What planet are we on?

Aerial views of Cairo from the plane. It felt, and looked as though we were landing on the moon when we swooped around the city at fairly low altitude. It truly is miles upon miles of sand, with occasional scorched black patches.

Italian hiatus

At Roma Fiumicino Airport. Milan Malpensa beats it any day. However, very nice internal subway system...troubling administration of "delayed" notices on flights. We're delayed about an hour...no hurry, no worries, a relaxing break.

I must say I am met by flashes of awe though...that this is "happening." I've travelled on my own extensively, but still, every now and again of being but a dot on the great big globe. And yet I am sitting, with my backpack, in Rome, trying to teach myself some primitive Arabic, sweating like crazy in my EMS boots, khakis and teeshirt...only to have to cover up soon in my long sleeve red and white striped oxford for that lurking "Arab world." Buhahha. I love it.

Parting Logan

Sammy and I standing before my plane. My heart rate is amped to 120 beats a minute at this point. We've already checked in my luggage and gotten my boarding pass for both Boston to Rome and Rome to Cairo. Now we're just stretching outside terminal E before our good-byes. Shortly thereafter I would go through security and into the gate area and settle down and wait. And begin to contemplate what I'm actually about to do.

Let them eat cake...

Emily's gorgeous "Have a Great Trip" cake from this morning...as you can see, she devoted extensive time yesterday evening in baking and stenciling Arabic script. Very nice.

Three days and counting...

The Egyptian visa...

Basking in the chaos of final prepations. Absolutely thrilled, for certain, but how contented stepping into 105 degree Cairene heat Saturday with an entirely new venue I will be.