Reset search
Egypt & Jordan
  • Where are Paul and Donna
  • Where are Paul and Donna

Egypt & Jordan

Leg 4 Read more
FollowInsightsInsightsCalendarCalendarPhotosPhotosShareShareBucket list
InsightsCalendarPhotos
  • Trip start
    January 1, 2026
    Where are Paul and DonnaEgypt & JordanTraveler

    Days 10 & 11 Travelling Luxor to Cairo to Jordan

    January 10 in Egypt ⋅ 🌙 50 °F

    This was pure craziness!

    These segments in our travels Donna likes to call Planes, Trains, Buses, and Automobiles. This is when the body is barely running on adrenaline and you know that when it’s finally over you are going to hit the wall hard. But this is also how these types of transfers often happen when moving between major parts of a long journey.

    January 10, 2026
    6:30 AM – Kurna, Egypt, along the Nile River. Bags packed. Quick breakfast. Then off to the airport to fly from Luxor to Cairo.

    11:51 AM – Cairo International Airport

    1:02 PM – Arrive at the CityStars Heliopolis Hotel in Cairo. Dinner… and try to sleep?

    January 11, 2026
    3:00 AM – Bags packed and sitting in the hallway.

    4:12 AM – Cairo International Airport to board our flight to Jordan.

    11:02 AM – Queen Alia International Airport in Jordan.

    12:37 PM – Arriving in Madaba, Jordan.

    We survived.

    Enjoy the photos to get an idea of what our day was like.

    #TravelDay #PlanesTrainsAutomobiles #TravelReality #LuxorToCairo #CairoToJordan #VikingCruise #WorldTravel #TravelJourney #MadabaJordan #AdventureTravel #FindPenguins    Read more

  • Where are Paul and DonnaEgypt & JordanTraveler

    Day 11:66 Floating in the Dead Sea

    January 11 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F

    So, this is one of those amazing experiences you can only get in a few places in the world. Our Viking excursion to Petra included a day at the Dead Sea. We got to float on the Dead Sea. Totally worth the price of admission.

    Hindsight — I should have done the mud pack when I got out. Maybe next time?

    I’m a bit embarrassed by my photo — it shows what 70 days of cruise traveling can do to one’s waistline. I won’t be on the cover of GQ anytime soon! But there I am… floating like a cork. Real life. Real body. Real experience.

    The Dead Sea sits at about 1,400 feet below sea level, making it the lowest point on Earth’s surface. It’s not actually a sea at all — it’s a salt lake — and its salinity is nearly 10 times higher than normal ocean water (around 34% salt). That extreme salt concentration increases the density of the water so much that your body simply cannot sink. You don’t swim — you bob. For thousands of years people have come here for its mineral-rich mud and water, believed to have therapeutic properties dating back to ancient Egyptians and Romans.

    It was a weird feeling to trust the water. Every instinct says, “You’re going under.” But you don’t. The bigger challenge? Getting upright again. It was hard to get up and out of the water — I needed help. Donna did not. (She made it look easy.)

    We were only about 15–20 minutes from Israel. I would have liked to have driven to the border to “check the country count box,” but opted not to due to time constraints. Hopefully, when — and if — things settle down there, Donna and I can travel to Israel with some friends who have relatives there. That is how I hope to experience it — with locals, not a tour guide.

    The Dead Sea is completely unique to everything we have ever done in our lives.

    Wow.

    #DeadSea #Jordan #FloatingOnWater #LowestPointOnEarth #TravelMoments #VikingCruise #PetraExcursion #WorldTravel #CountryCount #TravelReflection #BucketList #FindPenguins    Read more

  • Where are Paul and DonnaEgypt & JordanTraveler

    Day 12:67 Petra, 1-Hour Hike to the Treasury

    January 12 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 52 °F

    The main reason people visit Jordan is to see the Petra Treasury Building. In my Art History classes this has always been one of the places of awe I had only seen in pictures. Or as the famous location of a scene in an Indiana Jones movie. But it always felt out of reach for me. One of those places in the world that seemed too far away to ever actually see with my own eyes.

    Petra itself is an ancient city carved directly into rose-colored sandstone cliffs by the Nabataeans more than 2,000 years ago. Located along major trade routes between Arabia, Egypt, and the Mediterranean, it became a wealthy crossroads for caravans carrying spices, incense, silk, and other valuable goods. The most famous structure is Al-Khazneh — known today as the Treasury — a stunning 130-foot-tall façade carved into solid rock during the 1st century AD. Despite the name, historians believe it was most likely a royal tomb or ceremonial monument rather than an actual treasury.

    Arriving the night before, we stayed at the Mövenpick Petra, a 5-star hotel right across the street from the entrance to Petra. I remember thinking when we arrived — this is great, we are right here! Viking was putting us up in a beautiful resort location that runs around $400 a night and it is literally walking distance to Petra. Life is good.

