An UPDATE written on Friday……
OMG……this time the jet lag is sooooo damn much worse than I have ever experienced in all of my world travels……it is awful today!!!!
We were up, showering, and closing our bags at 4:30 this morning…..and then we re-checked everything, and then checked it again for security violations. We didn’t want to have to leave anything in a trash can for not packing it in the “correct” way for the many inspections at the many security gates. I am sooooo damned thankful that there ARE all of these many, many security checks at each and every place here in Egypt AND Jordan. I do believe that should things become more intense and severe here in the USA, they could certainly take some lessons from those countries over there. They DO have it all together over there when it comes to SECURITY!!!!!! I have nothing but a very big THANK YOU to their governments for making all travelers feel secure and safe…..and not just “feeling”, but for actually BEING SAFE IN THEIR COUNTRIES!!!!!!!
We left for the airport at 6:30AM Cairo time…….10:30pm on Wed night, Missouri time……and after going through extensive security checks JUST to get into the airport into the International Terminal, we finally were checked in and bags checked by 9AMCairo. We had some coffee/tea…..and then they began loading the huge Airbus 320 by 9:25am. Loaded and ready, we took off for NYC at 10:25AM……and flew for 12.5 hours non-stop to JFK in NYC. OMG…….is JFK a total non-user friendly airport!!!!! There are no signs other than in English in the most needed areas of the place…..and that is horrible for the foreign travelers. We helped some through the processes of passport control, immigration control, customs officials, etc., etc. but sooooo horrible for those people attempting to visit our country!!!!! The smallest airport we were in over there……Abu Simbel airport down close to the Sudan border…..was much better in their signage than NYC!!!!!!! WHAT A SHAME!!!!!
After processing through all check points, we finally found the AirTrain to change terminals…..again, NOT WELL MARKED WITH SIGNS!!!!!! Even the 1st Lady and I had to ASK where to find it!!!!!!! Then, we had to fly out to STL on Delta Airlines and there was NOTHING to tell us which of the seven terminals to go to for Delta!!!!!!! And, being in a dazed and numbed state, it was even much more difficult on us and we SPEAK ENGLISH!!!!! DAMN, DAMN, DAMN!!!!!!
We grabbed a sandwich close to our appointed Gate for the flt to STL…..and sat there staring off into space from the jet lag. Managed to get onto the small little commuter jet from NYC to STL…..and arrived at 9pm in STL. Even worse jet lag, now. Our car had been left by Jeremy in the Long Term Parking…….and we had called him from NY to get the location of it. He had had to fly to New Orleans for meetings; then to Miami FL and then back to Washington DC…and will get back here in a week or so.
Getting our car……by airport shuttle…..we somehow managed to drive home. I didn’t go fast….my reactions were sooooo slow last night…….and at one time I had really had to fight to keep from falling asleep. But……..
We are home after 10 airplane flights, and other travels using: ferry boat, bus shuttles, taxi, horse and carriages, camels, horses, private car, mini-bus, cruise ship, feluccas (sail boats in Egypt), train, and probably other transports that my dazed state of mind cannot remember as of this moment!!!!!!!! We crossed and returned through 8 time zones, we could only use bottled water, we ate strange things(and they did strange things to us), we met sooooooooooo many wonderful friendly people everywhere we went in Egypt and Jordan, and we felt soooooooooo SAFE AND SECURE everywhere we went!!!!!!
The people of Egypt and Jordan LOVE Americans AND America!!!!! Do NOT be fooled by the national media here in the USA………!!!!!!! We are NOT getting the entire story when it comes to relations with the peoples of Egypt and Jordan!!!!!! I have had soooooooooooo many discussions and visits with the wonderful people there in both countries…..I ALWAYS tried to initiate conversations wherever I went. And, the people I talked with wound up saying that it is the “governments” and “not the people” who are having the disagreements in policies, etc., etc. Over and over, no matter which religions of the people I talked to/with……the same comment was heard: “we are all brothers and sisters no matter which religion we are with” And……..I soooooooo STRONGLY feel the same way!!!!!!!!! We are NOT at war nor disagreement with the Muslim religion……nor with the Muslim people………it is the governments which are having the “problems”!!!!!!!!
So, I will get off my rather dazed “soap box” now……..I have been sooooo changed and affected by this incredible trip to northeast Africa and the Middle East!!!!!! Well…..wait a minute…..not changed ……..but re-enforced by what I have learned and experienced while over there. My mind is no more open that it was before I left……..it is just that what I believed has now been confirmed by my many, many, many, many conversations that I have had while on this trip. Conversations with the great people of each country, as well as many, many other travelers from many other countries of the world who we would talk with……… We are people and citizens of the World, and not just our own nations. We are all part of this planet and we must continue to work, to love, to learn, and to live with each other as part of a plan by a Supreme Being……not matter which name is given to that Supreme Being. We are ALL brothers and sisters.
More pictures to follow as I re-check which ones I have put on here already. I took over 1000 pictures……so, continue to check back daily for more of this trip.
You know it, already…….don’t you?????
LIFE IS JUST INCREDIBLY AND BEAUTIFULLY GREAT!!!!!!!!!!…..And, I certainly hope it is for each and every one of you, also!!!!!!!!
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