Nine Things We Learned

As I mentioned last month in the "Home Sweet Home" post, we spent nearly two weeks exploring Jordan and Egypt with Steve's parents. It was our first international vacation with the kids, and the second or third time we've traveled with Tom and Dolly. When I reflect on the trip, it was relatively smooth, but there were certainly some things we learned.

In no particular order...

1. When shopping in third world countries, if you are happy with the price, just pay it. There is no need to keep bargaining just for the sport of it (unless you make a hobby of this sort of thing). They need the money more than we do.

2. After looking at something that is more than 4,000 years old, you realize how new/young even the oldest things in the U.S. are.

3. When getting out of a vehicle for the last time, look under the seats.

4. We have A LOT to be thankful for. Period.

5. Two days is the maximum amount of time that the boys can go without putting on clean clothes while traveling in developing/third world countries. They just get waaaay too dirty.

6. If you suspect you may end up getting "Mummy Tummy" or "Montezuma's Revenge" at some point on the trip, it definitely pays to schedule that segment at the end.

7. Things are not always the way the look. In many places in the world, including Cairo, the outside of buildings are not maintained whatsoever - they look just nasty. But the insides are magnificent and well cared for.

8. Thirteen days straight of sightseeing, particularly historical sightseeing, is too much for the boys, or actually any of us, to take.

9. The Green Family loves to travel!