We're Going to Egypt

We're going to Egypt! At least, that's the plan. Last night Blair and I attended an informational session about a Spring 2009 group tour of Egypt. Eleven days of pyramids, temples, and ancient ruins. I have ALWAYS wanted to go to Egypt, but we've been hesitant about navigating a trip there on our own. Now we have a chance to go with a tour group of 22 people and I am psyched.

Psyched that is, until they brought up luggage. They expect everyone to get by for 11 days with a 24" suitcase and one carry-one. Um, hello? That will, like, hold my shoes? Blair said this will be a good exercise for me in learning to do more with less. I told him to go soak his head.

But no--I'll make it. Rewearing clothes doesn't bother me so much, but temperatures will be in the 90's - 100's and I have no desire to rewear smelly, sweaty clothes. Let's hope the hotel and cruise ship have laundry facilities. (A trip to see remnants of ancient civilizations and I'm focused on will my whites be white. Typical.)

I'm also a little freaked by the 10-12 hour plane ride, but many of the people who attended this meeting appear in their 50's/60's so if they're up for it, so am I.

My greatest concern, as always, is leaving the cats for so long. Especially with Lucy now needing her medicine twice a day. I'm just going to have to resolve to not think about them while we're gone. Otherwise I'll obsess.

What I LOVE about this group is they suggest all of us sign up for a course at the local community college on Egypt, so we'll be studying the history and monuments well before the trip. Come January, I'm going to throw myself into reading books on Egypt so I can understand and appreciate what it is I'll be seeing. 

Egypt. I may as well say I'm going to Mars. It sounds so... out there. But I'm thrilled. Plus, I actually have a friend in Egypt. A woman in Cat Writer's of America lives in Egypt so I'm going to see if we can connect during the trip. 

Of course, many more details will follow. Most of them involving how I can pack a hairdryer and straightening iron in my luggage without Blair's noticing....