World Adventures
I love to travel, and I always try to add adventures to my travels. Although I am now greatly limited by Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, I was able to visit several places before I became ill, including:
Europe
I have been to Europe twice and have seen most of the western countries. My first trip was for two weeks in 1984. It was a whirlwind tour that introduced me to the area. The following year I went back for a month. My favorite places were France, Italy and the Greek Islands. Both of my trips were with tour groups, and I would like to go back some day on my own.
The Middle East
My trip to the Middle East was simply incredible. I graduated college in March 1990, and I knew I wanted to travel. I heard about a group called Volunteers for Israel that arranges for individuals to volunteer for the Israel Defense Forces. Each program is one month long, during which volunteers live and work on army bases. The program includes several day trips, and weekends are free for individual excursions.
I joined the program and left for Israel in May 1990. Soldiers met me and the other volunteers at the airport and took us to our base in the middle of the Negev Desert. We had about twelve volunteers in our group. Ages ranged from 19 to 60, and nationalities included American, Canadian, British, Swedish and South African.
We were issued uniforms, and we lived on the base in barracks. During the day we helped out on the base. I had a variety of jobs from clearing brush for fire control to typing to cleaning uzis. (Yes, I learned how to break down, clean, and reassemble an uzi!) At night and on weekends we were free to relax on or off the base.
During my month with the army, I was able to travel the country. I spent weekends in Eilat, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. I also went on day trips to museums (including the Holocaust Museum), Masada and the Dead Sea. After my program was completed, I was supposed to go home, but another volunteer, Renay, convinced me to visit Egypt with her.
We spent two wonderful months in Egypt. We travelled the entire county by train, airplane, bus and cruise ship. We stayed in hostels, hotels and homes of the locals. The cruise ship was great. Renay met the captain and got us invited to cruise from Aswan back to Cairo. The crew loved us. We were taken on every tour, and the chef let us prepare dinner for all the passengers one night!
Renay and I split up for about a month. She wanted to stay on the cruise ship, and I wanted to visit Alexandria. This was a whole new adventure for me. When I got to Alexandria, I met a local girl, and we became friends. She introduced me to her group of friends, and I spent a month just hanging out with them.
I had been keeping in touch with Renay, and we both decided that it was time to return to Israel. We met in Cairo and took the bus back together. When we arrived in Israel, we found a hostel to stay at in Tel Aviv. This is about the time that Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. It was interesting to see the reactions of the tourists and the locals. I stayed for about a week and a half in Tel Aviv, and then it was time for me to go home. Renay stayed a while longer.
Central America
After my trip to the Middle East, I was still ready for more travel. I saved up my money and set my sights on Costa Rica. I found a program where I could study spanish and stay in a house with a local family. I also arranged to get graduate credits at an American university for this program!
In January 1991, I flew to Costa Rica. I went to school during the day; afternoons and weekends were free for travel. I made friends with the other students, and we travelled the entire country. We spent most of our time on various beaches, but we also visited the rain forests, and we went river rafting.
After my class ended, I decided to take a trip to Panama. I wandered through Panama for about a week. Then I flew back to Costa Rica and then back to the United States.
Washington, D.C.
I have spent two periods of my life in Washington, D.C. In fall 1988, I spent a semester at the American University. I studied foreign policy and had an internship in the White House. The class took me all over Washington to meet various officials at various agencies, but the internship was the best!
During my White House internship, I was never invited to the private study, but I did get to meet President Reagan and Nancy. I also met George Bush, Dan Quayle and others. It was interesting to see a bit of the personal side of these individuals. Since I worked at the end of Reagan's term, I was also able to see the White House in transition. I worked through the election and up to the closing down of each office in order to make room for the new staff.
In 1991, I went back to Washington, D.C. to study law. I still had good contacts and was invited to important events, but the events always seemed to conflict with my classes. The event I regret missing the most was the swearing in of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. It was a big event with a lot of politicians and celebrities, and it would have been fun to attend.
Bottom line: living in Washington, D.C. was a great experience. I knew very little about politics when I went there, but I sure learned a great deal.
Hawaii
Hawaii is simply a beautiful vacation spot. I have been to Oahu, Maui and Kauai. I visited Oahu several times. It attracts the most tourists and is usually the cheapest island to visit. Kauai is much more natural and less crowded. Maui is somewhere between the two.
My trip to Maui was my favorite. My husband and I were reading the Sunday paper and saw an advertisement for a trip to Maui. A few days later, we went to our travel agent to discuss Maui and other vacation possibilities. The agent found us a great price to Maui, but we had to leave on Sunday. We decided that we had to go; we packed our bags and spent the next week in Maui.
