- You offer group trips from London to Baghdad. Don't you think it's somewhat dangerous right now?
- We organized trips to Iraq from the late 60s until the start of the Gulf War and resumed them in 1999. Last year we organized five tours, this year we plan seven, the first scheduled for March. If war breaks out, we will cancel the trips and refund the money.
- Do people book such tours?
- We have nine applications for March and a few more for other dates. They come from all over the world, including Germany.
- What kind of people are they? Adventurers or jaded tourists?
- Both. But mainly they are elderly, but not old, people who are interested in history, archaeology, and culture. We Britons lack this; for many years we were deprived of the opportunity to travel to ancient cities like Babylon. My clients want to see all this. They are also interested in what kind of country it is and what kind of people live there.
- Aren't you afraid of hostage-taking in the current tense situation?
- As a tour organizer, I certainly think about it. But for clients it's not a topic. And I must say that whenever we were in Iraq, we and the people we work with did not feel fear.
- If war starts while the group is in Iraq, they will need to be rescued and evacuated, thereby forcing you to expose people to new danger.
- I think that at the latest 8-10 days before departure we will know how safe it is. If the situation is uncertain, we will probably cancel the trip. The situation changes daily. We fly from London to Damascus, then a few more days pass before we cross the border. In Iraq itself we stay for only 14 days. I think everything will be fine.
- Who leads the group?
- I fly with the group, we have an Iraqi guide and a ministry representative responsible for our safety.
- Were you in Iraq last year?
- With all five groups, the last time in early November. And each time I discover something new.
- What do you feel when traveling through a country whose population is expecting war any day now?
- These people have resigned themselves to their fate. When they hear where we are from, they are surprised. But they are very hospitable.
- How much does the trip cost?
- 1,340 pounds, including airfare and visa fees. Thanks to the favorable exchange rate, we can stay in the best hotels. Despite the sanctions, they are in acceptable condition. We can't even eat everything that is served to us.
- Doesn't this contrast with how the population is provisioned?
- Many members of the Iraqi middle class go to restaurants. Salad, chicken, kebab, rice - the basic foodstuffs are available in sufficient quantities; they are only inaccessible to the poorest.
- Do you offer tours exclusively to Iraq?
- No, also to Afghanistan. Also since the 60s. I was there last in December. I had the feeling that it was safe there. But if fighting breaks out again, we will not be able to offer such tours. Afghans are very friendly, and they benefit from our visits. We leave money in the country, for example for food. Afghanistan also needs people who travel there; for them it is a path to a normal life.