As I logged onto the wifi at our lodge in Namche Bazar for the first time in ten days, I paused. How could I condense the previous fortnight into a single status update on Facebook or a 140-character tweet? Heck, how could I capture the emotions, the challenges and the rewards of the most physically […]
Trekking in the Himalayas: A Quick Recap Read More »
I survived my first overnight train in Egypt without a hitch. The ride from Cairo to Aswan was long but uneventful and the toilet at the end of our car was nowhere near as bad as I expected. So I was feeling cautiously optimistic as we boarded a second overnight train, this time in Luxor,
In Search of a Beautiful Toilet Read More »
Once upon a time, someone in Luxor, Egypt decided it would be a brilliant idea to get tourists to ride donkeys into the Valley of the Kings – the large valley on the West Bank of the Nile where the Egyptians buried their kings. I may have survived camel riding without a hitch, but riding
Donkeys, Temples and Respecting the Line Read More »
Sailing down the Nile is a tricky thing. First of all, it feels weird to say “sailing down” the Nile when we were actually sailing north. But since the Nile flows in that direction, I suppose it is more accurate to say “sailing down” instead of “sailing up.” Second, staying on the boat is basically
Sailing Down the Nile Read More »
What visit to Egypt is complete without a camel ride? And even better, a ride on a camel named Macarena? I have to admit, I was a bit nervous about riding a camel for the first time. They are so much larger than horses and I have not had good luck with horses in past.
A Camel Named Macarena and Other Tales Read More »
One of the common misconceptions of group tours is that you don’t get any free time to explore on your own. This may be true for some tours, but my Gecko’s tour to Egypt offered up plenty of free time and I made good use of it. On our second day in Aswan, I convinced
Exploring the Tombs of the Nobles in Aswan Read More »
After four days in Cairo, it was time to move on to bigger and better things. Actually no, it was time to move on to smaller cities and hopefully better weather! We took the overnight train from Cairo to Aswan – my first overnight train experience. Although the train was scheduled to depart at 10:00
From Cairo to Aswan Read More »
After spending my first few days in Cairo on my own, I finally met up with my tour group from Gecko’s Adventures on the fourth day. The tour, called Nile & Sinai Revealed, would cover Cairo, Aswan, Luxor and Dahab over about two weeks. Unlike th Contiki tours from my younger days, my Gecko’s group
Nile and Sinai Revealed: The Tour Begins Read More »
I am in Kathmandu now, getting ready to start a 17-day trek through the Himalayas. And I confess, I wrote this post before I got here. That’s because I made the way-more-difficult-than-it-should-have-been decision to leave my laptop at home. Seriously, this should not have been much to think about. After all, internet access during my
Leaving My Laptop at Home Read More »
Seventeen days in the mountains. Not just any mountains, but the Himalayas – one of the most famous (and highest) mountain ranges in the world. Sometimes I want to pinch myself to remind myself that this trip is really happening. Other times I wonder what I was thinking when I entered to win this trip
My Biggest Challenge Yet: Hiking in the Himalayas Read More »
