Its 3:30 pm, wait, now its 3:45 pm … crap, its 4:00, I really have to get a move on it if I want to make my 6:30 pm flight at JFK. I now have 2.5 hours to get to the airport (and no, there is no online check in with Egypt Air. It takes about 40-50 minutes, door to door, to get to the airport via LIRR. I also know at a minimum, I must be there 45-50 minutes prior to departure, regardless of international travel, if I wanted to check-in and check-in a bag. So I have to be there before 5:40 pm (or else the ticket agent will see me groveling and pleading with them! Not a pretty sight – haha!)
So if I leave now (um, not ready yet), I will get there around 5:00 pm. Plenty of time (you getting skirmish yet?) , so, I tell myself, I will make it (yes, I’m notorious for cutting it close to departure time). I caught the 4:22 pm LIRR Jamaica outbound train and made it to the check-in counter at 5:10 pm. Not bad – phew, what a relief! So with one hour and twenty minutes to spare – what can I do? Shop… No, I made my way to the gate (afterall, I didn’t want to miss my plane after cutting it so close). I also used the remaining time to call my credit/debit cards to authorize usage in Egypt and Jordan (definite must, so don’t forget to do it on your next international travel!) and texted a few friends before I left. Ah, the hard part is done, now I can relax and sleep on the plane!
If you’re curious about my preparations, read below… If not, wait for my next blog posts on Egypt!
Excitement Level: Low. For some reason, I don't usually get excited until I’m am at my destination. It doesn't feel until I am there and witnessing it. :D
Mental Preparation: None. Though, I do admit, I am a bit nervous to be a woman traveling in Egypt (thank goodness, I’m traveling with my brother, which reminds me -- should I pretend that we are married? sick thought, i know, but apparently married woman here are not accosted as much!).
Physical Preparation: Limited. Ankle is still hurting a bit. - I expect to do my own physical therapy while on the road. Gym? I went a few times to get my body ready for some scuba diving (though, I had no pool to see if I'm capable of swimming a few laps – so let’s hope I don’t drown!)
Planning: A lot. My brother determined our route and I obliged. I figured out all the hotels and made reservations via email. I used Lonely Planet Egypt, Lonely Planet Middle East and tripadvisor.com to find reputable and clean hotels. For the first few nights, Wilson and I will be staying at a 5-star hotel (he is returning from a 42 day safari -- so he needs to slowly readjust back to society.) No we aren’t staying at 5-star hotels the entire time, just 3-stars (or whatever I can find). Took a week or so to get email confirmations from most of the hotels (sounds easy, but really isn't).
Packing: Not so bad. Packing my clothes was easy -- I packed one carry on suitcase for a 38 day trip (I checked it in), one side tote bag filled with camera stuff and another sling shot backpack with my camera equipment. Lots of camera equipment and I already feel as if I've packed too much!
Purchases: Drove me insane. Tested three cameras and six lenses within a week. At the end of the week long camera trials (sounds like a lawsuit!), I chose the 7D and equipped it with 24-70mm F/2.8L lens and 70-200mm F/4.0L lens. Btw, I have some new friends at B&H, though I do admit they probably hate me at the return counter. :D But, if I’m about to spend THAT much on equipment, it better be good and perform well under certain stress tests! (future blog about camera purchase to come)
Last Minute ThoughtsI made my flight and with 45 minutes to spare! phew! I can't believe I'm on my way! The excitement is slowly building. (ha ha, the photo of me on the left is me writing this part of the blog!)
I can’t wait to see what Egypt has to offer and I can’t wait to explore and live day to day, not knowing what to expect next. Every day will be a new challenge, whether finding a way to our destination, haggling with Egyptians over their wares, or finding a clean bathroom! Whatever it is, I love the newness of traveling and the unknown. Traveling is probably one of the only times where I find myself in a heightened “survival” mode – where I depend on my gut instincts, my common sense and my ability to talk to strangers. I love it! I really can’t wait to interact with the locals to find the good food and the hidden gems! oooh and all the beautiful photos I will capture (cross your fingers!) So, on to my adventure I go!
I will have limited internet access while on the road but these are the countries I will be traveling to on this adventure -- Egypt and Jordan ; if enough time, perhaps Israel or Syria (if we can get visas!) with my brother.
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