Racing Up and Down the Nile

30-Apr-2010
Cairo, Egypt

Egypt is a land defined by the Nile as it carves a narrow corridor of life through the endless Sahara. So any visit to Egypt will likely be focused in part on this fantastic river. Being hedonists at heart we chose to cruise up the Nile from Luxor to Aswan on a five star cruise that brings you up close and personal with the temples and sights of Upper Egypt.

Not being into advanced planning, we waited until we arrived in Cairo to book the cruise. The local travel agent put all his troops to work arranging a fairly complicated itinerary leaving from Cairo by plane to Luxor, cruising up the Nile to Aswan, flying to Abu Simbel and then taking the sleeper train back to Cairo 6 days later. Each stop along the way was to be managed by a local guide and private car. A couple hours and several cups of tea later we had an itinerary that was to take us from Cairo by plane to Luxor the next morning!

Luxor is a long way from Cairo in distance and temperament. This former capital of the ancient world, AKA Thebes, is the heart of the Egyptian tourist trade. Aside from the Pyramids, the Luxor and Karnak temples are the most visited spots in this desert country so come prepared for crowds of tourists slathered in sunscreen. Anyway, we rushed out of bustling Cairo to catch an morning flight to Luxor where we would spend the night at a luxury hotel while we waited to board the cruise the next day.

The cruise ships stay in Luxor for a couple of days to give you a chance to visit the Valley of the Kings, Queens and other temples. We checked into our two cabins on the ship and explored the town with our guide named Mina. Aside from one incident where I foolishly agreed to ride on the back of the motor cycle Mina had borrowed (read near death experience), we had a lovely time in Luxor. We finally left Luxor and enjoyed the Nile vista for two days as we steamed south up river to Aswan catching Edfu temples and a truly impressive river lock on the way.

We arrived in Aswan and quickly disembarked the ship at 6:30 am to catch a glimpse of the unfinished obelisk and the Aswan High Damn before we caught a puddle jumper to Abu Simbel . As Bill Nye the Science Guy famously said, "Now that's some Damn power!" Abu Simbel is a must see. This massive temple was carved into caves in a mountain and was threatened by the rising waters of lake Nasser (see Aswan Damn) so UNESCO moved the whole thing piece by piece to a new location just up the hill from the lake. Even if you're not into Ancient Egyptian monumental art you've got to see this place just for the modern engineering marvel that it is.

Running out of time(on our trip and in this post), we quickly flew back to Aswan to catch the night train to Cairo. In the guide books they mention how train travel in Egypt is clean and efficient for long hauls like the 13 hour trip from Aswan to Cairo. The guides even accurately describe the cabins with their fold down berths and tiny sinks. But what they fail to mention is that a night on the sleeper car is one of the most terrifying train experiences you'll take. When the train isn't careening down the track at a break neck speed only matched by the night bus in Harry Potter, the engineer is randomly applying the brakes at full power. One minute your standing and the next your pressed against the cabin wall as the train lurches to an impossibly quick stop. The beds were clean, the food was fine and the cabin attendant was excellent.

There were honestly times during the night that the sound of the train rushing madly toward Cairo rose to a crescendo so dramatic that I was sure the engineer had left the train at full power and was asleep somewhere. Luckily, just as the panic rose to its high point in my throat, he'd apply a jolt of brakes to bash the fear right out of me.

--Paul

Predators

Cairo, Egypt

April 22, 2010

Tanzania

In Tanzania after dinner we would have to walk outside to get to our rooms and a security guard would walk with us to protect us from lions. In most parks we were strongly advised to not leave the car or lions, leopards, etc. would see us as easy prey. If our guide got out of the car he would have a big machete with him at all times.

We were very close to big predators. In Ngorogoro caldera lions would even come lean on the car and then lay down right next to it for shade - literally close enough to touch!!! (But we didn't.) We did take one walking bush trek and our guide brought along his handy AK47 (wasn't the most relaxing hike I ever took).