    Earlier in morning we had done a Mosaic tour (more on that later). Now it is just before 3:00 pm and our guide had us all meet at the Petra entrance for our journey inside the ancient city. What I had unknowingly assumed was “Petra” was just that building we have all seen in photos. No… it is not. That famous building is inside the ancient city of Petra — and the city itself is huge. You need several days to really explore everything.

    It took us over an hour to walk down the long path toward the Treasury. So if you go — be ready for a hike. And remember… the hike back is longer because it is all uphill!

    The photos in this post show some of the features and places we saw along the way. The Nabataeans had an incredible water supply system. There were places where people lived, areas where stores once operated, and structures carved directly into the rock walls throughout the city and along our journey.

    By the time you are getting close, you are starting to get tired. At least I was. And by then you have probably asked yourself for the 30th time… “Are we there yet?”

    Then our tour guide took us to a special spot and simply said, “Look.”

    Through the tall rock walls we suddenly saw it — the Treasury — peeking out toward us, almost welcoming us to another journey back in time.

    It took us a bit over an hour to walk from 2025 back more than 2,000 years into history.

    Wow.

    #Petra #Jordan #PetraTreasury #AncientWonder #IndianaJonesLocation #TravelHistory #VikingCruise #WorldTravel #BucketListTravel #TravelMoments #AncientCivilization #FindPenguins    Read more

  • Where are Paul and DonnaEgypt & JordanTraveler

    Day 12:67 Petra, The Treasury Building & Cave Bar

    January 12 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 54 °F

    I am not going to write much here in this post — letting the pictures speak for themselves. It is very awe inspiring just being here, wondering how people lived and what life was like more than 2,000 years ago.

    The Treasury (Al-Khazneh) is the most famous structure in Petra, a massive façade carved directly into the sandstone cliffs by the Nabataeans around the 1st century AD. Standing about 130 feet tall, it was likely built as a royal tomb or ceremonial monument rather than an actual treasury. When you stand in front of it, the scale and craftsmanship are hard to comprehend. The detail carved into solid rock over two millennia ago is remarkable.

    Past this location lies even more of the ancient city. If we had more time we could have continued deeper into Petra to see the Street of Facades, the Royal Tombs, the Great Temple, the Roman-style theater carved into the hillside, and even hike up to the Monastery (Ad Deir), another enormous carved structure perched high above the valley. Petra is not just one building — it is an entire ancient city spread across miles of desert canyon.

    Our time was limited, so we had to head back. We did opt to pay the extra money to take the golf-cart mini bus back to the front gate — worth the expense to not have to walk back up the long path we had just walked down. Watch the time-lapse video of the journey back.

    Once we returned to the entrance area we stopped at the famous Cave Bar for a couple of drinks before heading to dinner. The Cave Bar is a must-visit experience. The bar itself is built inside a 2,000-year-old Nabataean tomb carved into the rock. Sitting there with a drink in hand, we were still in awe of the time travel we had just experienced.

    #Petra #PetraTreasury #Jordan #AncientWonder #WorldHeritage #TravelHistory #BucketListTravel #AncientCivilization #VikingCruise #TravelMoments #CaveBar #FindPenguins    Read more

  • Where are Paul and DonnaEgypt & JordanTraveler

    Day 13:68 Finally, We Got Some Sleep

    January 13 in Jordan ⋅ 🌬 37 °F

    It’s just after 7:00 AM in Wadi Musa, Petra. I’m sitting in the restaurant of the Mövenpick Hotel, which is located exactly across from the entrance to Petra.

    But don’t let that fool you into thinking Petra is simply a quick stroll out the front door. That assumption will be corrected… later… in another post.

    Right now, this moment feels rare on this trip.

    Donna and I are independently doing our two favorite things. I’m at a table with a cup of coffee, a mushroom and Swiss cheese omelet, and my cell phone with the iclever. Bluetooth keyboard (which I totally love. It frees me from needing a laptop when I travel).—finally updating the FindPenguins blog (which I am very behind on). Donna, meanwhile, is undisturbed in Room 127, asleep in a way that suggests she has no intention of waking up anytime soon.

    We are both in our happy places.

    We left East Windsor, Connecticut on November 6, 2025. That makes today Day 67 of traveling, with three days still to go. During the first leg of the trip, I did a respectable job keeping up with the blogging. Since then, however, the pace has felt faster than the Indianapolis 500—minus the safety barriers, plus a few unscheduled pit stops and at least one minor crash-and-burn.

    Yesterday, we actually got to walk into and experience Petra. It was another early morning, another long bus ride, and another very long walk that politely pretended to be shorter than it actually was. By the time dinner rolled around, life became wonderfully simple: dump clothes on the floor, take a shower, and be in bed before 9:00 PM like two people who now fully understand the appeal of senior discounts.

