5 Years Later - an Egypt, Jordan, Israel Trip Retrospective

Five years ago Alison and I embarked on the trip of a lifetime. Alison's parents, Blake and Debbie, traveled with us. We all went on a trip to the Holy Land. We decided we couldn't go all that way without also stopping in Egypt and Jordan. We took this trip to celebrate Alison's graduation from her PMBA program. It was our first international trip together and the first one I remember.

Five years ago feels like a lifetime ago now. A lot has happened since this trip. We have visited 28 countries. We got our scuba certification and have gone diving all over the world. We sold our house, which was still new at the time of this trip. I switched companies twice, and Alison has received a couple of promotions. We have seen all 7 wonders of the modern world and visited all of the sites featured in Disney's Soarin' Around the World. Suffice it to say the past five years have been eventful. 

Now five years later we find ourselves in a very different spot than where I thought we would be back in. This trip was hugely influential and inspirational. It was the first of many adventures that, in many ways, set us on the path to where we find ourselves today. 

I want to reflect on my memories of this trip. 

Egypt

Blog posts:

Luxor
The Pyramids
Cairo

Thoughts:

I recall being really nervous before this trip. It felt like there were plenty of things to be nervous about. We were flying halfway around the world to a country where food safety and cleanliness were potential issues. Safety was also a possible area of concern. Then there were all of the unknowns. Alison and I traveled a fair amount before this, but we hadn't left the USA together. There were many added details of international travel - electrical converters, currency, etc. we had to figure out. This was also by far the longest trip we had taken at the time. We had to figure out who would take care of our dog and cat while we were gone. All of this meant I was feeling anxious before we left. Fortunately, once we arrived and settled into the hotel my anxiety diffused. Once we were in Egypt, I could see we were well-prepared and none of my worries should derail our trip. 

Egypt is a land of extremes. The history and ancient monuments are incredible. They are large and many are well-preserved. This incredible history is surrounded by poverty, garbage, and struggling society. In many ways, Egypt showcases the greatness of its past, while ignoring the plights of the people who live there today. Despite these challenges, Egypt has a lot to offer - the monuments and tombs are incredible, the food is delicious, and the people are kind. I am very grateful to have had a chance to experience this place.

As I look back at the days we spent in Egypt I remember how much fun we had. There were lots of joyful moments. Some were at unbelievably cool places others were at less flashy locations, like learning to weave a rug, but wherever we were we embraced it and had a good time. Whenever we saw something cool Blake would make a video talking about the place. Looking back at those videos they are gold. We laughed a lot on this trip. We also learned a lot. 

Our guide Gladys was one of the best guides we have ever had. She was knowledgeable and made sure we had an exceptional experience in Egypt. We could tell she really loved her country and the sites she showed us. Her passion for Egyptian history really elevated our experience. 

So many of the places we visited in Egypt were unreal. I love ancient history and mythology so seeing the remnants of ancient sites was unbelievable. I loved walking around the Valley of the Kings and seeing monuments like the Colossi of Memnon literally next to the main road. 

A favorite moment on this trip was riding camels from a nearby overlook point to the Pyramids of Giza. That was so much fun. I wanted to ride camels while we were in Egypt, but I didn't think we would ride camels across the desert to the pyramids. Looking across the desert and seeing the massive pyramids in the distance is a site I will never forget. 

Jordan

Blog post:

Petra

Thoughts:

We only spent one day in Jordan, but it was an amazing day. 

Unfortunately, our trip to Jordan started out on the wrong foot. We arrived at the airport in Amman and there was supposed to be someone there to greet us and take us to our hotel, but no one was there. That was disconcerting. We found ourselves in a foreign country with no idea where we were going to spend the night. We eventually got a hold of our tour company and they got it sorted, but it wasn't the way we wanted to start our experience in Jordan. It turned out Daniel Rona is quite possibly the worst tour company we have used anywhere in the world and we have used a lot of tour companies. We still had a great time, despite the tour company, not because of them. 

Our time in Jordan was spent day-tripping to Petra. Petra is unreal. It was the first of the seven wonders of the modern world that we visited and inspired us to visit the other wonders. When I think of Petra I remember hiking through a slot canyon and that first glimpse of the Treasury. I was elated. It felt like walking into an Indiana Jones movie. 

While the Treasury is the highlight there is much more to Petra. We loved our day exploring and hiking around this ancient Nabataean city. Once we got away from the Treasury and hiked up toward the Monastery there were fewer people and we found incredible views. This was a good lesson that sometimes when you get away from the most famous part of a site you can often find more incredible sites. 

Israel

Blog posts:

Jerusalem

Jerusalem (Shabbat)

Jerusalem (Old City)

Jerusalem (Temple Mount)

Jerusalem (Where Jesus Walked)

Jerusalem (West Jerusalem)

Dead Sea

Galilee

Coastal Plains

Jordan River/Mt. Tabor

Thoughts:

Israel was so different from the other countries we visited on this site. In Egypt and Jordan, we visited massive monuments and the remnants of ancient civilizations. The sites in Israel were different. They were more subdued and many of the sites have been destroyed and rebuilt many times over. We visited the Old City, but we also made stops at the Dead Sea, the Sea of Galilee, and other points of interest. There are so many holy sites around Israel. I especially enjoyed visiting Mt. Tabor (the Mount of Transfiguration) and The Church of the Beatitudes. 

Visiting Jerusalem with Alison was a really cool experience. Alison loves Jerusalem. Her study abroad was an incredible experience. It was fun for Blake, Debbie, and me to see the places she explored during her time in Jerusalem. Visiting the Jerusalem Center was especially cool. This place was her home during a really important part of her life and I am glad we could visit and experience a small piece of it with her. 

I loved Isreal. I especially enjoyed the Old City in Jerusalem. The ambiance there is incredible - the narrow alleyways filled with vendors, the smell of spices wafting through the air, the way the buildings are built haphazardly one atop another, the way you turn a corner to find another church or holy site. There is nowhere else quite like it. I immensely enjoyed exploring the city and learning more about Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. We saw great devotion from disciples of all these religions. Their devotion is what makes Jerusalem one of the holiest cities in the world.  

This trip will always hold a special place in our hearts. It was our first international adventure together. It inspired us to travel the world. Hopefully one day we make it back to Jerusalem and we can relive some of these memories again.