One time in the middle of the Serengeti, as we went to drive away after watching two cheetahs on a rock within ten feet of us, the battery failed. We need to push start the Land Cruiser but not with the cheetahs right outside our windows. So we sat...and waited until the cheetahs sauntered off. We we jumped out of the car to push. Paul and I went to the rear of the car - the direction the cheetahs walked - so believe me I was looking over my shoulder the whole time we were pushing!!! It all worked out - the cheetahs has just come back from a kill (had been licking blood off each others faces) and they were not interested in us - and the car started right away so we jumped back in quick as a wink.

Egypt

Here in Cairo, Egypt our room overlooks the flowing Nile (Semiramus Intercontinental Hotel, nice, but still our favorite hotel in terms of relaxation/incredible service/fantastic people has to be Rimping Village in Chiang Mai, Thailand probably closely followed by the people/places in Tanzania. ). Unlike Tanzania where we had to be protected against animals here we are protected against the most deadly predator of all - humans. To enter the hotel we first a bomb sniffing dog walked around our taxi, then we were let though the gate. Entering the hotel we went through metal detectors and had our bags searched. And, on our floor, one of the guests has body guards that sit outside in the hall day and night very near our room.

Today we are off to see the Pyramids, taking a late afternoon flight to Luxor and then tomorrow we board a four day cruise down the Nile. We will be getting on and off and being taken by a private guide to see the Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens, Temples of Luxor and Karnak and more.

Much happiness,

Jackie

Safari means 'Journey' in Swahili

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

April 20, 2010

Safari

Here in Tanzania we've met so many people who have made our journey amazing. We went with a safari company called Maasai Wanderings - http://www.maasaiwanderings.com/. One of the great things about their company, in addition to our great, funny, knowledgeable guide, Godwin, a Masai himself, is that they invest their profits into schools for Maasai, micro-finance for women and sewing circles, street children, etc.. While on safari we saw incredible sites - from baby lion cubs walking through the Serengeti grass, hyenas dragging the skin of a wildebeest carcasses, and long tusked elephants trumpeting right next to the car, to dung beetles and birds taller than Ben (Malibu Stork - not to mention the ostriches!). The waving grasses of the Serengeti stretch out so far into the distance they are like the waves on the sea. Lions and elephants are dwarfed by the sheer scale.

One of the things that drew us to Maasai Wanderings was that in addition to getting a chance to have unbelievable, upclose encounters with animals - and to learn about them and the ecosystem from our guide - we got to visits two, of the more than 120, tribes in Tanzania.

On Sunday we spent with the Iraqw tribe (pronounced Iraq we). We went on a walking trek with an Iraqw tribesman named Paulo, also a past traditional homes, goat herders, chickens and fields of corn and more we were invited to be the first guests at his church - and Paul and I were each invited up to sing and dance with choir. Now singing in Swahili made it more of a challenge :o) but we each did our best and had such a special day we will never forget it.

As a part of our special day, after sitting in on services for a little while (church can last 3 hours or more) we went to Paulo's house for lunch with his family. Amelia and Ben played with the neighborhood children on the red clay dirt road - only used by goats, cattle and people - with one soccer ball and rocks as goals. They had a fantastic time and didn't want to stop. Paulo's house included a few rooms, one being the eating area with a separate building for the kitchen and another for the bathroom. His family was soooo nice. We all had a great day and were sad to leave.

The next day we visited one of the Maasai villages where Maasai Wanderings built one classroom and working on more. The classroom, about the size of an American classroom, fits 132 (!) children sitting together at benches with long desks. Prior to that they sat under a tree for school.

It was another incredible day - some children came up to Amelia and I and were fascinated by our hair - they wanted to play with it and see how it was attached and what it felt like. We were very happy to share this experience with them.

From what we saw when driving through Tanzania the Maasai, living traditional lives in mud huts as cattle and goat herders must number in the thousands. The village we went to was not a cultural museum but how thousands of people are living in the country - working hard to take care of their families. You can see Maasai in traditional clothes, carrying walking sticks and spears (to protect their livestock from lions) throughout the country. They mostly wear red (men) and blue (women) and the colors against the landscape are brilliant.

