Flying overseas eh?
Over the years I've been based in seven different countries around the Middle East and Africa and for a private individual to fly (as opposed to a commercial or serving military pilot), its really tough to get clearance if you're on official duties. The closest i thought I was going to get was in Qatar, where there is a small private flying club mostly patronised by expatriates, but because of my status in the country, I just couldn't get the official approvals from local security.
Then a few years ago I was based out of Beirut, and noticed there was a local AOPA flying club mainly patronised by wealthy Lebanese business men. Not much flying seemed to happen, it was mainly lavish dinners where the elite gathered to show off their flashy expensive aircraft and even flashier and more expensive female companions. So I called up and told them I owned an aircraft in Australia and would love to go for a fly. Funnily enough, there were absolutely no questions asked, no local security clearances, nothing. So I organised to go for what was effectively a trial flight with an instructor in a battered 172, and flew.
Some context. Just offshore in the Med a US carrier strike force was launching their raids into Northern Syria. Across the other side of the Beqaa, the Russians were conducting their own combat operations, and the slither of airspace between the two was tiny. Lebanon is a small country! So I got to take the controls and fly around a bit (with the instructor keeping me out of trouble). It was wonderful with the snow-capped Mount Lebanon range rising from the shimmering blue waters of the Mediterranean. My primary concern was not of all the military operations and restricted areas around, but rather the complete absence of anywhere where a forced landing could be made. The Lebanese coastline is almost completely developed and overcrowded, and with the mountain slopes rising from the sea, if the engine on the ancient 172 died we were going swimming. Nevertheless, it was a memorable flight.
Alan