ME/NA Travels

[m&n 0]

limah......have a safe trip & enjoy!

[limah 1]

limah......have a safe trip & enjoy!

Choukran!!!!

Limah

[limah 1]

Hi everyone!

Finally got a moment to sit down and play around on the internet. Been a crazy week since we got back from marrakech. We went to Tetauon, then to Asila, and to some other small town outside Tanger. We went fabric shopping for jilabas and i found one that's a 2 piece and one that's going to be full length. The 2 piece got finished tonight so we went and I tried it on and it's super cute! Anyway, had some problems since I have been here. The funniest things too. Apparently when you make an appointment for the hair dresser they can push it back 2 hours. Adil and his family says that it's because I am not going to be a permanent client so they don't care. Then one of his uncles, "Doctor", asked us for the pictures from a week ago and we went to have a fez developed off my card and they claim the numbers are completely switched and wrong and took an extra hour to get the right ones that still were't the ones I wanted. But, that is all ok because besides those two things, people have been super nice and I have such a wonderful family!

Tonight we are having harira for dinner. I swear the only things I do here sometimes are eating and sleeping. Looks like when I get back I am going to have to go to the gym every day for at least 3 months to lose the weight. Oh well, I really can't complain because I know the food is going to be the one thing I miss.

We will be in Casa on Saturday and leave for the states on Sunday. Hopefully everything will go ok travel wise. I'm really sad to think that our time here is coming to an end. But I think we will be back here sooner than we think if my sister gets married in the fall like they are saying.

Jackie: Hope you had a good trip back to the states. Hope the jet-lag isn't to bad for you.

Well that's all for today and this week. Hope everyone is well. Take care and talk to ya'll soon!

Eating and sleeping my 2 favorite things! I remember I did a lot of that, too, when I was there last year. I think its especiallay because Abdel works at night. All the better for me tho.

Have a safe trip home Jackie!!!!

Limah

[~Jackie~ 30]

Alhamdulillah we are home. I will post more tommorrow, just wanted to let everyone know we got back safely.

Had a minor glitch entering America for Mohammed. We were pulled into immigration interagation. Will explain tommorrow.

Jackie

[cbd2cai 0]

Well, I am back . . . in case anyone is interested!

My flight's departure from DFW was delayed due to highwinds . . . warm, dusty day!! Reminded me of Cairo!!!

Mostly sleeping and eating and crazy fast drives across Cairo . . . went to the Pyramids late in the day after one of those mad drives . . . they let us pay the fee and drive up to the parking area then told us we couldn't go anywhere because they were closing . . . so I stood outside the car and took a couple of pix, then we drove down the hill and I took a pic of the sphinx while being mobbed by a bunch of egyptian school kids, hehehe, they kept smiling at me and saying "how are you??" . . . I snapped a couple of pix of them!!

The BIL gave me a silver cartouche with my name in Arabic on the back (fyi, hieroglyphics on the front). I love silver and it is very nice . . . always good to know someone with connections . . . he said he can get me anything I want in Cairo because he knows ppl that sell most of the typical touristy stuff and he can get me a good price, hehe!! I have to remind him that I don't want to be in the import/export business . . . well, at least not yet . . . that might be something for the future because we did discuss that later.

The hubster made some CDs of selected arabic music for me which I am anxious to load up on the computer . . . I only had the MP3 player with me and didn't think to take the USB cable with me (and it requires a special one, imagine that!!!), so I couldn't load up my new music while there!!! I love my new Creative Zen M series . . . I bought the battery re-charger for use in-flight and didn't need it because I was able to re-charge while in Cairo using the plug-in re-charger I bought (all extra stuff). AND, I succumbed to a set of noise dampening headphones at Brookstones before I boarded the plane . . . they worked great while in-flight!!! and the guy told me that all the guys working at Brookstones have Zens, hehe. Also, I loved the fact that I could scan for radio channels and I found the great one in Cairo playing old Arabic music . . . so I'd listen to that while the hubster was watching all those modern Arabic music videos on the TV. The hubster really liked the Zen so much better than the iPod, hehe, but I told him "No, I am not giving it to you. This is mine!!!" LOL!! I like my music too!

Uneventful flight home . . . boring, long, annoying (try babies crying in stereo for most of the flight). Arrival was uneventful too until I noticed that the passport control person marked my customs form with a big red "C" . . . so I wasn't surprised when I was told to go to "Line 2" . . . followed it along and got questioned about reasons for trip, how long I was there, what do I do for a living, who I work for, blah, blah!! Hehe, when I first got up to the customs agent, I looked at him and recognized him from my first trip back from Egypt 3 years ago, LOL . . . I mentioned that I recognized him and the other agent there started to laugh and said "what?? from some movie?" . . so we all had a good laugh and nothing too tough was asked . . . and no searching of luggage to slow me down, TG! He said I shouldn't worry that it was just a routine check they do now . . . but I didn't notice many ppl in "Line 2" . . except some that were getting their luggage gone thru . . . "Line 1" was a different matter.

anyhooooooooooo . . . back to normal life now!!!

C

[limah 1]

ANA HNA!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been here for about 4 hours.

Turbulance was a MUG!!!!!! I missed the fight in paris and had to wait 2.5 hours. Didnt see the intrnet kiosk on the other side unti I was boarding the plane....... Best part of all is I am on the ground. I am freezing! Im bout to get under one of these warm blankets and go to sleep. of course there was abig feast waiting so I am doubly sleepy.

