Good evening, guys from Kurdistan. And in today's video, I’m going to be flying to
a new place; a place that's the furthest place I’ve ever been from my comfort
zone which if you saw my last video, Kurdistan was that place. And now, we're
leveling up to the next place which we are going to be heading over to
Baghdad, and by we I mean me, and my friend Luke. Hello, what's up everybody? So,
we're heading to the airport right now from Erbil where we're flying from. And
so, it's gonna be an interesting flight because this airport is very high
security. When we dropped off our buddy Yad the other day, basically they stopped
us to do like an entire car check. They checked some of the bags which is good,
you know like it makes you feel very safe but it was like quite an intense
check overall. And so, we're gonna be going through there, our driver here, our
cab driver, he had specifically mentioned you know be careful with- with having
those cameras out because that's definitely gonna freak them out. So, I
probably won't, and just to be safe. Obviously, I don't want to get myself in
any trouble, be showing you much of the process to get inside the airport but
yeah, we're flying over to Baghdad. It's a separate visa to get to Baghdad. So, we're
paying about 70 US dollars because if you haven't seen my other videos
basically Kurdistan, and Iraq proper are treated as almost two separate countries
but by like the United Nations, and a lot of the world, they're still seen as one
country. So yeah, we're actually arriving to the airport right now, so I’m
gonna put the camera down before I get myself in trouble. Alright, it was a
quick process, actually not super quick to get
through security. This is just level one where they drop you off here, and then
you gotta take a bus over here to the main terminal. So there's the bus, there's
the main terminal. Now, we're cruising this way but funny enough, we didn't need
a PCR according-- accordingly even if you’re vaxxed or not vaxxed, you go to Baghdad
because it's I guess domestic still but I bet we'll still need it, that's my
guess, that's Luke's guess. So, Yallah. Let's head on over. Better to be safe than
sorry, right. Oh, there's a new Covid era. Exactly. Every-- every country that
I’ve been to like maybe they don't require a Covid
test to arrive but like I’ll transfer through an airport, and then they'll
require. So, I always get a PCR to be safe.
I have made it to their Erbil international airport here. This is
actually where I got picked up from the taxi when I arrived here. They picked me
up right over there. It's a bit of a deja vu, feels like I just got here, and it's
already been actually two weeks tomorrow, so 13 days here. Let's head on in, and get
checked in. We're a couple hours early for the flight. I think we still got a
solid three hours. So, that gives us plenty of time to get
through, maybe a long process of security, and visa check, whatever. So, since we're
here about three hours before, we have some time to burn in the airport. So, it's
time to get a little snack here, I’m thinking I might have to get a doughnut but
Luke spotted a little manakish, bringing me back to the Lebanon days.
Salaam Alaikum [Peace be upon you]. Oh, chocolate muffins, yum, yum, yum but I- I think that vanilla doughnut
is just screaming my name. But honestly, I probably shouldn't because I’ve just
been eating junk food like pretty much every day, from-- Not junk food but you
know like unhealthy food for better words. I’m thinking, let's maybe start off
with a little medium ice latte with milk.
So, it's just normal or with any flavor? Normal, yeah just with cream or
milk. Do you have sandwiches? Not sandwiches. Alright, I’ll take a manakish then.
Actually wait, let me look at the manakish one more time. What do you guys
think, is that gonna give me food poisoning? Do I risk it? Is there pizza?
Bummer, bummer. Traditional Kurdish food. That's a bummer, I feel like I
just gotta get a snack then. I’ll take a chocolate muffin please.
Yeah, and I’ll get yours too because I owe you from the taxi. And a chocolate donut
please. Right 17,250. Thank you. No yeah, that's one thing here.
Yeah, oh yeah, whenever you're in an airport in the US, it's always like
make sure if you spot any luggage in an airport that's unattended, you report it
to airport security right away. That's what you're here in the US but here we
just got one chilling. We have some stuff showing there. Oh, thank you very much.
Zor supas [Thank you so much] Shukran my friend.
Thank you. Alright, so it really is just a bag. No, it's just an abandoned bag,
that's usually when you report that but I guess-- I touched it. So now, that
evidence. Yeah exactly, now you got fingerprints on you, bro. And the treats
have arrived. You got a little warm donut over there.
That’s a big one, probably 2000 calories. It's a hot one too.
Oh, that's the best way to get it.
I’ve noticed that a lot of places put these nuts in there. I’ll be quite honest
with you, I’m not a big fan of them. I had them a couple times, and most recently in
my last video here in Kurdistan, I had them in an avocado toast,
and it was just a bit too much. It was a bit heavy. So, I’d have to pull a couple
of those off while I chow down on it but let's give it a big old bite,
melts in the mouth, Guilty pleasure right there, and a nice
little something- something to wash it down.
