http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/fullcirclea/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from fullcirclea en-us Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:11:45 +0000 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:11:45 +0000 We need objects to remind us of the commitments we've made. That carpet from Morocco reminds us of the impulsive freedomloving side of ourselves we're in danger of losing touch with. Beautiful furniture gives us something to live up to. All designed objects are propaganda for a way of life.rdquo Alain de BottonWe arrived in Marrakesh in the late afternoon we have 2 nights here with the tour. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Marrakech-Tensift-El-Haouz/Marrakech/blog-401327.html We're looking for historic excellence. Morocco has been around a lot longer than the United States so it has its history of these very lush mint plantations and groves. Chris MorrisEssouria was a beautiful seaside town but had lots of wind windy enough to add layers . We had 2 nights in this town and we felt like we covered it top to bottom. We had a guided walking tour that explained the fo http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Marrakech-Tensift-El-Haouz/Marrakech/blog-395894.html A civilization rich in types and models unchanged for centuries ... ideas and customs moral and physical aspects of mankind that are eternal simply because they have never changed .... But that it has survived until our own times that we can see it we can touch it we can mix with its people is a miracle that never ceases to astonish. Andre Chevrillon Marrakech dans le palmes Paris 1920 http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/blog-395173.html Id like to sleep with you in the desert tonight a million stars all around EaglesFez was a busy city that was both metropolitain and 3rd world at the same time. The medina a labrythith of streets with donkeys sharing the path was an amazing array of sights and sounds. The new part of the city or ville nouve had a pedestrian mall and a promenade along the main blvd we spent 2 nights here expl http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Mekn-s-Tafilalet/Erfoud/blog-394261.html The sidewalks here are carved not intricate but artful enough to notice swirls and lines red concrete white concrete. We flew and landed without incident or fuss and took the train into town got a petit taxi to the hotel. As luck would have it our hotel was on Lonely Planet's Art Deco walking tour at midpoint. So after coffee and a nap we walked admiring the buildings a pedestrian mall and http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/blog-393032.html Country ThailandCityRai Lei an island with no motor transportWe walked a long windy hill that circled around and around toarrive atwhat felt like the middle of no where surrounded by tall tallcliffsso hidden if you didnt know it was there you could never guess. Iimagine you could only see it from the sky. As the sun went downthelights came on from an out door bar that had only a partial roofn http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Railay/blog-366625.html We left before the hurricane in fact it happened during our international flight home. Remember that day we lost on the way Got it back now and we got 2 Sundays this week. How often does that happen We landed in Cairns another time zone and was told there had been a meter of rain and the roads to Cape Tribulation which we were scheduled to go to by bus had been flooded. As we arrived so did g http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cape-Tribulation/Great-Barrier-Reef/blog-364388.html Just returned from our 3 day tour of the outback Red sand green bush and 3 dimensional clouds were just the beginning we set off with a group of 17 plus 2 guides Lumpy and Mickha after we hiked the Olgarsquos we watched the sunset at Ayers Rock Uluru and camped out for the night. Our sites consisted of wood frames covered in canvas with bedrolls and sleeping bags. Our guides cooked us campfi http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Uluru/blog-364386.html We have started the 2nd leg of our trip meaning we have seen all our long lost friends and now we are going on 2 adventure tours. We will miss all the people we were able to see and had a great time catching up and visiting reliving travel memories as only they would understand. Kudos to all our hosts you showed us a part of Australia we could never see without you We are constantly overwhelmed http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Alice-Springs/blog-364383.html Yes we have finally found them and got photos to prove it We are now in Melbourne after Tasmania we went back to the Central Coast where we enjoyed the wedding the bride was beautiful the groom was handsome and we all ate drank and danced. We had time to meet all the bride grooms family friends who treated us as if they were our friends and