labuznik

To read Parts 1 and 2, see the previous posts.

There is so much to tell, but I’ll focus on some of the most notable and meaningful experiences from our Around the World by Private Jet with National Geographic Expeditions.

PERU

We stayed in Cusco and our hotel there was amazing!  Because Cusco is over 11,000 feet, the hotel pumped additional oxygen into the guest rooms.  We visited an all-female textile and weaving organization.  They produced stunning woven “works of art.”  I was thrilled to make a purchase and support them!

Machu Picchu was incredible.  Taking the famous Hiram Bingham train to the ancient Inca citadel was the first of our once-in-a-lifetime experiences.  And we had absolutely gorgeous weather for the entire trip!

FIJI

We were there for around 18 hours.  It was the first time I experienced 92% humidity.  Not something I’d like to repeat.  But the ocean view from our hotel room was absolutely beautiful!

AUSTRALIA

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef was a bucket list item I didn’t know was on my list until I was doing it.  My GI tract still wasn’t 100%, and I wasn’t feeling all that great, with a disrupted circadian rhythm, lack of sleep, and new foods.  I also wasn’t too keen on being in a bathing suit.  I didn’t know I’d get in the water to snorkel and told myself I’d make a game-time decision.  Once I was in the water, all the unease and discomfort floated away.  I experienced a profound sense of gratefulness and gratitude.  The reef and fish were within reach (but no touching!).  The colors, textures, and vast diversity of corals and fish were truly remarkable.  I simply couldn’t believe where I was and what I was doing.  I just let the current carry me blissfully along, to the annoyance of my husband, who kept looking for me in the water.  I was free of worry and stress and was entirely in the moment.  It was unbelievably peaceful.

After snorkeling, in the evening, we had a lecture by Jamie Seymour, a local toxicologist and expert on all the deadly plants, animals, insects, and jellyfish in Australia that want to kill you.  I was blissfully unaware of this fact, but apparently, it’s common knowledge.  I’m glad this lecture was after we snorkeled. 

CAMBODIA

We watched the sunrise over Angkor Wat.  It was pretty hot that day (95°F).  During our time there, we were blessed by Buddhist monks in a short ceremony. I happened to be in the front row and was sprinkled with the water they flicked on the group.  During their chanting, I was nearly moved to tears.  I allowed myself to be open to receive the blessing.  The significance of the experience in a profound location by members of an ancient religion, who themselves are so welcoming and compassionate towards others.  This moved me deeply, and I thankfully accepted the iconic red braided bracelet on my left wrist.  

Our dinner celebration was at a 10^th-century Hindu Prasat Kravan Temple.  The setting was absolutely stunning!  Candles & torches lit our path to the dining area.  Huge air-conditioning units kept the outside area cool.  The tables had vibrant red linens, candles, and Lotus flowers.  Hindu dancers gave several beautiful performances; it was an exquisite experience.

Paro, BHUTAN

Hiking to the Tiger’s Nest monastery was the activity I had been training for the last 6+ months.  The Tiger’s Nest is precariously perched on the side of a cliff.  You gain 1,700 feet in elevation during the 2.5+ mile hike to the top, ending at 10,240 feet.  There are few flat areas on the journey, as most of the path is uphill, with some areas having significant pitch.  We took short rests when we needed to and stopped at the halfway point tea house to rest on the way up and have a lovely lunch there on the way back.  We made it up in under 2 hours, which is a pretty good time.  And it took us the same amount of time on the descent.  Once back at our hotel, we utilized the soaking tub and bath salts to soak our legs.  I highly recommend Paro, Bhutan.  The people were so lovely and our hotel, the Zhiwa Ling Heritage was amazing!

Agra, INDIA

Our hotel, The Oberoi Amarvilas, is located just 600 meters from the Taj Mahal, which you can see from many locations within the hotel, including our guest room. The grounds were so beautiful; I don’t think I’ve been in a more gorgeous hotel. The staff excelled at the highest level of service. However, the delivery was very professional and serious. Warmth and smiles were not all that forthcoming.  

