The Insatiable Tourist.

Old postcard from Egypt.

I must have been 8 or 9 the first time I went to Egypt. I have memories of staying at the Winter Palace in Luxor, where there was always a man sitting outside your door, who would run errands or get fresh drinking water. That made an impression on me, as much as did, riding in a calesh to see the sights.

I am really not as old as Methuselah but the other day I saw the City of Petra on a travel channel and my mouth fell open when I saw the many tourists there. I am beginning to realize that because my traveling started early in life that I visited many placed in the Middle East and Africa, before they were big tourist destinations.

I was in Petra, when the Bedouins still lived there, and all you could buy was a hot Coke and bottled sandscapes.

When I read old travel books, I sometimes wish I could have visited a place all by myself and wander around without a group and guide to be seen. But it is, as it must be, and I am happy that many people can travel and see the wonders of the world because it a wonderful thing to be able to do.

Nevertheless, it is really special if you travel to a destination and find it relatively undiscovered by tourism. To, for example, see the early morning sun rising over Palmyra, from your tent, camping on the grounds of the dilapidated and run down Hotel Zenobia, which is, I see on the web, quite smart now. When I was there it looked more like a deserted train station.

All in all I have whetted my appetite for some travel now, although that generally takes very little, but I am somewhat out of practice besides flying these days, is not a very inviting way to transport yourself, and transport is the right word, in this case. It is no longer is exciting. It used to give me a little thrill to know that I would be flying somewhere, but now I seriously wish that ocean liners still existed. That was a way to travel. Unfortunately though, only for the rich, so if I travelled 70 or 80 years ago, I probably wouldn't have been able to, because I don't think I would have been rich enough. Better be satisfied with what I can do!

Blog anniversary: 3 years!