That’s a good coffee. Well now, you guys know Erbil airport, you can get some good
snacks if you have to wait. Alright, we've been at the airport for probably
three or four hours already, waiting for the gates open going through a couple
rounds of security. And alas! we are at the area for the gate but it seems like
even once you get inside the airport, there's another- another level of
entrance or another process to get in there. They
definitely have this place on a solid lock down here. It's pretty quiet though,
as I said at the beginning. There's probably not too many people as
intelligent as us flying to Baghdad in the middle of the night, right Luke?
I don't think many people do it. Alright, and this is it, there's no
turning back now. Bro, you ready? We're heading to Baghdad.
Alright, here are the gates-- the gates to Baghdad. Yallah bina.
We’ve got a little ticket machine here. Salaam Alaikum [Peace be upon you].
Good, and you? Thank you so much, have a good one.
We’re on the flat. Yeah, there's no turning back now, brother.
Let’s get it. Right up at the front of the plane. Hello.
This is it, yeah. We are on the flight to Baghdad here, so
gonna be spending the next, I don't know five maybe six days here,
planning to leave then but who knows could always last a little bit longer.
And we'll see, what we're gonna get into though. It's gonna be a lot of
exploration, feeling a little bit like you know
better, had just sipped a beer here at the airport. So, you know that always
eases tension but we're arriving, I think we'll probably be at the hotel by like
1 a.m. So, should be an adventure, and we're off,
there’s definitely no turning back now. You probably can't see much of Erbil
though, these windows are just you know maybe just a little bit dirty. It looks
like, we're flying into Baghdad right now, just about 10 minutes out from landing.
We have arrived, we're cruising, and taxiing over to the gate right now,
And, we are here.
Let’s go. Hello, Baghdad. We are here. Ready for some Baghdadi shisha?
InshaAllah [God willing], bro. Yallah bro. From here though, look at you can see the lights
inside the other building. It looks super nice inside of here. Look at the airport,
it's cool. Looks-- looks pretty modern overall but
I mean obviously, most airports in the world are. Well, we just arrived to
Baghdad here, and a bit of like dodgy process to get
to-- get the visas here.
We kind of just found a guy when he walked up in line, and he was like
oh follow me, and Luke found the paper on the desk, and grabbed it,
filled out the visas. And now, we're-- Fast forward about
one hour later, we're still here just waiting around. We got our new friend Ty
here. How we doing brother? Just flew in from Barcelona, making new friends here
within the first hour. So, we're gonna see what we get into for the next few days,
and until then, we'll see you on the other side once we get these visas in
hand. If we get the visas, hopefully fingers crossed. InshaAllah [God Willing]. Youtuber
is the occupation which is just a no-no like never that just is like as bad as
saying, you're a journalist. Next time just put marketing, I’m gonna
put marketing because that's the same thing that I’m doing, just not as
defined as Youtuber. Oh, Luke's finding the bags.
See anything back there? So these people have been waiting just
as long as we have? That’s crazy. Alright, we have retrieved
the bags. I wonder how long it's been there. It's been sitting there for a
while I looked down, and I was like that looks just like my bag, and these
little girls were standing around. I was like is that-- is that your bag, they're
like no, no I was like I recognized the dust mark on it. So, it took us probably a
total of hour, and 20 minutes to get through the process, ended up being 77 dollars
for the visa, and get to in for about 10 days. And, our buddy Ty here was telling
us that if you stay longer than 10 days, you have to do like an HIV test, and a
few other things. Thank you, thank you, my friends.
Sim cards closed?
8 am, yeah.
And you guys got a good price, yeah special price.
VIP Whoa, these are-- what are these like the
most expensive cars in Baghdad? Oh, okay. Alright, we got a special deal
for us then right, a good welcoming to Baghdad with a good
price, that's how we like it. Inshallah [God willing].
Welcome to Iraq. Thank you, Thank you brother. Shukran, shukran.
Taj hotel.
Who is driving?
So, you guys got a new driver for us, an English-speaking driver. Sure.
Mac, M-A-C
Oh, those aren't police, you scared me. Yeah, those are taxi drivers.
Ah, you are our guy. Perfect. Thank you. Shukran Habibi.
Alright, guys we are arriving. Salaam alaikum. Hey, Salaam Alaikum [Pecae be upon you]. Hello!
Yeah, we got a bunch of nice—Yeah, yeah, a really nice greeting. Yeah this is great
vibes. In the morning. I know everyone's full of energy. Yeah, we're walking out,
getting in with a taxi driver here. What’s your name? My name is Hassan
Hassan. Hassan, the man. From Baghdad? Oh yes.