We grudgingly got up before dawn for a sunrise photo opportunity of the Taj Mahal. Our group and what seemed like 1 million others were standing in the entry line. Our guide navigated us through the labyrinth of tourists to less crowded areas. The post I wrote for our IG page says it all –

First light at The Taj Mahal was a very unique experience. When coming through the entry gate, the great structure is nearly phantom-like. Unreal, mystical, not quite there in the soft haze of sunrise. Changes in light play off the white marble, creating a soft iridescence that’s magical. The closer you get, the more real it becomes. The lines defining the outline begin to solidify. The massive form gracefully materializes in front of you. Once close enough, you notice an even finer level of detail with all the inlay work both on the outside and inside of the tomb. 
It truly is a stunning monument. 

Ngorongoro Crater, TANZANIA

The wonderful people of Tanzania helped make this our favorite spot for the whole tour! We stayed at the Meliá Collection Ngorongoro Lodge. Everyone we encountered in Tanzania was warm and welcoming, and the people there had the most infectious smiles.  It’s clear they are happy to have you, and you are happy to be there.  It was lovely to establish a friendly rapport so quickly with the hotel staff, our NGE on-site staff, and even the Tanzanite Experience representative I purchased some earrings from at our hotel.

Our jet landed in Kilimanjaro, and from there, we needed to take a small “puddle jumper” flight to Lake Manyara Airstrip (a dirt runway).  From there, we rode to the hotel in Land Cruisers (the unofficial safari vehicle), often on unpaved, one-lane roads.  The hotel is perched on the lip of the crater (technically, it’s a caldera, not a crater).  The expansive 7-mile-wide crater is laid out right before you, with every window and view opportunity, including a long common area veranda with tables, loungers, and floor-to-ceiling windows in the guest rooms.

Bright and early, we drove with our guide and three other guests to the crater floor. You became thankful for the thick blanket folded on your seat, for warmth from the morning chill, or for your bum and the bumpy road.

Our first (ever) safari experience was fantastic!  Michael was desperate to see big cats, and as fate would have it, that’s what we saw first!  The safari gods were smiling down on us.  I tried to keep track of the animals we saw (the birds were more challenging to keep track of).  My record of what we saw included but not limited to – 2 Male lions, Thompson Gisele, Grant Gisele, Flamingos, lots of Elephants (including many babies), Warthogs, Hippopotamuses, Water Buffalo, many different species of birds, Zebra, Servil (highly elusive cat), Hyena, buzzards/vulture, Wildebeests, Black Headed Herron, Secretary bird, Grey Crowned Crain, Ostriches, Elon, Black Rhinoceros, and Jackals.

Wadi Musa, JORDAN

Stepping down from the jetway stairs and onto the tarmac in Jordan, you quickly realize where you are geographically. Especially when someone points to the mountains in the distance and says, “Those mountains are the West Bank of Israel.”

During the two-hour bus ride to the hotel, we learned how peaceful Jordan is, smack in the middle of a Middle East hot zone (for lack of a better term). Jordan has maintained its peace amid its high-strung neighbors.  

We chose to hike to the highest peak in Petra instead of the later morning option.  This in itself is a story, but I’ll skip to the part where we come upon the famous Treasury (Indiana Jones, and The Last Crusade) through the siq (meaning shaft), a tall, narrow rock gorge.  The siq is about ¾ of a mile; walking through it is an experience.  However, you round a corner, and you see the façade of the Treasury peeking through.  It’s just as magical as you imagine it to be!  The rose-colored structure is glorious.  Walking through from the siq, the area opens up, but high rock formations still surround you.  Unfortunately, we didn’t spend a great deal of time there.  Our guide moved our group along to start our perilous hike to the High Place of Sacrifice, the highest point in Petra.

