Every Journey has a Beginning

And this one began with a list of countries visited and a much longer list of destinations not yet explored. By 4 people, looking for options for an upcoming trip that would result in new experiences for us all. One of our group has been working on visiting the 100 couuntries required to join the Travelers Century Club. This trip would put him over the top, quite an achievement to celebrate, by doing what we all love- traveling! That’s how I came to be here on an island in the Indian Ocean- new counry 2 of the 6 new ones for me. Below is the route for the cruise we selected.

So how did we get here? So glad you asked! Simple answer, on an airplane. Mahe Island in the Seychelles is 8,548 miles from Kennett Square- requiring 2 overnight flights, 20 hours or so of flying time. Not a journey for the faint of heart, or the tall.

The Doha Airport itself is quite an attraction, featuring upscale shopping, an iconic teddy bear at its center and huge lounge spaces. Due perhaps to its central location in the “middle” East, there are a huge number of flights in the middle of the night. Note that the flight information board is in 24 hour time. That’s 1:45 AM!

First stop outside the airport- Doha, Qatar, 12 hours on Qatar Airways. With a 10 hour layover you have time to get out of the airport and see the city. The airline makes that easy, you can book a a variety of tours and experiences through their website. With a population of 2.3 million, 2 million of which are non-citizens, the tiny oil and gas rich nation packs a big punch in international affairs, recently trying to broker a cease fire in Gaza. It’s a beautiful, very modern city, especially seen by night.

Next challange, remaining awake until our 2:50 AM flight.

After a short 4 1/2 hour flight we arrived on Mahe Island, about 800 nautical miles off the coast of Africa- groggy, badly in need of a shower, and a nap! Eventually we managed both and in a day or two may summon up the energy to venture out and explore.