I will post more soon. Abdel works nights so I will have the computer all to myself.

For those of you all that are also traveling to and from..... be safe!

TTYAL

Limah

[m&n 0]

glad you got there safely........have fun!

ANA HNA!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been here for about 4 hours.

Turbulance was a MUG!!!!!! I missed the fight in paris and had to wait 2.5 hours. Didnt see the intrnet kiosk on the other side unti I was boarding the plane....... Best part of all is I am on the ground. I am freezing! Im bout to get under one of these warm blankets and go to sleep. of course there was abig feast waiting so I am doubly sleepy.

I will post more soon. Abdel works nights so I will have the computer all to myself.

For those of you all that are also traveling to and from..... be safe!

TTYAL

Limah

[~Jackie~ 30]

Let me try to post a pic. Ok, that semi-worked. That is getting the plane ready in a ice storm.

Jackie

I have to find a different way to post pics

Edited March 9, 2007 by jmagayreh

[~Jackie~ 30]

Let's try again. This is me eating mensaf with my hands with Mohammed's sisters.

Jackie

[kerewin21 2]

Wow welcome home Jackie and Catherine! I can't wait to hear all about your trips.

Catherine, getting to the pyramids at the last minute is just the kind of thing that would happen to us But it's cool you got to snap some pics anyway. I hope the return wasn't too terrible at the airport, sounds like a pain in the neck.

Jackie, thanks for sharing your pics!

And limah, have a WONDERFUL trip. It's a long time coming. Keep us posted when you can!

Sharon

[~Jackie~ 30]

Outdoor cafe in Irbid.

Jackie

Mohammed buying dinner

Jackie

[dollface41601 0]

Jac.....your pics are great.....makes me miss jordan more and mre everyday.,...were praying to go back in august....so are u happy to be home???how did everything go....it looks like u had a great time....

kelly

[m&n 0]

welcome back!

Well, I am back . . . in case anyone is interested!

My flight's departure from DFW was delayed due to highwinds . . . warm, dusty day!! Reminded me of Cairo!!!

Mostly sleeping and eating and crazy fast drives across Cairo . . . went to the Pyramids late in the day after one of those mad drives . . . they let us pay the fee and drive up to the parking area then told us we couldn't go anywhere because they were closing . . . so I stood outside the car and took a couple of pix, then we drove down the hill and I took a pic of the sphinx while being mobbed by a bunch of egyptian school kids, hehehe, they kept smiling at me and saying "how are you??" . . . I snapped a couple of pix of them!!

The BIL gave me a silver cartouche with my name in Arabic on the back (fyi, hieroglyphics on the front). I love silver and it is very nice . . . always good to know someone with connections . . . he said he can get me anything I want in Cairo because he knows ppl that sell most of the typical touristy stuff and he can get me a good price, hehe!! I have to remind him that I don't want to be in the import/export business . . . well, at least not yet . . . that might be something for the future because we did discuss that later.

The hubster made some CDs of selected arabic music for me which I am anxious to load up on the computer . . . I only had the MP3 player with me and didn't think to take the USB cable with me (and it requires a special one, imagine that!!!), so I couldn't load up my new music while there!!! I love my new Creative Zen M series . . . I bought the battery re-charger for use in-flight and didn't need it because I was able to re-charge while in Cairo using the plug-in re-charger I bought (all extra stuff). AND, I succumbed to a set of noise dampening headphones at Brookstones before I boarded the plane . . . they worked great while in-flight!!! and the guy told me that all the guys working at Brookstones have Zens, hehe. Also, I loved the fact that I could scan for radio channels and I found the great one in Cairo playing old Arabic music . . . so I'd listen to that while the hubster was watching all those modern Arabic music videos on the TV. The hubster really liked the Zen so much better than the iPod, hehe, but I told him "No, I am not giving it to you. This is mine!!!" LOL!! I like my music too!

Uneventful flight home . . . boring, long, annoying (try babies crying in stereo for most of the flight). Arrival was uneventful too until I noticed that the passport control person marked my customs form with a big red "C" . . . so I wasn't surprised when I was told to go to "Line 2" . . . followed it along and got questioned about reasons for trip, how long I was there, what do I do for a living, who I work for, blah, blah!! Hehe, when I first got up to the customs agent, I looked at him and recognized him from my first trip back from Egypt 3 years ago, LOL . . . I mentioned that I recognized him and the other agent there started to laugh and said "what?? from some movie?" . . so we all had a good laugh and nothing too tough was asked . . . and no searching of luggage to slow me down, TG! He said I shouldn't worry that it was just a routine check they do now . . . but I didn't notice many ppl in "Line 2" . . except some that were getting their luggage gone thru . . . "Line 1" was a different matter.

anyhooooooooooo . . . back to normal life now!!!

C

[~Jackie~ 30]

We had a small glitch re-entering America. We were in the line for citizens and greencard holders. The officer asked Mohammed how long he was out of the country. He hesitated (cuz we were major jet-lagged and getting off a 13 hour flight) and he said '2 weeks.'....wrong answer, it was 11 days (seemed like 2 months.) They took us to interogation, made us sweat for 20 minutes while watching them grill other people. Called him up and asked him again, 'how long were you out of the country? this time he said 11 days and they said 'welcome back'. Scary tho for a few minutes cuz they are totally serious and no joking going on in this room.

Jackie

[amal 4]

yikes jackie..I would have freaked out! I, for 1, am glad they let you both re-enter hehehehe