I hope this blog finds you and your loved ones well. I have started, stopped, and restarted this blog more times than I can count. At first I delayed out of normal procrastination habits; then every month since was interrupted, Ive questioned if the timing and message of this post were right. I was holding out for some glorious day when this virus would be gone, this pandemic would be over, and travel would be able to safely resume. But its increasingly clear that I dont know when that day will be, and I dont know that the luxury of international travel will ever exist in the same capacity it did before. And so for that reason, Ive realized that any day is a good day to share a blog with you, because I would like to be reminded of a time when I was fortunate enough to roam the world, explore foreign places, understand new cultures, and embrace the beauty of the planet beyond my national borders. While I do have many thoughts on the current state of the world, I am also still processing these global changes and adapting to a more rooted lifestyle.
So without any hidden political agenda, any attempt to persuade, or any speculation on what is yet Id love to momentarily suspend all the fear, anxiety, uncertainty, panic, and/or depression you may be feeling, and simply share some memories that make me smile. Memories that make the current challenges worth it. Memories that give me hope for opportunities ahead. I dont know how long this season of sheltering in our places will last, but I cant wait for the day we are able to explore again. I have hope for trips and adventures and laughs and sunsets, in places near and far, still I hope these memories spark as much joy in you as they do in me.
My dear friend Christy and I had been discussing taking an overseas adventure, when the universe presented us with the perfect opportunity- a deeply discounted dive trip in the Red Sea. (If you dont remember the connection from earlier blogs, Christy and I were and dive buddies at Sea Life aquarium back in 2014. We became fast friends and our spontaneous souls spent many weekends hiking, camping and throughout the southwest.) Weve lived apart for
a few years now so we were incredibly excited to reunite AND dive a destination together! And thus, an Egyptian Excursion was born. Once the motivation was set, the rest of the pieces fell into place quite nicely. We did our research, talked to friends and strangers who had previous experience, found affordable flights, and set ourselves up for a adventure. The anticipation leading up to this trip was enormous- it would be my first time flying internationally in more than 3 years , my first time in Africa, my first time in the Middle East, my 22nd country visited, and my 5th continent reached. I couldnt decide if I was more thrilled about seeing 4000 year old architecture or swimming with endemic species on some of the worlds most pristine reefs. Its still honestly a tie.
In early November 2019, Christy and I joined forces at JFK and made the long, flight to Cairo. Flying with EgyptAir was fantastic and we got an instant sense of Egyptian hospitality; I think they rival the Kiwis for kindest nationality. As both of us were new to this region
of the world, we booked a Cairo and package through the highly Ramasside Tours. We were greeted upon arrival at the gate, and whisked away, luggage cart and all, through security and out into the arid midday heat. Even after many hours of travel, we were ecstatic to arrive at our destination. The ride to the hotel was full of chaos as cars, trucks, motorbikes, and donkey carts raced each other for position in the flow of traffic. In Cairo, lanes and lights hold less significance than the location and speed of your bumper. Our guides escorted us safely through the madness, over the Nile, and directly to our hotel.