Wadi Rum, JORDAN

Also known as the Valley of the Moon, the Wadi Rum is a large valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock in southern Jordan, near the border with Saudi Arabia.  Large rock formations and distant mountains mark the otherwise desert landscape.  Many films have been shot in the Wadi Rum, including The Martian, Dune, Prometheus, Rise of Skywalker, Lawrence of Arabia, and others.  We noticed camps of small glamping structures that hosted overnight guests.  Undoubtedly, this would be a very cool experience. Many had glass roofs to stargaze from your bed on a clear night.  I would have liked to spend more time there, but this was an early morning excursion.  We had to make our way to the jet because we were flying to Morocco in the early afternoon.

Marrakesh, MOROCCO

We could easily go back to Marrakesh—what an amazing city! Most of the people we encountered spoke French, Arabic, and English, which made choosing a language to communicate in fun. I responded to several hotel staff in French when addressed in French, but then I’d get flustered and resort to English. Our guides would greet us in Arabic, to which I’d give the proper Arabic in response. And then we’d continue in English.

My favorite meal of the entire trip was in Marrakesh. I will admit that it was at a Jean-George restaurant, and all other meals didn’t stand a chance. As I mentioned in a previous post, National Geographic covered this meal and gratuity. The only stipulation was not to order Champagne or Caviar. We put on our dressy outfits and ate at L’Asiatique par Jean-Georges, an Asian-themed restaurant.  We each had a cocktail and then ordered the six-course prix fixe.  During this meal, I fully realized just how ridiculously happy high-quality sushi and sashimi make me.  The setting most certainly had something to do with it.  Our last country on a whirlwind trip was coming to a close.  I enjoyed every last morsel, reflecting on the last 24 days, and considered myself beyond lucky to have had an experience of a lifetime with my amazing husband.  

A Global Perspective

Perhaps my dance training has something to do with it, but I’m usually pretty aware of my surroundings.  I typically notice the people around me or the people in the area I’m moving through (in a car or walking).  In particular, I notice those sitting on the street, perhaps with a sign and maybe a dog at their feet.  I try to notice if the individual is male or female.  And then I say a silent prayer for them, asking the forces greater than myself to relieve their suffering, as well as to relieve the suffering of the world. This is an exercise in Buddhism, and while I don’t practice Buddhism, nor do I consider myself a Buddhist, this small prayer is a part of my spiritual practice.

On our trip, as we were inching out of the expansive Perta site, hot and exhausted from the day’s hike around the vast desert area, Michael and I passed some vendors in makeshift tents selling souvenirs and trinkets. We heard a woman’s voice call out the typical seller’s call.  We kept walking.  Then she said, “Women support women.”  And that got my attention.  I turned around and walked to her.  Smiling, I handed her some money and immediately put my hands up, palms facing her in the gesture of I want nothing in return.  “This is for you,” I said.  “Choose something,” she said, indicating the bracelets and miscellaneous items on the table between us.  I said, “You choose for me.” Without hesitation, she picked up a red beaded bracelet and slid it over my hand and onto my wrist. “God bless you”, she said. “And you,” I said in return.

In Marrakesh, Morocco, we got off our bus and walked to the souk (market).  I noticed a woman and her young daughter close to where our bus stopped.  I guessed that she and her daughter may be homeless.  Our local guide, Ishmael, was walking rather quickly, and this is not a place you want to get lost, so I quickened my pace to keep up with him.  After shopping and returning to the bus, I noticed the woman was still there.  I asked Ishmael if she could find out if she needed help.  I followed him as he spoke to the woman in Arabic.   He told me that, yes, she was homeless.  I handed her some US currency.  She spoke in Arabic, looked at me, and he translated.  She said, “Thank you.  God bless you.  This helps me a great deal.”  I believe she hugged me.  I just smiled and said God bless you.  Once back on the bus, I sat down in my seat.  Ishmael looked at me and silently mouthed, “Thank you.”  I just nodded.  Back at the hotel, we were parting ways, and Ishmael said to my husband, “You take care of her.”

This whole exchange was very meaningful to me.  I did it for the woman and her daughter.  Not for praise or recognition. The fact that I needed Ishmael’s help and that he witnessed it hopefully strengthens the humanitarian ties between people of different countries.  We are all human.  We all have the same needs: safety, equality, autonomy, security, and love.