Dreading the Post-Travel Photo Editing - procrastination-ITIS!

Over the last few days and weeks, I've been dreading to turn on my computer to organize, sort and edit the thousands of photos, and yes, I do mean thousands of photos that I took on my trip... The excuse of "my lightroom can't open my CR2 files" is getting old and ... no longer applies since I just found a PLUG-IN to help me open and edit my files (still looking for a Photoshop CS3 plug-in). In some sense, this sounds like the dog ate my homework excuse right? Ha ha... I'm really not like that -- I normally tackle what I need to get done, especially when I have a deadline... and since, I have no deadline -- I have the classic case of procastination-itis.

Oh, alright... I realize since I was fortunate enough to travel for 40 days in the Middle East (well, anyone could really do it -- come on!) that I shouldn't be selfish ... and that its time to share some my experiences with my readers... and yes, I will seek out the cure for procrastination-itis and get off of the "chilling" mode and start sharing my travel adventures with you (like my photo from Dahab, Egypt -- "chillax" -- or chilling out in a beach/diving town).

So, hopefully by the end of March, I will have everything out, and you'll get to see some interesting stories, teary-eyed moments and exciting photos from my travels through the Middle East!

Happy Reading!

Getting Back Into the Groove

I've been back from my Middle East travels for a week and I'm shocked by how long its taken me to get back into the groove. I would almost say I'm having reverse culture shock by living in NYC again. Let me back up and explain what I mean by that.

When you travel, every day is a new experience. You go and explore the town/city that you're in; engaging your mind in visual things you haven't seen or ever dreamt about seeing before. In my case, it was seeing century old pyramids (Dashur/Giza/Memphis, Egypt), structures built from rocks in the mountains (Abu Simbel, Egypt; Petra, Jordan), and the Holy Land -- where many if not all religions started and where many religious battles erupted (Jerusalem, Israel; Bethany-Beyond-Jordan, Jordan). Though, one may feel intimidated or lost in such an adventure of visiting the aforementioned ageless monuments or eating street food or talking with the locals ... for me, it felt familiar; almost as I've lived there for a while. I didn't have much difficulty finding my bearings or finding a way to where I wanted to go, nor was it difficult communicating with the people living there (um, that is if you're willing to act silly and illustrate what you mean through a game of charades (ha ha; yes, I was that monkey on the street)) - so traveling for me, though thousands of miles away from home -- was quite familiar. And now being back in New York, it oddly feels unfamiliar and as if I'm lost in this gigantic city. Strange, isn't?

I've lived in New York for almost 10 years and for it to feel unfamiliar and or having a little piece of me feeling disorientated is odd for me... So, is this what you would call reverse culture shock (shocked to be back in my native country/home hearing everyone speak English, or feeling shocked by doing the most simplest thing -- such as walking into a grocery store? or grabbing a taxi?? and finding all of that is so cumbersome to do especially with the crowds? ugh...) or, I could quite possibly be labeling it incorrectly -- so, instead of culture shock, perhaps, after 40 days in the Middle East I grew accustomed to the way of living there and now find myself at odds on how to function in NYC ... can that be possible?

Hmm... Perhaps, I'm just in denial that my 40 day trip is over and getting back into the pulse of NYC life is tougher than I imagined it to be... Afterall, life here in NYC should be easier than the Middle East because I know what to expect in NYC -- the people in NYC are who they are; I no longer have to bargain for that bottle of water or play that game of charades to get my point across -- so, why am I having such difficulty adjusting back to normal NYC life? Who knows -- perhaps after 40 days of traveling, I just need the time to relax, rejuvenate, and recalibrate my surroundings so I can accept my surroundings for what they are. I do admit, I love not having to lug my luggage from place to place or running for that next train/bus -- and wow, I just realized how much I love my home surroundings -- the couch, the tv and my comfortable bed -- perhaps, I'll just hibernate in my apartment for the rest of the winter (btw, dang its cold here!) until I get acclimated back to NYC life. and of course, I can't wait to see all my friends again!!

So, welcome back to NYC, Susan (yes, I'm talking to myself) ... and cue that song -- Empire State of Mind...

... baby, I'm from new york ...

concrete jungle where dreams are made of
there's nothing you can't do
now you're in New York...

these streets will make you feel brand new
big lights will inspire you
hear it for New York, New York, New York...

12 Hours to Cairo!

Day One - Getting Ready to Leave, December 15, 2009

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 Thoughts

I 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.