other towns to the SE including Tring, Berkhamstead, Amersham, Great Missenden, etc.

On foot
The Ridgeway Footpath (87 miles) running from Overton Hill in Avebury to Ivinghoe Beacon near Tring passes 5 miles SE of Aylesbury through Wendover.

Get around
Walking and cycling are both popular ways for exploring nearby hinterland. There has been substantial investment in a cycle route network

On foot
Aylesbury is a fairly small town with some parts of the centre being pedestrianised, thus making it an ideal place to walk around.

By bus
Local and county wide bus service operated by Arriva Bus

See

 * Aylesbury Vale, beautiful winding hills around the town
 * Market Square
 * Market Square
 * Market Square

Do
Visit Butler's Cross on a sunny day to see a view of the town from a hill.

Grand Union Canal - hire a narrowboat for a day or two to cruise.

Take in a play at the beautiful Waterside Theatre, opened in 2010.

Buy
A historic market town, Aylesbury has a daily market in the town centre. Products include fruit, vegetables, clothes, horticulture and media. Every so often on the weekend a French Market operates, bringing with it cheeses, bread and various other French delicacies.

Eat
Restaurants are dotted around the town centre, ranging from fast food to à la carte.

Drink
The main late night venue's are situated around the cinema area, and also Kingsbury Square.

Aylesbury also has a number of excellent pubs selling locally brewed beer including

Sleep

 * Town centre has many small B&Bs.
 * Lots of self-catering is available for short or long stays.

Go next

 * North to Buckingham on the A413.
 * North east to Leighton Buzzard on the A418.
 * East to Tring on the A413 or by train or the Grand Union Canal.
 * then onto Amersham
 * South to Wendover on the A413 or by train.
 * South to High Wycombe on the A4010.
 * South West to Thame on the A418.
 * North west to Bicester on the A41 and the Bicester Shopping Village.

title: Aylesbury


text:
Aylmer

Aylmer is a town of about 7,700 people (2021) in Southwestern Ontario in Canada.

History
In October 1817, John Van Patter, an emigrant from New York State, obtained 80 ha of land and became the first contemporary settler on the site of Aylmer. During the 1830s a general store was opened and village lots sold in what was then called Troy. In 1835 it was renamed Aylmer after Lord Aylmer, then Governor-in-Chief of British North America. By 1851 local enterprises included sawmills and flour-mills powered by water from Catfish Creek. Aided by easy access to Lake Erie, Aylmer became by the mid-1860s the marketing centre for a rich agricultural and timber producing area. It benefited greatly from the construction of the 230-km Canada Air Line Railway from Glencoe to Fort Erie in the 1860s.

Mennonite and Amish communities
In the mid-1970s, many German-speaking Mennonites began migrating to the Aylmer area from Mexico. The Mennonites were Canadian citizens who had moved to Mexico from Manitoba and Saskatchewan during the first half of the 20th century. By the early 21st century, there was a large Mennonite population in Aylmer and the surrounding area. In addition to the Mennonite population there are sizable Dutch, German, and British descended populations in the area.

Just east of Aylmer is a sizable Old Order Amish community. This community was founded by families moving from Ohio in 1953. They were uncomfortable with a nuclear facility being constructed close to their community in Ohio. Since that time, the community has grown to encompass three "districts" the surrounding area. A number of members from this community participate in the weekly Aylmer Sales Barn and sell fruit, vegetables, eggs, and animals, such as rabbits and chickens. This Amish community eschews the use of automobiles, electricity, and most modern conveniences. An Amish publishing house, Pathway Publishers, is based in the community.

Tobacco industry
The tobacco growing industry played a large part in the economic development of Aylmer.

Ontario Police College
In 1962 a central provincial police academy was established in Aylmer. With very rare exceptions, all Police Officers in Ontario attend the college for their 15-week program in order to receive their Basic Constables diploma. Once they have received the diploma and after they have been sworn in as Peace Officers, they can then work in the Province of Ontario as police officers.

Get in

 * From London, Aylmer is 40 km away: south on Highbury Ave N (#30), and east on Ron McNeil Line (#52).
 * From Toronto, Aylmer is 190 km away: west on Gardiner Expressway/Queen Elizabeth Way to Highway 403, then southwest to Elgin Road (#52).

Get around

 * J & D's Taxi Service, +1 519-773-9566

See

 * 10,000-60,000 Tundra Swans arrive in the spring as they make their way from their wintering grounds on Chesapeake Bay, to the Arctic - where they breed. They stop over at the Wildlife Management Area near the Ontario Police College on Hacienda Road, located on the north-east side of Aylmer. A Swan Line (+1 519-773-7926) provides daily updates about the number of swans arriving from the last week of February to the end of March or when the swans are gone.

