EP 141 Travelling in Afghanistan, keeping your eyes healthy on the road & why cash is still king

Come to Central Asia's forgotten country, Afghanistan. This episode, we are joined by Afghanistan’s first female tour guide, Fatima Haidari, and adventure travel company Untamed Borders' (https://untamedborders.com/) founder James Willcox, who is the author of the new Brandt Afghanistan (https://www.bradtguides.com/product/a...) guidebook.  From Herat and now living in Italy, Fatima leads virtual tours through Afghanistan, a tribal country with enormous diversity. She talks not only about the tours, but the impact tourism has upon her country, from the natural beauty of Bamiyan, chaotic, crowded Kabul and the poetic heart of Herat.   "Isolation is the worst way to punish a population," says Fatima, who shares the profit from the tours with a women's education charity operating in Afghanistan. "Because the media is so heavily censored, tourism is one way to help open up the country. It helps local businesses and helps us to get out of isolation just a little bit." Our tip this week is born from personal experience, as we share tips on keeping your eyes healthy while you travel, safe from polluted water and cabin pressure, thanks to The Eye Practice (https://www.theeyepractice.com.au/opt...) , based in Sydney CBD.   And do you use cash or card when you're on the road? The inaugural Travelex Travel Money Insights Report; see travelex.com.au (https://www.travelex.com.au/) Download SAILY in your app store and use our code 'theworldawaits' at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase; see saily.com (https://saily.com/creator/?coupon=the...) Fatima's virtual tour https://untamedborders.com/itinerary/... Untamed Borders https://untamedborders.com/  The Bradt guidebook to Afghanistan https://www.bradtguides.com/product/a... Champions of the Golden Valley  https://www.championsofthegoldenvalle... Secret Marathon Film https://thesecretmarathon.com/  For more eyecare tips https://www.theeyepractice.com.au/opt... Send us Fan Mail (https://www.buzzsprout.com/2363835/fa...) Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/theworldawaits) Visit us at https://theworldawaits.au