2010 Africa Adventure

Abu Simbel

Aswan - Nile - Nubian Village (sand storm!)

Cairo - Alexandria, Egypt

Egypt - From Chris Walker

Jordan 1

Jordan 2

Kenya 1

Luxor 1

Luxor 2

Tanzania

Time Square

Vido (Stills and Videos)

From July 7 through August 12, 2010, Tracy and I took a very special trip that we've been planning for several years in celebration of my 50th birthday. It has been a dream of mine to get wild in Africa and show Tracy some of the most amazing sites in Egypt. This summer we fulfilled that dream and more.

Here's the basic agenda:

Stop 1: Cairo Egypt where we spent a few days with Jane Malone (Tracy's daughter) who is teaching high school in Cairo. We explored Cairo, Alexandria and then went south to Aswan, Abu Simbel, Luxor, and points along the Nile. We took a four day cruse on the TI XI up the Nile. It was magical. We happened upon a sand storm that made an eire glow for several days. Our group of 5 travelers - Amanda, Jono, Chris, Tracy, and Ron along with our guide Mahmoud set out to see all of the amazing locations in Egypt.

Stop 2: Kenya including Nairobi and Masai Mara. Expansive, amazing, a complete shift from the busy city of Cairo, Kenya was a dream come true. Masai Mara is one of the most abundant animal parks in the world. We saw amazing sites from the migration of tens of thousands of wilde beasts to coming head to head with a rhino. We made friends with some Masai warriors and villagers, ate wonderful food, and saw the beauty and expanse that Kenya has to offer.

Stop 3: Tanzania and several parks including Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Olduvai Gorge, and more. Tanzania has extreme variety and everywhere we went we experienced the beauty and splendor that this very hospitable and gracious country has to offer. In both Kenya and Tanzania we were on a private tour with just the two of us and our guides Mahmed and Jeffrey - both wonderful, experienced, and accommodating.

Stop 4: After two weeks in Egypt, two weeks on Safari, we landed in Zanzibar, an island off the coast of Tanzania where we hung out on a white sandy beach, took long walks, slept, showered! and had just a wonderfully relaxing time. We did adventure out one day to take an ATV tour of the island, IN THE RAIN, where we met up with some native villagers and shared some fun and games.

Stop 5: THE SURPRISE! Tracy was kept in the dark about our last stop until the very last minute and even then she didn't know the full itinerary. We went from Tanzania to Cairo to Jordan where we were met by our guide who drove us to Mt Nebo, the Dead Sea, and finally...PETRA! Wow, amazing, awesome, inspiring, majestic, magical, exhausting, hot, sore, aching, exhilarating, deeply spiritual, and so many more adjectives. I think the photos say more than I can put into words. It was a surprise for both of us and one we want to share with all of you.

Please enjoy the photos. There are videos too which I hope to get posted after doing some editing. That may take a while, but at least this is up and ready. Please send us your feedback, comments, ideas for other places to travel, and any inspirations you might have.

Blessings to all,

Ron and Tracy Bernstein