Sleep
Some limited B&B style accommodation can be found in the countryside, and camping is possible at the Springwater Conservation Area during summer.

Hotels are available in either St. Thomas (20 minutes west) or Tillsonburg (25 minutes east).

Go next

 * Bayham — a rural area than includes Port Burwell, and its lighthouse, marine museum and provincial park.
 * St. Thomas (Ontario) — celebrates its history as a railway junction with an impressive railway museum, the railway hall of fame housed in the old train station and railway office, and an elevated park on an old railway bridge. A life-sized statue commemorates Jumbo the circus elephant, struck and killed by a locomotive in town.
 * Port Stanley — one of Lake Erie Shore's small historic harbours, today a beach town with a main street offering some small inns, dining and shopping.
 * London — the nearest major community, and the largest city in Western Ontario.

title: Aylmer


text:
Ayodhya

Ayodhya (अयोध्या Ayodhyā) is an ancient city in the Awadh region of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Ayodhya is one of the major holy cities of Hinduism - the world's 3rd-largest religion. It has a central role in the ancient Indian epic, the Ramayana, whose protagonist Lord Rama is God incarnated on Earth as the prince of Ayodhya.

This article also covers Faizabad, the twin city of Ayodhya. Faizabad, and Ayodhya before it, was the capital of the 18th and 19th-century Oudh State before the capital was moved to Lucknow.

Name
The name Ayodhyā literally means "invincible" in Sanskrit, which is derived from the root yudh ("to fight, to wage war"). Historically, Ayodhya was also known as Saketa, which was widespread by Buddhist travellers and faraway traders.

Mythology
The Ramayana epic describes Lord Rama's 14-year exile, his victory over evil and his grand return with his wife Sita to Ayodhya to become king. This return to Ayodhya is celebrated as Diwali, the leading festival of hundreds of millions of Hindus world-wide. Consequently, Lord Rama's reign over Ayodhya and its surroundings, called Rama Rajya, is the epitome of good governance and moral society in the Hindu tradition.

The story of Rama has transcended into a great inspirational story and parable for children and adults around the world. Ayodhya has come to symbolise inner peace, joy and spiritual upliftment.

The former Thai capital Ayutthaya and the Indonesian city of Yogyakarta are named after Ayodhya.

History
Ayodhya's history has also been marked by Hindu-Muslim disputes about a temple and mosque. In 1527, the Mughal Emperor Babur had a temple destroyed and a mosque constructed at the site in Ayodhya traditionally associated with the birth of Rama. Since then, the Babri Masjid became a focal point of grievances and disputes. The mosque was ultimately destroyed by Hindu demonstrators in 1992. Following the destruction, there were large riots in Gujarat and terrorist acts (including the Godhra train massacre, which triggered the Gujarat riots, and the 2005 Ram Janmabhoomi attack in Ayodhya). Following the rise of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government under Narendra Modi in 2014, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of awarding the site to the Hindus, while the Muslims were given an alternative site to build a replacement mosque.

Read

 * Rama and Ayodhya by Meenakshi Jain. This book contains a detailed study of the religious and social history of Ayodhya.
 * Ayodhya: The Case Against the Temple (2002) by Koenraad Elst. A very readable account of the socio-political issues concerning Ayodhya and the Ram temple in the late 20th century by a Belgian Indologist. ISBN 81-85990-7
 * The Ayodhya Temple Mosque Dispute: Focus on Muslim Sources by Harsh Narain. This book contains descriptions of the city of Ayodhya by Muslim historians and writers from past centuries.

By train
Ayodhya and Faizabad ares served by and  respectively. Trains are available from Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi and Prayagraj. Some important express trains to Ayodhya Junction or Ayodhya Cantt include:

 * From Amritsar: Saryu Yamuna Express
 * From Gorakhpur: Lucknow Vande Bharat Express
 * From Delhi: Raxaul Sadbhavana Express, Malda Town Farakka Express
 * From Kolkata: Doon Express, Jammu Tawi Express
 * From Lucknow: Gorakhpur Vande Bharat Express
 * From Varanasi: Marudhar Express, Sabarmati Express

By car
The city is about 130 km from Lucknow, 200 km from Varanasi, 160 km from  Prayagraj,  140 km from Gorakhpur and about 636  km from Delhi. Buses are frequently available from Lucknow, Delhi and Gorakhpur. Buses are also available from Varanasi, Prayagraj and other places.