There is so much more but this morning (it's 3:30 a.m.!) we are off to the airport for our 6:30 a.m. flight to Cairo, Egypt.

We wish you all the best on your own safaris through life,

Jackie

Oh Africa!

April 18th, 2010
Ngorogoro Farm House

Just back from 7 wonderful days on safari in Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Tangere and Ngorogoro. Our internet connection is limited, but I wanted to let you know that the Tanzanian parks and conservation areas can't be beat.

We cataloged more than 78 species that we saw from the comfort of our Toyota Landcrusier.

The Serengeti is awe inspiring. The vastness of the plains and the sheer numbers of animals is something to behold. Ngorogoro caldera is 20 km across and is filled with all sorts of critters including Rhinos.

This picture was taken at Kibo tent camp at Lake Manyara (Jackie's new favorite tent camping experience!). Click on the photos from our gallery to see more from Tanzania!

--Paul

Africa - We've Arrived

Zanzibar/Arusha, Africa
April 10/11, 2010



Sawateeka Thailand and Jambo Africa (Goodbye Thailand and Hello Africa)
We made it out of Thailand - traveling through a few military check points, with stationary bright lights and hand held flashlights used to illuminate the car passengers, on the way to the airport - just in time...if you've seen the news you've seen that fighting and shooting has broken out in Bangkok (not near where we were staying but making sightseeing an impossibility). Good timing to be on to the next adventure...Africa!


Zanzibar
We arrived in Africa first on the island of Zanzibar - where they speak Swahili , the ocean is filled with fishing boats, sailboats, and children (all boys) swimming. You'll see the occasional donkey pulling a cart, many Muslim women covered from head to ankle (and every once and a while a hennaed covered foot peeps out) and what they call, "Beach Boys," selling everything from sunglasses to shirts.


Language
We try to learn some of each language in each new country. But we haven't learned enough and do need to use English. Before heading out to a market in Zanzibar Ben and I stopped at the front desk to ask what they exchange rate was between Tanzanian Shillings and US Dollars. The clerk who helped us gave us a big smile and said, "This way." Confused we followed him. As he motioned Ben and I in to a small room, the size of a large closet, I looked around thinking perhaps there was a computer he was going to check for the exchange rate. However all we saw were a few locked cabinets. As we took this in the clerk stepped out of the room and closed the door behind us - with him outside - leaving us in the closet like room by ourselves and briefly giving us the impression he had locked us in, but it was only him taking the key out of the door. Clearly we had had a little communication problem. As Ben and I stood by ourselves in the tiny room I burst into laughter so hard I had tears running down my cheeks. I had to wait to pull it together to leave the closet room and when we saw the clerk he said, "O.K.?" and we said, "O.K." with big smiles and unobtrusively found someone else to ask about the exchange rate. Still don't know we he thought we asked or what the room was for - perhaps cabinets to lock up valuables?


Health
Paul didn't go to the market in Zanzibar the first afternoon with Ben and I as he was really sick - a rarity - and had a high fever. He and Amelia stayed at the hotel while I went with Ben to look for an ATM to get Tanzanian dollars. So here Ben and I are walking in an African town on our own on our first day in the country - quite an adventure in and of itself - not even counting starting being (we thought) locked in a closet. Fortunately Paul is much better now. Whew!


We had one other bought of sickness on our trip during a night in China when Ben was very ill. So far that's it....


Swimming and Spice Tours
Our first night in Zanzibar (August 9) we heard children laughing and splashing at the beach adjacent to our hotel so Ben got on his bathing suit and he and I went to investigate. African boys were having a great time playing in the water with the setting sun and boats in the background. Ben was ready to jump right in with them but we'd heard mixed info on the cleanliness of the water right by the boats and shipping lines (which are very picturesque) so Ben just watched from the side for a little while and stuck to the hotel pool.