Back to Top of Page
Home --
Photo Gallery --
Sign Guestbook --
Send Email
I have been to Europe twice and have seen most of the western countries. My first trip was for two weeks in 1984. It was a whirlwind tour that introduced me to the area. The following year I went back for a month. My favorite places were France, Italy and the Greek Islands. Both of my trips were with tour groups, and I would like to go back some day on my own.
The Middle East
My trip to the Middle East was simply incredible. I graduated college in March 1990, and I knew I wanted to travel. I heard about a group called Volunteers for Israel that arranges for individuals to volunteer for the Israel Defense Forces. Each program is one month long, during which volunteers live and work on army bases. The program includes several day trips, and weekends are free for individual excursions.
I joined the program and left for Israel in May 1990. Soldiers met me and the other volunteers at the airport and took us to our base in the middle of the Negev Desert. We had about twelve volunteers in our group. Ages ranged from 19 to 60, and nationalities included American, Canadian, British, Swedish and South African.
We were issued uniforms, and we lived on the base in barracks. During the day we helped out on the base. I had a variety of jobs from clearing brush for fire control to typing to cleaning uzis. (Yes, I learned how to break down, clean, and reassemble an uzi!) At night and on weekends we were free to relax on or off the base. During my month with the army, I was able to travel the country. I spent weekends in Eilat, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. I also went on day trips to museums (including the Holocaust Museum), Masada and the Dead Sea. After my program was completed, I was supposed to go home, but another volunteer, Renay, convinced me to visit Egypt with her.
We spent two wonderful months in Egypt. We travelled the entire county by train, airplane, bus and cruise ship. We stayed in hostels, hotels and homes of the locals. The cruise ship was great. Renay met the captain and got us invited to cruise from Aswan back to Cairo. The crew loved us. We were taken on every tour, and the chef let us prepare dinner for all the passengers one night!
Renay and I split up for about a month. She wanted to stay on the cruise ship, and I wanted to visit Alexandria. This was a whole new adventure for me. When I got to Alexandria, I met a local girl, and we became friends. She introduced me to her group of friends, and I spent a month just hanging out with them.
I had been keeping in touch with Renay, and we both decided that it was time to return to Israel. We met in Cairo and took the bus back together. When we arrived in Israel, we found a hostel to stay at in Tel Aviv. This is about the time that Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. It was interesting to see the reactions of the tourists and the locals. I stayed for about a week and a half in Tel Aviv, and then it was time for me to go home. Renay stayed a while longer.
Central America
In January 1991, I flew to Costa Rica. I went to school during the day; afternoons and weekends were free for travel. I made friends with the other students, and we travelled the entire country. We spent most of our time on various beaches, but we also visited the rain forests, and we went river rafting.
After my class ended, I decided to take a trip to Panama. I wandered through Panama for about a week. Then I flew back to Costa Rica and then back to the United States.
Washington, D.C.
During my White House internship, I was never invited to the private study, but I did get to meet President Reagan and Nancy. I also met George Bush, Dan Quayle and others. It was interesting to see a bit of the personal side of these individuals. Since I worked at the end of Reagan's term, I was also able to see the White House in transition. I worked through the election and up to the closing down of each office in order to make room for the new staff.
In 1991, I went back to Washington, D.C. to study law. I still had good contacts and was invited to important events, but the events always seemed to conflict with my classes. The event I regret missing the most was the swearing in of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. It was a big event with a lot of politicians and celebrities, and it would have been fun to attend.
Bottom line: living in Washington, D.C. was a great experience. I knew very little about politics when I went there, but I sure learned a great deal.
Hawaii
My trip to Maui was my favorite. My husband and I were reading the Sunday paper and saw an advertisement for a trip to Maui. A few days later, we went to our travel agent to discuss Maui and other vacation possibilities. The agent found us a great price to Maui, but we had to leave on Sunday. We decided that we had to go; we packed our bags and spent the next week in Maui.
After my trip to the Middle East, I was still ready for more travel. I saved up my money and set my sights on Costa Rica. I found a program where I could study spanish and stay in a house with a local family. I also arranged to get graduate credits at an American university for this program!
I have spent two periods of my life in Washington, D.C. In fall 1988, I spent a semester at the American University. I studied foreign policy and had an internship in the White House. The class took me all over Washington to meet various officials at various agencies, but the internship was the best!
Hawaii is simply a beautiful vacation spot. I have been to Oahu, Maui and Kauai. I visited Oahu several times. It attracts the most tourists and is usually the cheapest island to visit. Kauai is much more natural and less crowded. Maui is somewhere between the two.
Home --
Photo Gallery --
Sign Guestbook --
Send Email
Get your own Free Home Page