I got my bags packed on a roll heading out there and I'm ready to go looking real good

in my passport photo.

The amateur traveler episode 134.

Today we talked to a couple that biked through Iran for over three months.

Learn about the people and the places in this unique destination

today in the amateur traveler. home, but maybe not, maybe not

today.

Welcome to the amateur traveler.

I'm your host, Chris Christensen.

Before we get into our interview today,

I have a couple news stories for you.

It seems like over the last few weeks I brought you nothing but bad news when it comes to travel and so I've gone on my way this week to find some different news.

The first news story I have for you is good news indeed.

In 2007 in the United States, on scheduled U.S. commercial flights, there were no deaths. So this was not a year when planes

were falling out of the sky although you may have gotten that impression from

the number of things that have been going on with airplane inspections and the death toll from

private plane accidents also dropped to 491 that is the lowest total in more than 40

years.

The second news story I have for you is what I've been sitting on for a little while,

so it's not the newest news, but Israel is trying to remake its image.

When you think Israel, you may think of what you see in the nightly news.

What they'd like you to think about instead is beautiful women in bikinis and beaches.

...