Returned home
Trip Start
Jun 21, 2008
1
23
Trip End
Jul 24, 2008
Redmond,
Washington,
United States
Friday, July 25, 2008
One of the things that I noticed off the bat was when the flight attendent asked me if I wanted something to drink. I told her I wanted apple juice and a water, no ice in either. She quickly handed me the two cups. Given the relative complexity of the request I surprised that I could ask for something and actually get what I asked for. It sounds second nature but after having to simplify and gesture wildly in order to get a point across, this seemed a bit unreal.
Second thing I've noticed... it's 55'F here and overcast and I'm not sweating. And it's weird not to sweat! For over 1 month I was dripping salt buckets 24/7
Baalbek, Lebanon
. Now, just sitting here - dry- is almost... boring! I have begun the task of sorting all of my photos. I posted some Jordan pictures HERE and all Middle East photos HERE. There's just so many, and often I took around 20 pictures of the same darn thing. This process is like an eye exam where they show you 1 or 2 and you pick which is clearer... except here I'm trying to compare 20... not good.
I guess this entry wraps up the trip. Some final thoughts.. I suppose it is ironic that this has been the most drama free journey I've ever taken. No illness, robbery, theft, delay (minor), or cancellation; I had more issues in South America and Europe. So many people were worried about safety and probably thought it was pretty naive of me to venture alone here. I found that the Lebanese, Jordanian, and Syrian folk all really want the same security of peace and safety. My conceptions of the Middle East stemmed from preconceived stereotypes and the media. I was not expecting to feel extremely safe, although this was the case after leaving Egypt. The strong religious presence in daily life made me feel more relaxed than edgy; that a Muslim wouldn't do harm because that would go against doctrine. Obviously this logic is far from sound but I felt a rooted protection in Islamic belief (however idealistic that may be)
Pyramid of Khufu
. As a woman it is impossible not to experience the backlash of cultural stereotypes. In Egypt especially this couldn't be avoided. The best thing is to know your morals. I may not always succeed (I know I don't), but I always try to maintain a certain comportment in order to show the respect I have for myself and other people. Being wishy washy in a foreign place is often what throws fuel on the fire.
I met some amazing people on along the way. I'll never forget that Frenchman we met on the rooftop in Amman. After he went to sleep, Andrew made a comment that he couldn't live that sort of life and that the man must be lonely, being in his 40's and circumnavigating the world for the Xth time. Whether or not this was the case, he had a spark about him that made me wonder if some people just never stop traveling and have managed to find total satisfaction in this. He had what I thought was my dream life. But, (and this must be a sign of my aging... great) I also started to think about all the wonderful things he has sacrificed, like personal connections with people, friends, and your family. I still think about this balance between roots and wings and am now convinced that the best life must in fact be, a balance.
The people I traveled with made the trip something spectacular and I couldn't have planned it any better, even if you could plan such things
the Syrian border money exchange dude
. When given the freedom to spend my time however I wanted all I wanted to do was spend one more day in everywhere that I went (this seemed to become the theme of the trip...), not necessarily for the place itself, but more for the people. Going through these experiences together has bonded us for what I hope will be many years to come. Hell we navigated the Eastern Sahara, trekked through Hezbollah territory and were detained at the Syrian border. It's been quite a ride and by the end of the trip all I wanted to do was stay longer. The area deserved more time and I wish I could have given it that. The Middle East is something special. I feel incredibly proud and lucky to have gotten the chance to see it for myself.
