A long, long day

We had a 3:30am wake up call this morning for our 9 hour day to the Temple of Abu Simbel. It’s located pretty close to the Sudan border in the south, which historically has been very dangerous for tourists. Military drive the highway first, clearing the way making sure it’s “safe” (of Sudanese who have attacked tourist buses, robbing and killing them, in the past) and then your bus joins into a “convoy” of other tourist buses and 18-wheelers and is escorted for the 3 1/2 hr journey across the Libyan desert. 😳 Yep … I have been apprehensive about this part of the trip for months, knowing it was by far the most dangerous part, but it went off without a hitch. Abu Simbel was amazing!

Then we headed back to our boat and sailed a couple hours up the Nile to Kom Ombo. It is surreal to stand on the deck of the boat and watch the banks of the Nile slowly pass by. Something I hope to never forget.

We docked in Kom Ombo and got right off at the temple. It was CRAZY - with small children everywhere begging. I met a small boy, maybe 5 or 6, named Mohammed. He was so cute, friendly and appeared so happy. I ended up buying 6 bracelets from him for 20 Egyptian pounds … $1. He asked me for 5 pounds more (25 cents) so he could buy himself something to eat. 😢 He was so happy, he gave me a high five and giant hug. Experiences like this put life into such perspective. I walk away feeling so fortunate to have born into the conditions I have been - that afford me so much privilege, simply because of my place and time of birth. And I think that if little Mohammed finds joy and happiness in his meager existence and simple interactions, why have I struggled to find happiness surrounded by so much luxury?

I hope to never be the person I was before coming on this journey.Read more