They say that if you touch the Nile waters you will return to visit it again. Well I’ve touched it and swam in it. I took a boat to a Nubian Village where the basic mode of transportation is camel and I went swimming in the healing waters of the Nile. There is something almost magical about seeing and traveling down the Nile. I spent four days cruising on a small ship from Luxor to Aswan. The countryside is lush and serene. It is so green in contrast to the desert that covers so much of Egypt. The Nile provides so much to the people of Egypt….and provided me with such a sense of peace. Whether it actually has healing powers or not I can’t be sure but for me I believe it does. This whole trip has done wonders for my sense of well being. I challenged myself physically and mentally traveling so far from home. I managed to see Egypt from the top at Alexandria all the way down to Abu Simbal which is less than 70km from the border of Sudan. I climbed pyramids, rode camels, bargained in spice markets, drove through the desert before dawn, snorkeled in the Red Sea, swam in the Nile, got a henna tattoo, held a cobra, smoked a shisha, saw pieces of history that took my breath away and met wonderful, kind people who are proud of their country. I saw and experienced things that I will never forget. I had two weeks without doctors appointments and procedures and worry and anxiety. Was I without pain and challenges…no, but the change of scene and the adventure of traveling helped me to focus on other things and push through the days knowing that there was more to life than dealing with the ramifications of breast cancer.

I have just arrived home, literally and am anxious to share what I’ve seen and done with my friends and family. I am glad to be home but sad that the adventure is over. At least this adventure. There will be more…guaranteed. After all I am still on a journey of a different kind. But this trip has done wonders for my spirits and my body. I pushed myself to do things that a lot of people wouldn’t dare to do. I am really proud of myself, even if that sounds corny, but I am. For doing things I wanted to do. For traveling to a far away land. For not limiting myself just because people said I should “be careful”.

Before going to Egypt, I had become fascinated with the Lotus flower. It is a symbol of strength and beauty. For the lotus to grow it has to push and fight its way through mud in order to surface and blossom. It represents spiritual growth and the ability to rise above obstacles. Every temple, tomb, monument, pillar and carving I saw in Egypt contained a Lotus flower. It is a plant that is a scared symbol in ancient Egyptian times. The essence extracted from the flower was offered to their kings and queens and gods. It grows everywhere on the Nile and its beauty is revered. The lotus reminds me that through pain comes strength.

I recommend that everyone find that certain something that will inspire them. This trip was exactly what I needed. I can now face the rest of my journey with a renewed positivity for I have proved to myself that I too can and will rise out of the muddy waters to bloom again.

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