I never thought I would spend two weeks with the Muslim culture. All said and done, its pretty amazing. Here is the video after 30 days in on my around the world venture.
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The more I travel the more I appreciate finding underdeveloped waterfront property. After visiting the pyramids in GIZA, I managed to surprise myself by finding DAHAB, EGYPT. I have been playing in the Red Sea for the past two weeks enjoying all the adventures it offers. Looking across the sea and seeing Saudi Arabi, I can understand why there are few Americans and tons of Europeans.
This has been the longest I have been without a bag, but even more so, without television. Letting go of all my comforts in life, the trip took its course, and I finally became emerged in it. The experience of becoming emerged in another culture is something I have yet to feel. I often here the word of Rolf Potts, “Let the trip takes its course”, but never understood it.
Upon entering Cairo, once again, I was in culture shock. Something as simple as crossing the street, is different here.
It took me 3 or 4 days to overcome the shock and my insecurities before I enjoyed it. For the first 3 days, my stomach was upset and my energy levels where down. Often using coffee to cure the energy, my stomach wanted nothing to do with it. Sitting in Cairo, some would say a concrete jungle, I had decided that we needed to get to a beach. My options were to either go north to Alexandria or east to the Red Sea, a place called Dahab. Dahab is a “7 hour bus ride” (11 hours!) that only cost about 18 dollars one way. You can also take a shuttle flight to a closer area and then taxi in. My field editor, Matt, recently got wind of his wife’s pregnancy. Our trip was his going to be his last “hooray” for a few years and the last thing I wanted was a homesick travel partner. Either way, once we arrived here, the sensory overload began. Its funny what cooking a little garlic can do for homesickness along with having a few beers on the beach. Now 10 days in Dahab, we are sad to say we are leaving. Happy to find this great beach town and even happier to fight through the struggle of culture shock. I am challenged by the differences between religious views and terrorism. After fishing, a few shishas, and long conversations with local Egyptians, aka”Muslims”, I am complete. Its what traveling and letting go of all securities in life, seems to be about.

Living it to the fullest,
Aaron