Monthly Archives: October 2015

Some facts about our trip

Fitbit for Bette

           190061 steps, 89.59 miles, 909 floors!!!!

Nautical miles flown:  28402

Statute miles flown: 32662 (and no frequent flyer credit)

Fuel used: 231.7 tons (big carbon footprint)

Hours flown: 68 hours 14 minutes

Weight lost: 0

Weight gained: 0 (best stat!)
THE END

It has been a wonderful trip…fabulous places, wonderful hotels and meals, interesting and friendly traveling companions.

Our suitcases are packed for the last time, no more big bags at 10 PM, wheelies (rollaboards) at 6:30 AM.

Thank you for following us around the world.  Although I have tried to give you an idea of what we did and some of the experiences we had, the computer screen is flat and my words are inadequate to fully describe our experience.

Bob and Bette

PS  I am hoping to get some of the videos up 😉

Our flight from Aqaba took us over the northern most part of the African continent.  We were treated to views of the Suez Canal as well as the coastline of Africa and the Mediterranean Sea.

Upon arrival in Marrakech, we transferred to the hotel, had dinner and then did an evening walking tour of Djemaa el-Fna Square.  This is the main square near the Souk but in the evening it is a hotbed of activity with open air restaurants, singing and dancing groups, sellers of goods and lots of families enjoying being together.  We had a guide as well as a security person.

In the morning we did a tour of the Medina, seeing  Ben Youssef Madrasa, a religious college founded in the 14th century, the Bahia Palace, seeing the craftsmen making the goods being sold in the Souk and a final photo stop at Koutoubia Mosque.  The cellphone towers are disguised as palm trees!

In the afternoon, we went shopping in the Souk, looking at the leather goods, the tin and silver work, Moroccan oil, and the beautiful fabrics.

We then had our last cocktail party and farewell dinner.  It was suggested that everyone wear something that they had gotten on the trip.  It looked like a costume party with saris and other clothing articles purchased along the way.  Traditional Moroccan food and belly dancers rounded put the evening.

The last time to put out the big bags and repack our wheelies.  It was close to time to get back home.

Fitbit – 12755 steps, 6.04 miles, 4 floors

After leaving the Petra area we headed to Wadi Rum on our way to the airport in Aqaba.

Think Lawrence of Arabia.  Think the newly released movie The Martian ( we found out it was filmed here).  

We got into 4 wheel drive jeeps and off we went at breakneck speed.  The scenery is “Martian-like”.  We saw old petroglyphs.  Then it was on to the airport and our flight to Morocco.

Fitbit – 3597 steps, 1.71 miles, 3 floors

Our hotel was right across the street from the entrance to Petra.  We were offered rides on horses, donkeys and carts, but chose to walk in.  The first 1/2 mile was on a gravel path with ordinary rock formations all around.  Then we reached the Siq – the canyon entrance to the Petra complex.  It twisted and turned – our guide showed us the old water trenches – one for agriculture and one for personal use.  The colors of the rock walls were amazing.  Then we rounded the last corner and got our glimpse of the Treasury.  Red sandstone carved over a 1000 years ago.  The area was full of other tourists and lots of camels and small shops selling souvenirs.  

Around another corner and the city of Petra was before us.  It is only about 30% excavated.  There were temples and houses and monuments.  Quite amazing.  Lots of small shops selling all kinds of items.

We had lunch at the restaurant in the “basin” – lots of wonderful veggie dishes and great hummus.

After lunch Bob hiked to the monastery 892 steps up, and then on to the top lookout point.  He was surprised to find a shop at the top.  

I did the reverse walk in 95 degree heat.  I could have taken a camel or donkey or cart, but they all looked dangerous and walking felt safer.

That evening we went to “Little Petra”.  We walked down candlelit paths on carpets and came to a large open area with waiters serving drinks.  Then suddenly there was booming music and the area was lit with colored, dancing lights.  You could see lots of stars in the mostly dark sky.  Then we were led to tables and had dinner under the stars with more music and lights.  We had entertainment with Berber dancers.  Quite wonderful evening.

Fitbit – 15,765 steps, 7.18 miles, 52 floors
   

Another early start to our day.  We had to take bush vehicles to the dirt airport, to get onto bush planes to take us to the Kilimanjaro Airport to get on the jet.

We had some visitors at breakfast.

Morning visitors at the watering hole

The rest of the day was spent traveling.  After we landed in Aqaba we had a 2 hour drive to Wadi Musa, which is where the entrance to Petra is located.

Petra in the morning.

Our lecturer this evening was Louise Leakey, granddaughter of the famous archeologist Leakeys, who discovered the remains in Olduvai, near Ngorongoro Crater.  These remains were some of the first humanoid ones dating to 3.5 million years ago and “proved” that human life started on the African continent.  She is also in the same field, doing paleoanthropoligist and raising a family in Kenya.

Fitbit – no info today, all the time zone traveling has confused it and I can’t get a reading unless I remember to look at bedtime.

Sunset cocktail party at the hotel pool and watering hole – out past pool area

Maasai dancers entertaining us

We started on an early morning (6:30 AM) game drive. It is impossible to describe the vast numbers of animals we saw. Bob and I guessed that we saw somewhere between 1,000 to 1,500 animals. The extreme openness of the Serengeti can not be put into words. I will let our photos do the talking.

To commemorate my “7th” continent.

Wildebeest migration – there were 100’s in a line

Lioness stalking a Thomson gazelle