Richard's Report

We are back in the US for Thanksgiving with Heidi and family in Moorpark, CA. Our trip was an experience in Middle East history and present day life. My favorite place was Wadi Rum where Laurence fought for the Arab cause against the Ottomans in 1917-18. The desert is hot and cold, beautiful and dangerous with images that are now a part of my mind. I want to paint what I saw. We saw pre-history settlments and Greek, Roman and Byzantine cities. Columms that required years of work still stood against the sand background surrounded by carved rubble. We saw where we were told Jesus was baptized and it was probably accurate. Across the muddy, narrow Jordan River was the Israeli counterpart with flags flying. The people, whether Jordanians or Syrians, were friendly and happy to see us. We had no fear. The trip was intense in that there was much to see and miles to walk. Petra is huge and we walked about 5 miles--downhill and uphill! It was an adventure. On the last day of travel we saw mosaics made in 250 AD that are as beautiful as when created being diplayed where they were installed in a private home and protected over the years by layers of sand.

Victoria and Emily had a wonderful time. They laughed throughout the trip. Each was proposed to often and camels were offered. I sugested oil wells. Lynn and I loved the experience although we are really tired. The trip was exhausting but the 28 hour trip from Damacus to LA was not a part of the fun-is-getting-there exerience. Lynn and I took photos with which we will bore you later once we return to Hawaii. The images are worth seeing.

I don't know if we will try another adventure the likes of this. I prefer high class hotels and a pace that is more relaxing. Our trip to India was ideal but it also was private in that there were only three of us in the tour plus a guide and a driver. In the Wilderness tour there were 15 of us. All were adventerous people of age and experience.

Taking the girls with us is one of the great pleaures of my life. We had fun together and experiences to share forever. No problems between us and only good humor and caring. They both have an understanding of a part of the world litle understood in this country. Jordan and Syria are in the process of building homes and buildings and roads and factories and yet some parts of the countryside look the same as it did 1000 years ago.

Living in Hawaii gives me something to look farward to after the adventure.