Tuesday, October 06, 2020

OctPoWriMo6: Exotic

We landed in Egypt, too excited to sleep, 
with backpacks, travel guides, ready for the overnight train trip
clacking south to Luxor. We slept hunkered over
on fixed wooden seats throughout the night to awake to
morning in a land of palm trees and desert,
passing small walled villages,
men in long robes and colorful shawls,
who walked beside donkey-powered carts and
fields of alfalfa, White Nile Herons dotting irrigation ditches.

We were here to explore the pyramids,
decode prayers of falling stars, read the Text of the Dead,
and stand awed in the shadow of temple columns,
not quite realizing the memories we would carry home. 

Snake Charmer, Aswan (2004)

View of Abu Simbal from our excursion boat (2004)

Bedouin and camels at Saqqara (2004)

Temple at Luxor (2004)

I’m not sure how I had the courage to travel this way, without encumbrances, Allen and I, for nearly eight months, from Israel, to Egypt, then in order, truly a month in each country, Turkey, Greece, Italy, France, and England. We made our way as independent travelers, finding the least expensive options all along the way, staying in hostels and hotels, eating food in restaurants and from vendors (yes, we ate fried locusts, tasty and crunchy), visiting every museum and cultural icon we could discover, each country hospitable and unique. 

Today, during a time of pandemic, such travel seems unlikely. We have memories, photographs, and notebooks to dream over and to remember. Today’s attempt at a poem captures only a snippet of our great adventure -- and began as I tried to think of the most exotic thing I've done, this month's writing prompt from #BlogBattle -- and today's prompt from OctPoWriMo, travel.

Thank you again to Morgan Dragonwillow for inspiring writers all through October.

19 comments:

  1. Oh you certainly have had wonderful adventures and the way you travel is the best way. Now you have a treasure trove of memories to share. Decoding the falling stars is a very lovely turn of phrase...a year already....tempus fugit)

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    1. Thank you for visiting and commenting, Rallentanda. The older we get, the more we treasure our memories. May you find adventures ahead -- and keep writing.

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  2. What great adventures! Awesome pics.

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  3. Neat pictures. What an experience!
    Thanks for co-hosting IWSG!

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    1. Thank you for enjoying the pics. It was actually hard to pick only a few -- and I left out the most adventuresome moments -- we actually got to go underneath one of those pyramids!!!

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  4. Memories to sustain through these trying times! What wonderful experiences you have had.

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    1. Thank you again, Sgeoil. The poetry and memories bring 'respite' but so much trouble everywhere, so many needing help.

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  5. What awesome memories!!! Great pics too!

    Thank you for co-hosting this month.

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    1. and thank you for stopping by!

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  6. Hi,
    What beautiful memories that will burn in your hearts for years to come.
    Thank you also for co-hosting.
    Shalom aleichem,
    Pat G @ EverythingMustChange

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    1. Good to see you again, Pat. And thank you for all your support for IWSG and writers everywhere.

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  7. You were brave to travel, but what wonderful memories. Thank you for co-hosting.

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    1. Thanks for making me smile. I didn't feel too brave at the time, more thrilled to be exploring. All I really had to do was follow my trip planner!

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  8. Nice post and pictures. Thanks for co-hosting IWSG this month.

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    1. Thank you for stopping by, Toi. I'll be visiting you shortly!

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  9. There's nothing like a long and exotic trip to enjoy twice--once during the journey and then when you look back and remember.

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    1. Ah, yes. I just didn't realize at the time how many wonderful memories these trips that hubby and I have taken over decades would bring. May your own adventures sweeten the coming year.

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  10. Wonderful, Beth! Let’s hope we get to travel like this again, one day. Or, travel internationally at all...

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