    But last night was special.

    Why, you ask?

    Three reasons:
    1. We were so tired that falling asleep required absolutely no effort—no counting sheep, no staring at the ceiling, no life reflections.
    2. No alarms. No wake-up calls. We could get out of bed whenever our bodies decided it was time—which is the gold standard of luxury travel.
    3. We’re staying a second night in this hotel. No packing. No luggage in the hallway. No “meet in the lobby at an ungodly hour.”

    In other words: bliss.

    Donna is sleeping in. I’m up early, well-rested, caffeinated, and feeling suspiciously normal. Honestly, this is the closest we’ve come to our regular, at-home life in quite a while.

    I also know Donna is still recovering from being sick last week, and we have a long 20+ hour flight coming up on Thursday. That flight may very well be the final nail in her coffin—she does not do long-haul flights well, and she would be the first to confirm that.

    As for the rest of today? That’s still undecided. Our Viking tour guide will determine the afternoon plans, and it’s entirely weather-dependent. Yesterday was beautiful. This morning? VERY breezy. VERY cold. The kind of cold that makes you rethink how much you actually love being outside.

    So the afternoon excursion is officially TBD.

    I also can’t remember if we signed up for dinner in a Jordanian home tonight. I hope we did—it would be a lovely way to complete this Petra experience. If not, it’ll be dinner in the hotel and then back to Amman in the morning.

    Either way, we’ll survive.

    Thank you for allowing me this non-exciting, trying-to-catch-up FindPenguins post. I mostly just needed to get my fingers moving on the keyboard again—and to say thank you to everyone who continues to support Donna and me as we travel and learn to see the world… and ourselves.

    ⸻

    #FindPenguins
    #PetraJordan
    #WadiMusa
    #FinallySlept
    #TravelFatigueIsReal
    #SeniorBedtime
    #CruisedOutButStillSmiling
    #SlowMorningWin
    #LearningToSeeTheWorld
    #RealTravelMoments
    #CoffeeFirstAlways
    #NotEveryDayIsEpic
    #vikingcruises    Read more

  • Where are Paul and DonnaEgypt & JordanTraveler

    Day 13:68 Gathering Around the Dinner Table

    January 13 in Jordan ⋅ 🌬 41 °F

    One of the paid excursions Viking often offers on many of their tours is dinner in a local home, provided by the family. This is an opportunity not to pass up. We visited a home in Jordan for an evening and met a wonderful family. They graciously welcomed us into their home. We shared coffee, conversation, and a wonderful meal.

    In the kitchen, a couple of the ladies helped prepare the meal under the watchful care of our host daughter — a world-class chef. She has prepared meals for Chef Ramsay and even hosted the Queen of Jordan in their home. No big deal… just casual dinner company!

    I am writing this post about a month and a half after it happened, so I don’t remember all the details — people’s names, exactly what we ate, all the spices and flavors. But looking at these photos, I remember the feeling. We were welcomed into a stranger’s home as strangers — and left feeling like part of their extended family. They even gave us their contact information and said to just show up if we are ever in the area again. That would be great.

    Many times, with all of our travels, the first question we get asked is, “What was your favorite country?” We understand the reason for the question. And yes, part of traveling for me is checking the box and getting my country count up there.

    But our answer is always the same: it’s not about the countries — it’s about the memories and experiences we had. It’s the people. It’s the rare opportunity to touch another part of the world at a deeper level than just a brochure photo.

    This was one of those moments.

    #Jordan #DinnerWithLocals #CulturalExchange #TravelMoments #VikingCruise #SharedTable #WorldTravel #TravelReflection #ItsAboutThePeople #MeaningfulTravel #FindPenguins    Read more

  • Where are Paul and DonnaEgypt & JordanTraveler

    Day 14:69 - Jerash, Save the Best for Last

    January 14 in Jordan ⋅ 🌬 48 °F

    It is now 69 days into a 70-day adventure. Honestly, we are ready to go home. There was one more Viking excursion to do. We almost blew it off! We are so glad we didn’t. Jerash is an unknown gem to the average person — like us — but truly a gem.

    By the time we arrived, I realized Jerash is not just “some ruins in Jordan.” It is one of the best-preserved Greco-Roman cities anywhere in the world — once known as Gerasa — and part of the Decapolis, a league of ten Roman cities that flourished nearly 2,000 years ago. Walking through Hadrian’s Arch, standing in the Oval Plaza surrounded by columns, and imagining chariots racing through the hippodrome… this was not rubble. This was an intact story. Empires rose here. Trade moved through here. Christianity spread through here. Earthquakes damaged it, time buried it, and somehow the desert protected it. Jerash isn’t just old — it is layered history you can physically step into.