Oh great, well it's a pleasure to meet you, my brother. Oh, it comes up.
Thank you, thank you, bro. Alright, and we're walking through the-- the parking
garage. So, I guess this is where the-- the taxis picked up.
My friend how are we? How are we? Yeah, yeah, so we're getting really
nice welcoming here, in the middle of the night. This is how you know you're going
to the right place, you got marked cars here. It looks like there's Wi-Fi
symbols on these cabs, so that's a good sign.
Alright, looks like we got a winner, 67 right over here. Yeah,
this is the one. So, we got the Hyundai’s, Hyundai Tucson I was hoping for 69.
Shukran Habibi!
Alright, shukran [Thank you]. Super welcoming people here. So, I think
we're all-- we're all good on money. Yeah, thank you.
Oh you ten more. Oh yes, okay. So, what do we got going on here? Is this a security
checkpoint?
We’ve got Ty, he came along for the ride, and his ride's picking him up. Ty, best
of luck, my brother, I’ll see you guys. Yeah, we'll see you sooner than later. Let
us know, if you need anything bro.
Kifak [How are you?]
Later bro, take care. Yeah, we'll do, bro. We'll do.
See ya. And, into the darkness Ty enjoy.
Alright, we're in Baghdad baby.
Salaam Alaikum [Peace be upon you]. Oh, you have shisha.
[Speaking Foreign Language]
Good Arabic, right?
Three waters, one thousand. No, no, no.
People are having some argele here, right down the river. Nice views there.
Tomorrow. Tomorrow is a good spot to come down here.
Oh, that looks like a nice marketplace down there.
Very nice.
So, it looks like, we're trying to figure out how to get to the Taj. Yeah, you
don't have Google maps? Yeah, we can put it on GPS.
Hello, Taj. We are arriving to the Taj right now. It looks like a nice place,
plenty of military, and security here, watching over us.
Salam Alaikum [Peace be upon you]
We’re arriving into the Taj, it looks like a very nice entrance.
Oh, it smells good. It's got a nice Middle Eastern smell, and we got an ATM. Oh baby.
Salaam Alaikum [Peace be upon you]. Reservation. Yeah, we have a reservation
for Luke. “L-u-k-e” from booking.com. Yes, that's the one.
Give me your passports please. Sure thing
Alright, nice looking place here very modern.
24/7 perfect.
Very nice. It's always shisha o'clock.
Room number 407. Two beds? Yeah
Shukran Hassan. See you tomorrow. Alright, yallah, yallah.
Oh, it's not plugged in. Oh, we got a pool
but no water. It's a skate park.
Alright, we're going to floor number four. What's-- what's your name?
Ramazan. Nice to meet you Ramazan. Salam Alaikum [Peace be upon you]
You're from Iraq? No, I'm Bangladesh.
Nice country, nice country. Alright, here's the crew.
Oh, fresh paint. Pretty modern.
Yeah, very modern.
And you've got a bathroom.
Alright, nice shower. Good-- good little setup here.
Fresh paint, yeah. So, we got a nice little window here, good
views. Oh, no way to find out. Oh, there we go, we got a wall. Thank you.
And this is it, guys. We've made it to the hotel, my first thought of arriving here
is I felt much more comfortable than I kind of anticipated which is like pretty
much everywhere in the world that I’ve visited that I’ve been worried about you
always just have like this totally different mind this totally different
vision or picture in your mind of what you think it's gonna be like. And, I
feel quite comfortable here. There are like police, and military every what
would you say like once every city block, bro?
Yeah. Yeah, literally. Yeah it's good, it like makes you feel
like very safe, and it also you know, it seems like, they're ready for pretty
much anything to happen which I have been told, that Baghdad can have
unpredictable things happen but when you have that much security, that much police,
military, then you feel like so much safer. So, that does like kind of chill me,
out the fact that we met a really cool taxi driver right away that speaks a
pretty good English overall. And, you know maybe, we'll be exploring with him
tomorrow or-- or one of these days, and so that makes the whole experience that
much better. And we have a nice place, and there's military surrounding it. So,
excited to share with you guys more of Baghdad. I’m gonna be here probably for
maybe five, six, seven, eight days. I haven't
really decided but I’m gonna share with you guys as much as possible, maybe not
only just here in Baghdad but also might make it to some other places. So, make
sure if you guys aren't already hit that subscribe button, so you don't miss out
on any videos. And, if you've enjoyed this video guys, make sure you hit that like button,
and I will see you guys first thing tomorrow, when we begin the exploration
of Baghdad.
[Music]