INDIA | Monday, 30 Mar 2009 | Views [1089]
I can hardly believe that I am in India. It feels a bit decadent to be taking a trip so soon after my last, but the timing could not be helped. Compared to my journey to Egypt, the journey here was unremarkable. The flights were on time, there was no ... Read more >
Tags: adventures, planes trains & automobiles
JORDAN | Tuesday, 9 Dec 2008 | Views [771]
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 | Monday, 8 Dec 2008 | Views [2299]
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
JORDAN | Wednesday, 3 Dec 2008 | Views [1280]
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
JORDAN | Monday, 1 Dec 2008 | Photo Gallery
All photos taken by Colleen Finn
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EGYPT | Friday, 28 Nov 2008 | Views [2512]
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
EGYPT | Wednesday, 26 Nov 2008 | Views [5865]
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
EGYPT | Monday, 24 Nov 2008 | Views [2237]
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
EGYPT | Saturday, 22 Nov 2008 | Views [1357]
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
EGYPT | Friday, 21 Nov 2008 | Views [1673]
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
EGYPT | Thursday, 20 Nov 2008 | Views [1204]
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
EGYPT | Tuesday, 18 Nov 2008 | Views [1191]
I've been to a lot of countries with hair-raising traffic, but Egypt might just take the cake. My guide book says that riding a bike here is tantamount to suicide, and now I understand. Aside from the double (and sometimes triple)-parked cars along the ... Read more >
Tags: cultural observations, planes trains & automobiles
EGYPT | Monday, 17 Nov 2008 | Views [1497]
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
EGYPT | Sunday, 16 Nov 2008 | Views [975]
The travel gods, fickle deities that they are, both giveth and taketh away. On a packed flight to JFK, I was seated with one passenger who was very territorial about the armrests. The other passenger in my row slept for most of the flight, head thrown ... Read more >
Tags: planes trains & automobiles
EGYPT | Friday, 14 Nov 2008 | Photo Gallery
All photos taken by Colleen Finn
See all 102 photos >>
USA | Thursday, 5 Jun 2008 | Views [643]
World Nomads, the great company that hosts these online journals, has published their very first book—a collection of journal entries and photographs from people like me. In fact, a part of my journal was selected to be in the book. To find out more, ... Read more >
PERU | Thursday, 4 Oct 2007 | Views [948]
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
PERU | Wednesday, 3 Oct 2007 | Views [1179]
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
PERU | Tuesday, 2 Oct 2007 | Views [3135]
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
PERU | Wednesday, 26 Sep 2007 | Views [940]
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
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