    Honestly, we were exhausted and wanted to be on the plane heading home.

    Once we got to Jerash — we didn’t want to leave. The place is HUGE. The archaeological site stretches across roughly 800,000 square meters (nearly 200 acres), making it one of the largest and best-preserved Roman provincial cities in the world outside of Italy. More than 90% of the ancient city still lies buried beneath the surrounding hills, which means what you see today is only a fraction of what once stood here. And what you do see? Colonnaded streets that still run for half a mile, soaring temples, theaters that still host performances, and stonework that has somehow held its lines for nearly two millennia. There was no way to cover it all in the short time we had. Our Viking tour guide did a great job showing us the highlights and explaining the layers of history.

    Through a photography and artist lens, images jump out at you. Light sliding across fluted columns. Repeating arches creating rhythm and pattern. Long shadows stretching down ancient streets. This is a place to explore several days in a row, at different times, with different lighting. I would have loved to watch the sunrise and the sunset here every day for a week.

    Hopefully, the photos on this post do it justice. Enjoy!

    #Jerash #Jordan #VikingCruise #WorldTravel #RomanRuins #AncientHistory #TravelPhotography #ArtistOnTheRoad #70DayAdventure #Decapolis #Wanderlust #FindPenguins    Read more

  • Where are Paul and DonnaEgypt & JordanTraveler

    Day 15:70 Heading Home

    January 15 in Jordan ⋅ ⛅ 43 °F

    We are at the airport with boarding passes in hand to all the way home to Hartford, Ct. It is day 15 of this leg #4 Egypt & Jordan. It’s day 70 of our entire adventure. We left Connecticut on November 6, 2025 we brought in 2026 with fireworks on New Years Eve in Cario, Egypt. We saw the colosseum, the great pyramids, Petra, Pompeii, floated in the Dead Sea, Ballooned over the Valley of the Kings, and so much more.

    Right now we feel like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz - we have our eyes closed, we put on our Ruby Red Shoes after passing them through yet another X-ray machine, we are softly whispering.

    There’s no place like home.

    There’s no place like home.

    There’s no place like home.    Read more

  • Where are Paul and DonnaEgypt & JordanTraveler

    Day 15:70 DOH Hamad Inter Airport

    January 15 in Qatar ⋅ 🌙 63 °F

    We landed safely at DOH International Airport. Are now sitting at gate C18 waiting to catch our 15+ hours flight to Chicago. So far so good.

    So, while this flight was in the exact opposite direction of the USA it does give us another country we have visited: Qatar.

    Donna and I have now travelled to 45 different countries. According to FindPenguins that is only 22% of the world’s countries. We have so much more to see and feel very fortunate to have traveled to all these destinations.

    Right now our eyes and hearts are focused on East Windsor, Connecticut.    Read more

  • Where are Paul and DonnaEgypt & JordanTraveler

    Day 15:70 There's no place like home.

    January 15 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 30 °F

    Dorothy was right. “There’s no place like home.”

    After 70 days of travel on planes, trains, automobiles, buses, tuk-tuks, motorcycles — and mostly our tennis shoes — we are happy to be home.

    The next morning Donna pulled the World Travel Pin Map off the wall and updated it. The red pins are from this most recent trip. It’s always a quiet little ceremony… marking the miles, the memories, the movement.

    Posted here are some photos of Hartford Bradley International Airport, waiting for the Uber to bring us home, landing in our house at some god-awful hour. We don’t know how many beds we have slept in over the past 70 days. But tonight’s bed — and our own pillows — felt like the best luxury in the world.

    A couple of days later, after being home, we talked about how quiet it was in our house compared to the last 70 days. The stillness of having a home provides comfort. We have nomad friends who have been traveling place-to-place since August 2023. I had fantasized about selling our house and doing the same. The pace we just went through was hard — November 5, 2023 to January 15, 2026.

    17-day Eastern European Viking River Cruise (Bucharest to Vienna)

    7 days on our own (Vienna, Zurich, Vaduz, Milan, Monaco, Barcelona)

    31-day Mediterranean Viking Ocean Cruise (Barcelona to Istanbul)

    15-day Egypt & Jordan River Cruise with extensions

    70 days.

    We still love traveling. We still love our home. We are learning how to balance both.

    We do hope those who follow our adventures enjoy our stories. Clicking a “Like” is always nice. Writing a comment lets us know you are engaged with us. We have more travels ahead.

    #TheresNoPlaceLikeHome #70DayAdventure #TravelReflection #VikingCruise #WorldTravel #HomeSweetHome #BradleyAirport #TravelLife #BalancingLife #GratefulTraveler #FindPenguins    Read more

    Trip end
    January 15, 2026
  • 2026© FindPenguins
  • Home
  • About us
  • Group Tracking
  • Press
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy & Cookies
  • Help Center
  • Legal notice