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through my eyes... the world according to a globe-trotting, sight-seeing, day-tripping, frequent-flying damsel in de-stress

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There are [0] photos and [83] stories tagged with "adventures".


The end of an adventure...

JORDAN | Tuesday, 9 Dec 2008 | Views [739]

Today marks my last full day in Amman, as well the first day of Eid al Adha, a significant four-day Muslim holiday in which families (who can afford it) slaughter a sheep to honor not only Abraham's sacrifice, but also those who are participating in ... Read more >

Tags: adventures, cultural observations


Jordan in a nutshell...

JORDAN | Monday, 8 Dec 2008 | Views [2273]

I hate doing these 'nutshell' entries because it's a sure sign that I've been too busy to journal. I much prefer a more relaxed pace in which I can write freely when I have the notion. But what's to be done when there is so much to see in so little time? ... Read more >

Tags: adventures, sightseeing


The exodus from Cairo to Jordan...

JORDAN | Wednesday, 3 Dec 2008 | Views [1250]

We headed to Jordan via the Sinai area again (which is unavoidable unless you are flying or go through Israel). It was good to revisit Mt. Sinai because it gave us an opportunity to see the inside of St. Catherine's Monastery, which was closed the day ... Read more >

Tags: adventures, cultural observations, sightseeing


Sunrise on Mt. Sinai...

EGYPT | Friday, 28 Nov 2008 | Views [2474]

While all of you were likely enjoying a turkey feast for Thanksgiving, I ate grilled chicken and kushari in the Sinai. The next morning, we awoke at 1:30am (!) to begin our hike up Mt. Sinai so that we could reach the summit by sunrise. For those who ... Read more >

Tags: adventures, sightseeing


Riding Donkey to the Valley of the Kings...

EGYPT | Wednesday, 26 Nov 2008 | Views [5794]

I can honestly say that we've tried just about every form of transportation on this trip, with the notable exception of bicycles (which would be ridiculously stupid on Egyptian roads, but you do see them). We've traveled via bus, van, train, boat, ... Read more >

Tags: adventures, planes trains & automobiles, sightseeing


Traveling via police convoy...

EGYPT | Monday, 24 Nov 2008 | Views [2201]

There are many parts of Egypt, Upper Egypt in particular (and remember, Upper Egypt is actually southern Egypt), in which travel restrictions apply to all foreigners. After a number of terrorist incidents resulted in the deaths of tourists in the 1990s, ... Read more >

Tags: adventures, planes trains & automobiles, sightseeing


Marley & me...

EGYPT | Saturday, 22 Nov 2008 | Views [1332]

Bob Marley seems to be an uninvited guest on our travels. I'm not sure I understand the local fascination with him, but so far I've seen several Bob Marley flags, CDs, and a boat named the Bob Marley. We took a felucca ride on the Nile yesterday and ... Read more >

Tags: adventures, sightseeing


On the Nile to Kom Ombu...

EGYPT | Friday, 21 Nov 2008 | Views [1644]

I would like to say that we are roughing it at the moment, but life on the boat has been incredibly relaxing. Thankfully, we dock at stops along the way to get a taste of the towns and the sites, but much of our day is spent lounging on the deck and ... Read more >

Tags: adventures, sightseeing


Not sleeping on a sleeper train...

EGYPT | Thursday, 20 Nov 2008 | Views [1174]

After exploring the city of Alexandria, which is three hours north of Cairo, we are on a sleeper train to Luxor. Surprisingly the train is on time, because we hear that it is notorious for considering its schedule more of a "guideline," give ... Read more >

Tags: adventures, planes trains & automobiles, sightseeing


The call of the muezzin...

EGYPT | Monday, 17 Nov 2008 | Views [1471]

I've discovered that I really like the sound of the muezzin calling the faithful to prayer. The sound has a peaceful quality to it that I find soothing. I imagine it would be easy to live here without a watch and instead keep time according to the sonorous ... Read more >

Tags: adventures, sightseeing


Saying goodbye...

PERU | Thursday, 4 Oct 2007 | Views [919]

Has it been a month already? Amidst a swirl of activity—of sightseeing, volunteering, and the buzz of day-to-day living—the time has flown by and already feels like a dream. After a month in Peru, I find the prospect of leaving bittersweet. There are ... Read more >

Tags: adventures, voluntourism


The last day of school...

PERU | Wednesday, 3 Oct 2007 | Views [1158]

Today was the last day at the Pumamarca school for many of us volunteers. Knowing this would be the last time that I would see the school and the children (for now, anyway), I was plagued by a feeling of melancholy from the moment I woke up in the morning.... Read more >

Tags: adventures, voluntourism


The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu...

PERU | Tuesday, 2 Oct 2007 | Views [3095]

Day 1 The day of our Inca Trail trip had finally arrived. The first day began in the Sacred Valley about 40 minutes outside of Ollantaytambo where there is a checkpoint at which you present your ticket and your passport. This may sound a little odd, ... Read more >

Tags: adventures, sightseeing


Building a home...

PERU | Wednesday, 26 Sep 2007 | Views [915]

Today we had a full day working at the school at our various duties (for me, that meant English grades 5 & 6, then assisting with hygiene), and then we went to work on Hernan´s house. For those of you who are actually reading all of these entries, ... Read more >

Tags: adventures, voluntourism


The food in Peru, part II

PERU | Tuesday, 25 Sep 2007 | Views [2683]

So maybe the idea of alpaca steaks, alpaca diane, and alpaca carpacchio was too much to endure. If so, perhaps you´ll find cuy—another regional favorite—more palatable, no? I took this photo outside of Pisac when we stopped at a traditional chicha house ... Read more >

Tags: adventures, food & eating, sightseeing


A trip to Puno and Lake Titicaca...

PERU | Tuesday, 25 Sep 2007 | Views [2900]

I just returned last night from a long weekend in Puno and Lake Titicaca with two other volunteers, Genelle and Claudine. It was a little vacation from vacation, if you will. A week ago a meteorite crash-landed outside the city of Puno and soon thereafter ... Read more >

Tags: adventures, food & eating, sightseeing


A home visit...

PERU | Friday, 21 Sep 2007 | Views [1009]

The other day we conducted our first home visit. A home visit is when the volunteers, along with Ginny and Iris (the organization´s social worker), visit a home in the Pumamarca village to check on their progress. These are typically families who have ... Read more >

Tags: adventures, voluntourism


When food poisoning isn´t merely food poisoning...

PERU | Tuesday, 18 Sep 2007 | Views [5775]

Sometimes food poisoning isn´t merely food poisoning when it´s...well, you´ll see. After three days of illness, Ginny (our volunteer coordinator) took me and two other sick volunteers to see a doctor in Cuzco—someone the organization trusts and works ... Read more >

Tags: adventures, doctors hospitals & health, voluntourism


A trip to the Sacred Valley...

PERU | Saturday, 15 Sep 2007 | Views [876]

It isn´t all about work here in Peru. In fact, our first full week contained plenty of sightseeing as we eased ourselves into being in Peru, being together as a group, acclimatizing to the altitude, and becoming accustomed to the Pumamarca school in general.... Read more >

Tags: adventures, doctors hospitals & health, sightseeing


The food in Peru, part I

PERU | Thursday, 13 Sep 2007 | Views [2555]

Okay, we didn´t eat the exact one in the photo, but alpaca is a popular regional dish in the mountainous areas for obvious reasons: it´s what´s available. Despite the fact that the “cute factor” might make this meat unpalatable for us Westerners, I am ... Read more >

Tags: adventures, food & eating


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