Egypt

The history, ancient architecture, and scenery of Egypt is wonderful if you can get past the "hassle factor." I started in Alexandria, with its cool Mediterranean promenade, modern library, and vibrant nightlife. From there I headed south to Aswan and Luxor: Ancient Egypt Central. The temples (Abu Simbel, Luxor, Philae, and Karnak), museums (Nubian and Luxor) and tombs are just incredible. I couldn't stop thinking how lucky humanity is that these structures, art, and treasures from within have lasted through the millennia.

Egypt, especially super-touristy Upper Egypt, has been one of the more unpleasant places for independent travel. What I mean by "hassle" is that many of the Egyptians you encounter will mislead you, lie outright, and otherwise try to rip you off. I got the feeling that overcharging foreigners is a national sport and just about every transaction turns into a negotiation: "How much? 10 Egyptian Pounds. You must be joking. I know the price is 1 and a half pounds." Eventually you get close to the real price if you stand firm, but finding the right bus, train, buying food, water, and shopping for souvenirs are all a challenge.

At the moment I'm taking a vacation from Egypt by going underwater -- four days scuba diving in the Red Sea at a mostly German resort in Safaga. I am still working out where to go after Egypt but before meeting my friend David in Lisbon, Portugal on June 30. Possibly Ireland (Casey and a cousin are there) or somewhere else that Northwest goes.