Back in Hawaii

It's been about a week since we left the Middle East and I think I finally recovered from the jet-lag.  The 12 hour time difference was intense.  And although it feels good to be back home spending the holidays relaxing and being with family, somehow I miss being there and wish that I were still in places like Alexandria or Tel Aviv.  I think it's the people that I miss the most.


Well it's back to the normal run of things, as soon as the holidays are over of course.  Christmas was great, went to see STOMP with the family.  New Year's should be great, a lot of my friends from high school are back in town.  Surfing is great, I am getting the tan that I lost in the Middle East back.

Happy birthday Jesus.
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Middle East pictures

As promised, pictures from my recent adventures in Egypt, Jordan, and Israel.  

 

Check them out on my Flickr page.  It's good to be back home.
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From the Holy City to Sin City

I arrived into Jerusalem on Sunday.  Crossing the borders really put the Middle East conflict into perspective.  There were many checkpoints and heavy security, but everything went fine and I got into Jerusalem in one piece.

Living in the old city in buildings that were hundreds of years old was amazing.  The Via Dolorosa was across the street from our hostel with the Church of the High Sepulcher around the corner.  Even the Dome on the Mount was a stones throw away. Venturing to the Mount of Olives, Jericho, the Dead Sea, and even Bethlehem. These places make the entire Bible come alive.

Visiting Jerusalem is one of those things that people spend their entire lives trying to do.  One of those pilgrimages on the bucket list, and now I can check it off mine.  The holinesss of the city is awe inspiring.

Then a 2 hour drive away we just arrived to Tel Aviv, Sin City.  Here the spirituality of the city is completely opposite.  Where Muslims, Jews, and Christians all pray and observe the holy sanctity of their religions in Jerusalem, here in Tel Aviv there is no such observance.  Drinking, drugs, and sex is as common as an other western party city, maybe even more. 

We will be here in Tel Aviv for 4 days then our trip will be over.  It’s nice to end this trip with surfing and surf outreaches, after all we are Surfing the Nations.  God is blessing us with great waves from a storm that is just passing overhead.  So we will be spending the next days surfing freezing cold water in windy waves with the local Israelis.  Awesome

Crossing Borders - Middle East part 3

Only 2 days and everything was awesome, despite the rough start we encountered at the seaport in Aqaba. After 9 hours of driving on a bus from Alexandria, waiting 12 hours at the seaport in Newiba, 2 hours on a ferry , we had to wait 6 more hours to secure a bus ride from Aqaba to Amman. 

We found a bus driver and secured a ride to Amman for 75 denari (120 USD).  However after all of our bags were packed up and we were seated in the bus the driver tried to change the deal on us.  We waited and tried to be paitent as if it might change his mind on the deal.  But we just unpacked and were forced to find another bus driver.  I was completely frustrated and angry with the first bus driver because of his shady dealings.  75 denari was completely reasonable if not over priced.  I was angry because he was only trying to take advantage of us as tourist.  But then I remembered: "you have heard it love your neighbors and hate your enemies.  But I tell you love your enemies and pray for those who peresecute you."  Funny how simple things like this can teach you huge life lessons!

36 hours later and after 2 long bus rides and a ferry ride across the Red Sea I have arrived from Alexandria into Amman, Jordan.  Although my time here in Jordan was short I was able to teach skateboarding and balloon animal art.  The Roman ruins made a perfect backdrop for skateboarding, and Petra was a perfect place to reach out to the local Bedouin kids.  So much was done in so little time.  Everything here was awesome (even our bus driver in Aqaba). 

If you are ever in Amman, look up the Cliff Hostel.  It is simply the best hostel.  I am typing on their personal computer as the WiFi is down.  Talk about hospitality.

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Middle East part 2 - Alexandria

This was probably the most extensive section of our surf outreach in the Middle East. We hooked up with Egypt’s first surfer, Teymour (Tim) Adham, who also put us up in his family’s hotel.  The lodging was far superior to the hostel we stayed at in Cairo.  If you are in Alexandria, I highly recommend staying at Adham Compound Hotel.

I spent the first couple of days fixing boards.  Needed board repairs for the donation boards and boards that were already here and had been surfed way to hard.  While I was staying up late fixing boards, I was able to realize how much the surf club here in Egypt was in need of support. 

As a group we surfed with the older surfers and taught the groms some basic techniques.  I realized while hanging out with the Bedouin surfers here, that its not about surfing here.  It never really is about surfing and catching waves.  Its all about the people you are with and the relationships you create through surfing. 

Joe Mattera met up with our group in Cairo and through his experiences with Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) he helped put on our 2^nd annual Aloha surf camp and contest. 

Tim took us around Alexandria and showed us the library, some citadels, the markets.  We also spent time in the Sahara Desert.  In addition to being the first surfer in Egypt and owning his family hotel, Tim is a safari guide and probably the best in Egypt.  His resume reads like an encyclopedia.  He has taken expeditions coast to coast and border to border.  He has led National Geographic and Discovery Channel expeditions.  So naturally he wanted to take us out to the desert.  We spent time with his team in the desert surfing the sand dunes, actually sandboarding.

Everything here is awesome and I am completely exhausted going into the second half of our Middle East trip.  Next up 14 hours of bus rides, train rides, a ferry ride around the Sinai Peninsula, and more bus rides into Jordan.

Sorry no pictures yet

Cairo first 5 days

Sorry but quick updates due to the time constraints here on the internet

The following are messages from the other side of the world. 

Arrived in Cairo Friday at 2 in the morning.  The experience of the city was enough to confirm that I was in another country.  Traffic, crazy streets, old buildings.

Quick weekly overview:

Saturday was spent roaming the streets and meeting the people

Sunday we went to Garbage City and the Ministry of Charity orphanage, then walked up the hill to the St Simon’s Monastery  

Monday we went to the Cairo Museum and spent the second half of the day with more roaming of the streets and meeting people.

Today we just came back from the Pyramids at Giza, and hung out with the people at Giza.  Camels are dirty and smelly, but awesome!!!

More details to come with pictures – when we get back to Hawaii

Stay tuned for more updates