Life is Beachin'
A hand reached down and helped me out of the endless turquoise water before I could even get my snorkel mask and fins off. And while I washed the salt water from my body a young man waited patiently with a towel he had retrieved from a rack not more than 3 meters away … I wouldn’t want to exert myself. Moseying to the upper deck of the 50-foot power yacht I was given soft white fluffy slippers to save my feet the heat radiating from the sun drenched deck. I found a place in the sun and stretched out to top up the tan, but before my head hit the mat a silver bowl overflowing with fresh fruit was put before me. I retrieved some grapes and fought the urge to ask the waiter to feed them to me. A bottle of water was set beside me without asking and after about half and hour … right as that moment of sweaty discomfort arrives a cold wet washcloth was handed to me in silver tongs.
Shall I continue? Half turkey, lamb leg, beef side, whole calamari, sea bass, and crabs – one meal. Frosted beer mugs, fruit smoothies, sheesha and complimentary … everything.
This past weekend I was asked along for a media trip to the Taba Hilton, recently reopened after the 2004 bombing, which left dozens dead and a collapsed wing. The GM told me during our stay that, “ the increased regularity of bombings in the world has meant that our business suffers less in the wake of these incidents” – an unbelievable reality, but a testament to human resilience and the normalization of even the most heinous circumstances. How strange when a place so comfortable and luxurious has such a dark history – but like many things in this strange world, the two coincide. Poverty and riches, my freedom in a country ruled by an authoritarian regime, dream vacations where someone’s worst nightmare took place.
The Israeli boarder is the edge of the hotel property, so guests would literally step out of the hotel with roll-on suitcases and walk over the boarder. As we drifted from the dock our second day I could have thrown a rock into Israel, but thought better than to actually turn that metaphor into action – lest I spark an international incident throwing stones at Israeli boarder guards from Egypt. They’d never believe it was just a stupid white tourist. From my ninth floor hotel room you had even more stunning views of the international waters and the shores of Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
I go along and pretend its all old hand, while inwardly bursting with a 7 year old boy on Christmas morning’s enthusiasm. I guess I ask good questions, behave professionally and generally show enough class and appear grateful … but not overly, to avoid looking desperate. At least I hope I do. It was the second such trip I’ve been given in the last three weeks. The first was to the southern city of Hurgada, where I was treated in similar style – albeit alone and having to make some new friends.
This time my trip was vastly bettered by the presence of Sarah, who I suspect is lacing my food with some of that potion #9, because she seems to be growing more beautiful to me every day.
Generally, I can’t complain. Well, I can … and embarrassingly I do. But I shouldn’t complain. I’ve found a new stride, and when I feel like things can’t get much better … they usually do. There are hiccups and hitches – nothing you can expect to avoid in life, and not every waking moment is an awe inspired revelation of earth-shattering proportions. No life is without its blemishes, as surely as I will wake up some mornings with one or two of my own. I’ve got issues, fears and insecurities that come to light and put a bit of grey in my sky. I wrestle with life, love and the pursuit of God. I question my role in this big story of the universe and from time to time wonder if I’m living it the best way. But, more often than not, I think, “wow,” and struck dumb by awe utter a silent, “hallelujah.” I’m blessed. My work is good, and there are always new possibilities and ideas on the horizon. My relationships are deep and deepening and my ‘extra’ work has made it possible to explore the beautiful place in this country. When I don’t have the extra cash to bankroll a little holiday weekend, work has come through with some sweet perks. And that’s only what’s happening on the surface – the internal exploration is so much more vivid, exciting and amazing an adventure..jpg)








