Back to Reality

It seemed a long way from Marrakesh back to DC…

…. that – and perhaps knowing that our journey had come to an end – left most of our group bleary-eyed and zombie-like.  After a short overnight at an airport hotel, we flew back to Dallas then drove home.

….. Only to find the feral hogs have been quite busy rooting up the meadow!

We accumulated more junk on this brief 3-week trip than we did in 6 months on a cargo ship!  (Photo omits a number of items and does NOT include all the rocks picked up on the way….)

What a singular trip!  Early on, it became very clear how different it was from the way we usually travel.

The selection of sites to visit was amazing – providing exposure to a broad array of both cultures and landscapes, and of course, iconic landmarks.  We would be blown away one day by the things we saw, and bored and restive the next as we spent hours on planes and buses traveling from one place to another.  An extra day would have been most welcome at many of the destinations, to allow for independent activity or more in-depth investigation of a site.

National Geographic managed the logistics as well as possible.  Accommodations were almost all extraordinary, reflecting the history and architecture of the places we visited.  NG’s experience and resources made the flow very smooth.

Fellow travelers were great – after some anxiety that they would be snooty or distant, we found that virtually everybody was interesting and friendly.  Maybe the intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm of folks who decide to make a trip like this overcome the snobbishness that might otherwise come with the price tag.  Although from vastly different backgrounds, we met fascinating people and made some friends who we expect to connect with in the future.

The biggest takeaway from the trip was the enhanced understanding that the lives of most other people on this planet are vastly different from ours…… we are warm, safe and comfortable; their experience is far more vibrant and intimately integrated with family, neighbors and culture.  We are rich in material terms; they are rich in colors, smells, sounds, tastes and relationships.  Lots to learn from each other, and to respect and value.

Are we glad we went?  Absolutely!  Will we do it again?  Not very likely.  For us, a once-in-a-lifetime frenzy of major site-seeing – places we otherwise would not visit.  National Geographic has some other trips we might consider… such as an intensive Galapagos or Falkland Islands expedition.  But no more frenetic “if it’s Tuesday this must be Agra” trips for us.  Worth doing at least once!

Thanks to all of you who were kind enough to post comments.  It’s nice to know someone is looking at our reports from the road.

We’ll be laying fairly low for the next few months….. planning an escape down under to Australia and New Zealand to avoid our hot summer.

Please keep in touch and be kind to yourself and the people you care about.  And don’t forget to spay or neuter your pets.  (Thanks, Bob Barker.)