Holy Lands, Here We Come!
And so ... another adventure is soon to begin! Hoping covid is in check enough to brave the unknown and push the limits of our comfort zone - we are off to Israel, Jordan, and Egypt.
I can honestly say I’ve waited a lifetime to see the
pyramids. Seriously, how could I not be chomping
at the bit to see the only surviving one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient
World? It’s likely I would’ve traveled
to the Middle East sooner if it weren’t for this last decade’s civil unrest in nearby
areas, which at one point put Petra – one of the Seven New Wonders of
the World – on the US “Do Not Travel” list.
One of my dear friends said, “do not tell me you’re going to
Israel” (so I haven’t told her) and another dear friend asked why I am going to
Egypt. Their skepticism is founded. The Middle East is the most chaotic and
changing region I have ever planned to visit.
One travel agent’s disclaimer speaks to the region's uncertainty: “Sudden changes to the tour itinerary are not uncommon
and unexpected delays may occur. These particular tours are only for people who
readily accept that their trip may be affected by factors outside of our
control and recognize that we cannot to be held responsible for their quality
or any unforeseen events during the course of the trip.”
I must admit that my research for the trip was so much more daunting than our regular travels, which are mainly to Europe. I can honestly say that normally I get almost as much joy from researching and planning each of my trips as I do while actually on them. However, not this time. I did not enjoy the frustration and stress caused by the flood of outdated, unreliable information on the internet. Never in all my years of travel have I ever felt like I was making reservations for a service that no longer exists, until now. We have to use a lot of private drivers to get around and trying to find active ones caused me loads of ridiculous stress. Fingers crossed I found up-to-date information on how to get across the Israel-Jordan border because even the official website isn’t helpful. Another example, the Solar Boat Museum in Giza no longer exists because in August 2021 the 4,600-year-old ship was moved to its new home, the new Grand Egyptian Museum (still not opened as of this post); yet one of the 1st google results is a website updated in August 2022 with information on the <old> Solar Boat Museum. I have yet to see how reliable my reservations are and accurate all the travel information I’ve collected is.
Unfortunately, I’ve already been involved in a scam from the safety of my home. Many months ago, when I started planning my trip, I made a reservation (on Booking.com) for an amazing 'penthouse' room overlooking the pyramids in Giza. Fast forward to two weeks before our trip when, by a stroke of luck, I find out our hotel doesn’t exist. <Overhearing this story elicited Greg's comment: "And why are we going to Egypt??"> Fortunately, I was able to discover the scam by reading recent reviews - and recover with new reservations somewhere else. I’ve tried to alert Booking.com to the scam, but they continue to keep the fake hotel alive.
So why am I going? As for now, I’m anxious to discover one of the most ancient civilizations, take a boat down the longest river in the world, visit the lowest place on the planet, spend the night in a desert that looks like Mars, follow in the footsteps of Jesus, and see one of the Seven New Wonders of the World. And - from the comfort and safety of your home - you must join us! 😊
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