welcomed us into their homes and cars and showed http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Victoria/Melbourne/blog-364381.html We are in Tassie and yes you read right it is the last stop before Antarctica donrsquot think we have ever been this far away from home before Tasmania is a beautiful state full of mindblowing scenery. Today we took a tour that drove thru picturesque fishing villages down the Tasman peninsula to Port Arthur. A prison for repeat offenders that closed in the mid 1800's After the penal colony clos http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Tasmania/Hobart/blog-364374.html Yea it rained in the Blue Mountains so we couldnrsquot see much except fog but Lo and behold Tuesday morning sunshine So we headed to Scenic World took the steepest railway in the world down to the jungle floor and after some bushwalking back up on a cable car The Blue Mountains are really blue They get that color from the eucalyptus trees Probably the only place like that in the world. Austr http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Blue-Mountains/blog-364372.html 20 hours in the air later we have been here for 72hours and it t feels like a week probably because we lost 1 day in the plane just like that Thursday of last week no longer exists for us we get a day back when we return but it will never again be thurs day feb 23 it will be gone foreverWe have had a few exciting and fun days here just off the plane we were met by our friends and hit the ground http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-364369.html The pyramids need I say more SurpriseOn our free day our guide offered us a day trip to Alexandria I jumped at the chance to see the library and the location of the lighthouse one of the ancient wonders of the world it is now a fort built with the original stones here is a photo of our group Nubian Villagelast night we enjoyed a homecooked meal in a traditional Nubian Village here we ar http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Egypt/Upper-Egypt/Abu-Simbel/blog-364363.html Dahab Our ArrivalDahab means gold in Arabic and this golden coast is the Koh Sami of the Middle East we arrived to Dahab accompanied by Mick Sandra a mother son team from our tour. After a ferry ride across the Red Sea and a long ride in a crowded minibus we were led to a beachfront area covered in pillows and low tables with a fantastic view of the gulf of Aquba across from Saudi Aeabia after a http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Egypt/Sinai/Dahab/blog-364360.html I met a traveller from a antique land who said two vast and trunkless legs of stone stand in the dessert ...near them on the sand half sunk a shattered visage lies whose frown and wrinkled lip sneer of cold command quote from Ozymandias Shelly Welcome to EgyptSounds of this greeting reaches us not only from the expected places like hotels and taxis but from strangers in the street schoolkids http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Egypt/Lower-Egypt/Cairo/blog-364358.html We spent our 1st evening of our extra time in Thailand on the beach at Rai Lei.We walked the island had Thai massages and swam in the pool. We enjoyed a dinner on Rai Lei East with wine and Thai dishes. Back to Geckos Bar we enjoyed a fire show and a Thai boxing demonstration.In the morning it was back to our usual routine a long tail boat to Karabi where I was stung by a jellyfish and onto a so http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/blog-364355.html Christmas in the sand Wow this is so cool or hot rather... We decided to spend Xmas day with the birds hummingbirds that is . We call our Rastaman driver and headed to the hills to a bird sancturay. He was excited because he hadnt had a chance yet to bring any tourists there and had been wanting to go himself. We arrived at the old house and was greeted by the caretaker. The woman who had orgin http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Jamaica/Montego-Bay/blog-358591.html is now located on Sandals property of their Royal Caribean resort. As guests in the flagship property we had privledges to visit . Today we shuttled over to Sandals Royal Caribean to see Kokomo now called Sandals Cay. It sports a swim up bar a jacuzzi and a parrot. It was quiet serene so we took a walk a dip a drink and headed back to the mainland. There we tried a different water bike but http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Jamaica/Montego-Bay/blog-358254.html Today we took an excursion with Raymond our rasta driver highly recomended by our friends. He entertained us by playing reggae videos and singing along all the while pointing out the sites on the tourist trail. Like the newest Usain Bolt's grade school. Accomanied by a story about how he gave him a Puma shirt years ago. We stoped for a photo op at Rose Hall Plantation checked out Discover http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Jamaica/Dunn-s-River-Falls/blog-358253.html