Civil Unrest

When we received the intitial materials about the trip, there was a warning that our itinerary was subject to change because of civil unrest or political events.  We just considered that standard boiler plate disclaimers.

When the final materials arrived, we were informed that our original hotel on Easter Island was being occupied by the indigenous people in a protest against the Chilean government.  No big deal as we will just stay at a different hotel.

But the civil unrest in Egypt is a different matter.  We are scheduled for two stops in Eygpt and one is in Cairo.  Our guess is that there is going to be no resolution of the current problems by the time we are scheduled to arrive there.  Our further guess is that we will not go to Egypt and will be rerouted to Jordan.

1-18-11 addendum

If you want to know more about the trip, go to http://nationalgeographicexpeditions/expeditions/aroundtheworld/detail.  

1-18-11: I'm so excited about our trip around the world!

Herman and I leave on February 4 and return on February 28.   Packing will be a challenge as each of us can take only one 50-lb. suitcase and we have to pack for all kinds of differing climates:  Lima, Cusco, and Macchu Picchu; Easter Island; Samoa;  the Great Barrier Reef (Australia); Angkor Wat, Cambodia; Chengdu, China; Lhasa, Tibet; the Taj Mahal; Tanzania; Luxor, Egypt and the pyramids; and Marrakech, Morocco.

We went to the ECU International Travel Clinic in November and December for six immunizations which were required for the trip.  Herman had to spend a lot of effort getting VISAs for various countries which require them.  I wish I had had time to read more about each destination but will have time on the plane to catch up. 

This trip is a dream come true for me for many reasons.  Ellen DeGeneres paid for a young staff seargeant and his wife to go on this trip and it'll be their honeymoon as they've never had one.  Won't it be fun to have this couple in the group?

More later.