“Even when you think you have your life all mapped out – things happen that shape your destiny in ways you might never have imagined.” – Deepak Chopra
My next journey will be very different from my past experiences, so I have of course already began a deep dive to research and begin preparations – clothing, specific photographic equipment, pre-trip physical preparation, transportation, passport, visas, immunizations, weather reports, etc. However, I have learned that no matter how much I do pre-trip – surprising things are going to happen. Considering that a key motivating factor for my insatiable need for travel is to experience life outside of my comfort zone, it is inevitable that my journeys often include going astray from pre-determined routes. Additionally, each trip is unique so no matter how much I travel I can never “pre-plan” what will occur.
Such “missteps” have rarely been negative – but rather have enriched my experience and often have exposed hidden personal strengths and attributes. They have also provided some very funny tales. So as I attempt to create as much order as I can in my preparations for 2026, I thought it would be fun to revisit some of my previous “off-road” misadventures. I call these WTDGAP: When Things Don’t Go As Planned.”
Let me start with the site that is my blog’s cover page: Egypt
Khafre
The magnificence and longevity of an ancient civilization that can date back to almost 4000 BC is truly staggering – the immensity and beauty of the tombs in the Valleys of the Kings and Queens, the temples of Karnak and Luxor, the hieroglyphs and paintings in their original colors (due to lack of humidity and other erosive factors) are almost inconceivable. My trip had a rather inauspicious start. I was with a small group led by a brilliant Egyptologist, Sameh Taha. Our second stop was the Giza Plateau, the site of the most iconic of Egyptian structures – The Pyramids of Menkaure, Khafre and Khufu and The Guardian of Giza – The Sphinx, known to the locals as Abu al-Hol, the “Father of Terror.” It is here that my first “oops” occurred. At the time (1999) cameras were not digital – a disk of photographic film had to be inserted into the camera, allowing for approximately 35 pictures per disk. The perforated sides of the film strip had to be matched to the cogs of the camera’s internal gears in orders for the film to progress photo by photo. I used over 30 rolls of film in Egypt, all kept in individually capped containers – yes, travelling in those days was very cumbersome. I had just purchased a new 35mm Nikon and stupidly did not become totally familiar with its workings before embarking on this journey – a mistake I have not repeated. In fact the trip I went on after Egypt was to Iceland, and knowing I just had to capture pictures of the Aurora I purchased a new Canon camera known for its ability to take stable night shots without a tripod. I practiced assiduously as was well rewarded – here is just one of hundreds that I took:
Back to Giza. Of course, just as we approached the entrance to the Pyramids and Sphinx I ran out of film. Sameh was just explaining that we MUST stay close to him as he planned to move very quickly to ensure we got to the best vantage points before the throngs. While trotting to keep up, I looked down desperately trying to fit the leader holes of the film into the camera’s sprockets. When it finally clicked in I looked up – to find myself in a very ironic situation – a Jewish woman, wandering lost and alone in the Sahara Desert.
Strangely, I wasn’t frightened – it was a time of relative stability in the Middle East so I didn’t feel in any imminent danger. I was more annoyed that I was missing out on those great vantage points and the sun was going to set spectacularly behind the Pyramids and Sphinx. So, throwing caution to the wind, I went on my own and took some pictures:
As I ran around looking for the best shots, I noticed that my traveling companion was right near me – having been similarly stranded. Emboldened by having each other in sight, we continued taking our pictures and only after the sunset did we hunt down the van to await the rest of our crew – and a very angry Sameh. Despite our feeling safe, Sameh yelled at us saying we could have been kidnapped or worse. We profusely apologized and needless to say I remained at Sameh’s hip the rest of our stay. Although I have tried to adhere to this theory of staying close to guides, during other adventures I have failed at times – the lure of getting a perfect shot often takes over all my senses and I am off – mea culpa. Considering this you can expect there are many more WTDGAP moments to review!
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