Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

July 19, 2011 in beduin, donkey, jordan, petra, saba'a, spring

I was quite surprised to see a familiar face at the bus station as I waited to board the 6:30 a.m. bus to Petra. Alejandro, one of the guys I met in the hostel in Cairo, was also taking the same bus. This trip has been a pleasant surprise in that I've never really had to travel alone so far.

Welcome, Welcome

July 17, 2011 in amman, coffee cup, jordan, karak, mensaf, middle east, read coffee

Jordan was everything I hoped and expected Egypt to be, but wasn't. After having such a chaotic time in Cairo, I was nervous about what Jordan would be like. I was surprised and relieved when my cab driver dropped me off in Abdun Square in Amman where I was meeting my friend.

Wake Up! Cairo

July 11, 2011 in cairo, camel, city, Egypt, giza, middle east, pyramids

Last Sunday after 31 hours of travel including a long, hot, and unfriendly layover in Moscow, I finally landed in Cairo. Despite a day and a half of nearly no sleep, I was energized as I passed through customs and made my way to the airport exit where dozens of cab drivers attempted to be the first one to offer a ride. I proudly managed to immediately bargain down the price by 15 Egyptian Pounds, to one that I knew was a standard and fair rate. My first reaction? This is not so hard!

It's Not About the Hair...

July 02, 2011 in backpacking, D-C-, Egypt, middle east, pack, trip

It's t-minus zero seconds to count down! After all that preparation and anticipation I am now sitting on the bus to New York which is the first leg of my 31 hour journey to Cairo, Egypt.

Go Big or Go Home!

June 21, 2011 in biking, coming of age, dc tri, life, potomac, running, swim, triathlon

I cannot believe that in 11 days I will be hauling my packed 38L backpack to JFK, boarding the first of many planes of this summer, and closing the chapter on my D.C. life.