Water cleanliness is a huge need. In Cambodia and in Thailand we saw many children swimming and playing in drainage ditches, water filled with trash, water that had sewage in it, etc., so seeing other children playing in the water is no indication on the cleanliness of the water but the need for clean water everywhere is clear.


Zanzibar does have many beautiful beaches with clean water and 100 year old turtles but as in every country we don't have time to see everything. We have had time to walk in the narrow market streets and go on a Spice Tour to a spice plantation with Jambo Spice Tours - we all had a great time.


Safari
We flew to Arusha, Tanzania today and tomorrow morning we head out on safari!

Karibu/Welcome to Africa

Right now I am writing this while sitting outside at a small hotel cafe table in the dark (bats overhead) where we just saw a gecko eat a flying insect, many more insects are chirping and from close by the music and singing from an African wedding fills the air. Drums are beating and the voices singing in harmony are so good I first thought it was a CD. Now and then voices raise in cheer, whistles and horns blow and the shaking of some kind of percussion rattle sounds.

Welcome to Africa. Can't believe we are here!

Kwa Heri (Goodbye) and love to all,


Jackie

Images from Thailand

Bangkok, Thailand
April 8, 2010

Images from Thailand
One day in Chiang Mai we had lunch at an orphanage. The stories of the lives of these children had me in tears - parents who died, parents and silbings who died of poisonous mushrooms, children who missed grandmothers who had taken care of them before dying, etc.. For more information and to support these children you can email chaocharoen@gmailcom .


Before we left for our trip we had organized a week of volunteering at a orphanage in Phuket during the children's summer break in April. I was going to lead art projects and Paul, Amelia and Ben were going to help out. Unfortunately the orphanage/school did not have enough money to stay open over the summer so the children were sent to temples and other schools that would take them over the summer. We stopped in and dropped off the paints we had carried for a month in our bags. You can read about the school in Phuket and its needs at http://www.phukethasbeengoodtous.org/ .


Below are some more images from Thailand.


Red Shirts in Bangkok

Ben with soldier in Summer Palace, Thailand































Amelia and Ben absailing in mountains near Chiang Mai (basically being lowered meters down a rope off a tree in the jungle).























Hanging with elephants for the day in countryside near Chiang Mai






















Umbrellas made near Chiang Mai



























We took a bike trip to a which included a stop at monk festival. The boy in the picture below was about to become a Buddhist monk for three months. (For all close up pictures of individuals we ask them if we can take their pictures prior to taking photos.)

The same bike trip took us by a former leper colony near Chiang Mai (people still live in these houses but they suffer from poverty rather than leprosy).

A state of emergency was declared today in Thailand due to the Red Shirts, the political party trying to overthrow the government (picture of front page below). Fortunately the Red Shirts have not taken over the airport (which did happen a year or two ago) as a late flight tonight takes us to Tanzania. It's a 12:30 a.m. flight and we go through Nairobi. We just got a text message (from whom??) to expect ten minute delays on the way to the airport due to military checkpoints. A taxi will pick us up 40 minutes early. We wish you all the best and will connect again in Africa!

Love,

Jackie

Play That Funky Music White Boy!

Easter Sunday, 2010
Chiang Mai, Thailand

Jacqui had been working on and off for the last three or four days to make Easter morning special for the children, so I was already awake when I heard the drumming in the distance. Still, it was probably drum drills from the military base nearby so I didn't initially react. But Jackie knew what it was and she immediatley sprng to action dressing in a flash and walking with the kids to find the source.

Grabbing one of the bikes from the hotel I caught Jackie and the kids as they reached the back of a large traffic jam. Ben jumped on the padded seat on the bike rack and the two of us weaved our way to towards the front.

As we reached the band that lead the Easter day procession they began to blast out the tune "Play That Funky Music White Boy!" and I couldn't help thinking how lucky we were to be there. I'm not sure Ben got it, but a quick look around at the other expats in the crowd confirmed that this was one special Easter parade. I've been in a lot of Easter celebrations, but this one, in the heart of a Budhist country, with a marching band playing the old Wild Cherry disco hit was one of the most special Easters I've witnessed.

