Correspondence
Correspondence
Letters , photos , and more
Magical Mornings
Nothing will ever surpass the sounds upon waking up in a tent in an O . A . T . Serengeti camp . The mourning doves chattering among themselves , an occasional bark from a hyena and the chomp , chomp , chomp of the giraffe who is grazing on a tree outside the tent . It is the most fun when the sun is just rising and the air is crisp . You unzip the tent and hope the water in the canvas basin is still warm and you can smell the fire where your breakfast is being cooked . I have done this trip six times ( my fiancé seven ) and each adventure was new and exciting . The safari is like fishing : You just never know what you will catch . We have visited over 110 countries , many more than once , and Safari Serengeti is still our favorite . I have traveled with O . A . T . and Grand Circle 44 times but the safari is still our favorite . Covid and our present world situation has put a hold on our travels , but someday this is a trip we want to repeat
because there is always a larger fish out there to be caught !
Roberta S . Fleischmann 44-time traveler North Muskegon , MI
Surprised by Sicily
I randomly chose to visit Sicily because I was itching to travel and there was space on
the tour at short notice . Frankly , I didn ’ t have great expectations for the trip . How wrong was I ! I knew Sicily was a part of Italy , and I knew it was associated in my mind with the Mafia ( a la The Godfather ), but I knew little else . Thanks to the best tour guide I ’ ve had in 13 trips , I now know what an amazing and interesting place it truly is . The island is an amalgam of its remnants of historical invaders — the Phoenicians , the Normans , the Arabs , the Greeks , the Romans all left their mark in some unique way .
The countryside , with its lush agricultural product backed by the rocky hills , its active volcano , and its scenic views of the sea , colorfully contributes to the busy and active markets — and finally , wonderfully , to the incredible food we were served at every generous and authentic Sicilian meal . Oh , the food , and the wine … mama mia !
The Baroque beauty of its buildings , the charming challenge of its cobblestone streets , the contrast of modern and ancient on every corner , all lend themselves to the uniqueness of Sicily .
But it was the people of Sicily , proud of their heritage , protective of their country , and generous in their talents and their welcomes , who made the entire experience one of amazement , joy , awe and pleasure .
I love Sicily and hope someday to return .
Barbara McConnell 14-time traveler Blue River , OR
Unmissable Egypt
Egypt & the Eternal Nile River by Private , Classic River-Yacht was our fourth trip with O . A . T ., and they just keep getting better ! Sailing along the Nile on the dahabeya was an unmissable experience , matched only by staying at the Old Cataract in Aswan . As for the pyramids and temples and the Valley of the Kings , no photo can ever do them justice . They are truly a remarkable sight that has to be seen to be believed , especially Abu Simbel for its sheer size and scale .
Our trip leader Hassan was phenomenal . His knowledge of Egyptian history , old and new , was encyclopedic , and he made every day amazing . The boat crew were fantastic and the Home-Hosted Dinner and Day in the Life were wonderful .
Joanne Long 4-time traveler Medford , NH
6 DISPATCHES • AUGUST 2022