Events
Ayodhya being a sacred religious place, has lots to offer to a spiritual mind. Some of the fairs and festivals Ayodhya is famous for are

Buy
You can buy Ramnama towel, chundri, kurta and handicraft bags, tulsi mala, ramdana, Ramayana, books, sweet ball (laddoo).

Eat
Options are limited to local eateries/restaurants which offer largely vegetarian food.

Drink
You can get water, fruit juice, cold drinks, etc.

Go next

 * Lucknow
 * Prayagraj

title: Ayodhya


text:
Ayorou

Ayorou is a river-side town in Southwestern Niger. It is three hours from Niamey with a colorful, laid-back Sunday market. It makes either a great day trip or overnight from Niamey.

Get in
Ayorou is 206 km (3 hours) north of Niamey on the route past Tillaberi. The bus company Africa Assalaam, just off of Rond Point Yantala on the Tillaberi road, runs shuttles up there from Niamey.

See and do

 * Market: Wander to your heart's content. The market has a big mix of cultures and a selection of goods not available in Niamey or elsewhere. People are a degree calmer and more polite than in other markets, making for a very pleasant morning.
 * Hippo and island tours: From the hotel you can arrange a motorized or non-motorized pirogue ride to see the hippopotami and islands. Many boat operators will offer their services. One decent guide is Ilou Anafiyou, who gives a 3-hour motorized pirogue tour of hippopotami and two island villages, bargained down to 20,000 F. (96-11-39-52, 96-08-71-25, or ylouanafiyoa@yahoo.fr). A motorized pirogue may allow you to get to the less-visited islands upon request. Ilou can also arrange a tasty dinner for your group, bargained down to 1,250 F/person.

Buy

 * Etched and painted clay pots
 * Plastic bracelets
 * Colorful painted leather goods including pillow cushions, horse and camel satchels, etc.
 * Fabric
 * Beads and buttons
 * Pure karite (Shea) butter

Eat and drink
Street food is your best option. There is also one bar/restaurant in town. Or, guys at the hotel may be able to arrange a dinner. The bar/restaurant has Biere Niger (which is good), Flag beer, Cokes, etc. On the street you can find people selling local sugary drinks, tasty but at your own risk as far as water quality is concerned.

Sleep
There is one hotel in town, and it is decent, with beautiful river views and shaded areas to have a coke and relax. The hotel has rooms for 10,000 F and up (but if you pay extra for a fan or A/C remember that power generally gets cut at midnight) or you can camp for 3000 F. Camping includes nothing – no tent, mattress, water, or luggage storage. For a different tack, it looks like there is a nice French-run campement on a private island downriver.

Connect
Good phone reception.

title: Ayorou


text:
Ayot St Lawrence

Ayot St Lawrence is a small village in Hertfordshire. It lies between Harpenden and Welwyn Garden City. It is mainly known as the home of George Bernard Shaw from 1906 until his death in 1950. For a time it was also known as the home of England's only silk farm, housed at the Georgian Ayot House, but that has moved to Dorset.

Understand
'Ayot' may means a 'gap' or an 'island'. When it rains heavily over the winter and the single-track approach roads flood, it still maintains that feeling. The village has one ancient pub, two churches and about 150 people. For a time it has provided a home for Douglas Fairbanks and golfer Nick Faldo but it is mainly visited because of the home of Shaw.

Get in
Travelling by car from London, leave the A1(M) motorway at Welwyn (this lies to the north of Welwyn Garden City) and head west on the country roads.

title: Ayot St Lawrence


text:
Ayr

There is more than one place in the world called Ayr. You could be looking for:

Australia

 * Ayr (Queensland), a small town in Queensland

United Kingdom

 * Ayr (Scotland), a town in Ayrshire, in Scotland.

United States

 * Ayr (North Dakota), a small town in North Dakota.

Ayr

title: Ayr


text:
Ayr (Queensland)

Ayr is a small town in Far North Queensland, 88 km from Townsville.

Understand
The town has a population of about 8000 and is a major centre for growing sugar cane, mangoes and vegetables. This is helped by the good water supply in the area. The town attracts people with working holiday visas between March and December to work on harvests.

Get in
Ayr is an hour's drive south of Townsville which has flights to Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne. Highway 1 then goes south to Mackay, Rockhampton, and Brisbane.

Sleep
The town's backpackers offer weekly rates for temporary workers.

title: Ayr (Queensland)