--Paul

Ben! Stay on top of the elephant!

Patara Elephant Farm (Chiang Mai, Thailand)

March 29th, 2010



As a parent you walk a delicate line between being too adventurous and too protective with your children. Since we're out on this global adventure we're tending toward the more adventurous side of the parental scale, but we still try to keep the kids safe. So it may seem odd that we let (encouraged) the kids to swim with elephants in a mountain water hole in northern Thailand. But I'm getting ahead of myself.



Our friends the Asels spoke so highly of the Elephant Owner for a Day program at Patara Elephant Farm that we knew we had to go spend the day with elephants in this beautiful region in northern Thailand. Patara Elephant farm provides rehabilitation and breeding services aimed specifically at protecting the Asian Elephants and they offer programs for tourists to have closeup encounters with their elephants.



We started our day by donning the traditional garb of the hill tribes and going out into the field to meet "our" elephant. Each one of us had been assigned an elephant that we would care for for the next six to eight hours. Jack, the head guide and translator, explained that the first five mintues with an elephant are the most important. I thought to myself, "No sh&%! If the elephant doesn't like you you'll be squashed like a bug in less than five minutes!".



Well the greeting turned out just fine and before we knew it we had unchained our elephants, checked their poops, and had each one by the ear (as if that would really restrain these freight cars on legs) and were giving them basic commands! We led them to the creek and asked them to lay down... (You don't really want to get too bossy with an elephant) Once we had our elephants laying down we brushed and splashed them with cool creek water until we had all of the previous night's dirt off their sides and backs. We then let them out in the field to graze on the tall grass while Jack prepared us for the day ahead. He explained that we'd be riding our elephant up river through the forest to a waterfall and water hole where the elephants would swim and we'd enjoy a special lunch of Thai sweet rice and chicken.



As planned we had a wonderful walk up river riding bareback, knees wedged smartly behind the ears of our elephants both for control and comfort. Jackie and I rode older females (35 and 28 years respectively), Amelia rode a young 11 year old female and Ben rode a five year old male that acted just like any other five year old boy you've ever met. We dismounted at the water hole and let the Elephants do their thing, which it turns out, is the same thing any self respecting mammal would do on a blazing hot day in the tropics, jump right in!



After a couple of minutes of rest, Jack asked if we'd like to "swim" with the elephants. "Sure" we said, momentarily losing all touch with reality. In a jiffy they had us back on our respective beasts and into the deep part of the creek to enjoy a communal bath. Now the 28 and 35 year olds that Jackie and I were riding were calm and cool, Amelia wisely chose to stay ashore with her elephant and Ben and his five year old steed began to behave just as young boys of any species would, splashing and shoving and causing trouble.



The guides made it clear, "Just stay on top of your elephant and you should be ok..." no problem if you're riding an old dame that's content staying still in the cool water, but try staying on top of a five year old that is too short to stand up in the deep pool. Very quickly it became clear that Ben and his elephant were in for a ride. His elephant became fully submerged, using his trunk as a snorkle, and then proceeded to roll around under water. Ben found it increasingly hard to stay on top of the squirming, splashing VW bug sized juvenile in the pool. I was riding the mother elephant and each time the baby shoved its back into mommy's side I was quick to get my leg out of the way! Sure enough, Ben eventually fell in beside and between the elephants, but amazingly escaped being crushed by the playful brute as all of the adults helpfully shouted "Ben! STAY ON TOP OF THE ELEPHANT!



All was well and after the elephants and their passengers left the waterfall and headed for home I had time to reflect on what we had done. Clearly we had had an experience none would soon forget. We had been blessed with an opportunity to spend a day up close and personal with the largest land animal on the planet. We had fed them, hands in their mouths, we washed them and rode them for hours and even went swimming with them in a cool mountain stream. True, it probably wasn't the safest thing we could have done with our kids, but if you'd seen the gleam in Amelia's and Ben's eyes as they dismounted their elephants at the end of the day I'm sure you'd agree it was the right thing to do.