Teachertraveler:adventuresabroad

I can't think of anything profound to say, so this quote works.  photo and quote from here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jinna-yang/20-of-the-most-inspiring-_b_8856096.html So what is the point of another travel blog, from another anonymous Internet user? I imagine that there are thousands, if not millions of other travel blogs out there on the floating internets. My humble blog is not fancy, and not endorsed and does not contain any ads, nor will I seek any returns on my musings. If you stumble across this, perhaps you might get an idea or two about travel as a single woman. I’m not as well traveled as some but I’ve done quite a bit around the globe in the decade or so since I started. In fact, my love of travel spurred me on to try teaching and living abroad.   This blog is for my own amusement and a way to sort through and process my little adventures. I think I will order my posts alphabetically, (mostly alphabetically) rather than chronologically.

Photo via:  http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/03/07/travel-quotes-international-womens-day_n_4914415.html Traveling alone is exhilarating! No one knows you, guides you or is protecting you. You are your own guide and protector.  The first time that I woke up in a hotel room and walked out the front entrance and looked both ways was a joy. I had never done anything like that. I shocked most people at home by saying I was going out on my own. The way I figured...try it once. If I didn't like then I wouldn't do it again. If I did like then nothing was in my way (other than the finances of course) Most of my travels, almost all in fact, have been as a single, woman traveler. The first trip alone was to Costa Rica in 1992, and that doesn't really count as I was training for the Peace Corps and stayed with a family. But it sure taught me a lot about being on my own. The strangest thing that happened on that little journey: I was traveling from my "home" in

I'm starting with a map of the places I have lived in and visited. 

These stamps are from the current passport. I LOVE visa stamps. I get a little thrill stepping up to immigration (and hoping that someone doesn't decide I shouldn't visit their country) and waiting for that little stamp. I have pages and pages of stamps from Egypt.  Evidence of a life well traveled. 

So I'm going to plunge right in and talk about Egypt...FRUSTRATING, MADDENING, BEAUTIFUL, INSANE EGPYT! This place is fresh in my mind and the first place I lived outside of my hometown~Phoenix, Arizona.  Egypt and in particular, Cairo was more than just a tourist stop. It was my home and the place of my employment. I started and sadly did not maintain a blog of my teaching adventures. Here's a link for that effort.  http://adventuresinteachingcairo.blogspot.sg/    Since this is NOT  blog on my teaching in Cairo, those interested can check out that blog. But in four years I saw enough of Cairo and Egypt so will include this time in my traveler's blog.  There was much that I saw and much I didn't...maybe, I will wander back to land of the sun and sand and see a few more things. Here's a list of what I did see:  The Pyramids The Great Sphynx  The Pyramids of Saqqara The Citadel Islamic Cairo Coptic Cairo Khan El Khalil The Nile Cruise from Luxor to

Athens was my third big trip from my first year in Cairo. I chose Athens because it was close and   I only had 4 days…long weekend. At that time, Athens was in the news a lot because of all their economic issues. I figured even better, things would be quiet and it was indeed quiet. All the major sites were open but not crowded at all! Best way to see them in my opinion. It was chilly but the sky was blue…no rain that trip.   Once again, I lucked out with the hotel. I chose   the  Athens Gate Hotel   because it was off season, I’m sure the price was well below a normal season cost. It was close to the Parthenon, within walking distance. Athans Gate Hotel I came in late at night and after dropping off my bag, I decided to pop up to the top floor lounge for a small bite to eat and drink (always costly) but the view was breathtaking: The Parthenon lit up at night! I had been to Rome and Turkey and so I'm well aware of the wonders of the ancient monuments, but t