Pyramids,Sphynx & Camels

Great day - started at 9.00am where we were met by our guide who took us out to the Pyramids. They are so close by the city, its amazing. We had a great time at the pyramids, where a few of us decided to have a camel ride. My mum hopped on one and started talking friendly to him and he turned around, hissed and bared his teeth at her. After that she decided she wasn't so adventurous after all and gave the Camel ride a miss. One of the other ladies in our group Marianne actually fell off the camel close to the ground whilst trying to hop on, but had another go and ended up joining the rest of us in our Camel ride. I found the camel ride to be very relaxing and wouldn't mind doing it again. In the end there was six of us who had camel rides. After that it was off to see the Sphynx - also a great site. Took some great pics and then moved onto the Perfume factory and brought up big. Couldn't resist the essences- some of them can only be brought from Egypt so that's what we did.......then it was off to lunch at a local restaurant then off to the rug factory. Will have to check in tomorrow as the smoke is getting waaay to thick in this pokey internet cafe - everyone smokes in Egypt. ciao for now.

Our First Day In Egypt

Well what can I say......after our 14 hour flight to Cairo we were all a little delirious, most of us having had very little sleep! We were all running on adrenilin and emotions. On our arrival we went straight to the "bank" where we paid our US$15 and received our visa stamps, changed some money, went through immigration and were met by our Kumuka Representative Mohammed. Everything went as smooth as silk through at the Airport which was great and on arrival at the Pyramisa Hotel we were pleasantly suprised. None of the buildings look to flash from the outside in Cairo, but when we stepped inside the Pyramisa we were suitably impressed. This five star hotel was great! A few of us went for a stroll around the local streets near the hotel then we hopped in a taxi (boy that was exciting!!!!!! whoa) and went downtown for a shopping experience followed by some local cuisine at the Felfela takeaway. Kebabs - awesome and cheap. The place was full of locals - good sign. On our way back we had a driver who had no idea where he was taking us...he had to ask several locals and all the while Cathy one of our girls was telling him the directions, but he just wouldn't listen. Pyramids tomorrow.

10 Adventurous Women about to Embark on Egypt!

Well it's almost here.....only 4 more days until 10 Adventurous Women take off for our next adventure...and it's destination "Egypt"....I must say the excitement is building and we have a great group of women on board.

We should be easy to pick out at the Perth International Airport, as each girl will be sporting her new bright orange Adventurous Women T Shirt with the slogan "Life is an Adventure - Are you living Yours" on it - look out here we come!!!

Speaking of Egypt - today by chance, I met a lovely Egyptian couple at a quaint little coffee & gift shop they own in Hillarys. (Dunesliving) They have just returned from their home country and were happy to share their travels & tips with me. As I was in a mad rush, I said that I will return on Friday and have a chat whilst practicing my Arabic language skills with them. I spotted a Sheesha in their shop and made comment that I would be trying this for sure whilst in Egypt, so Rania said she'll bring some tobacco in for me on Friday whooooooo - hope I don't choke!

I'll be blogging whilst away to keep everyone up to date with our adventures, so please tune in for the latest.

I Took A Marriage Mini Break

There aren't many women who at one time or another haven't daydreamed of running away from it all. Maybe it's in the middle of wiping the kitchen bench clean of crumbs for the umpteenth time that day! Perhaps it's when they find themselves practising their labour breathing exercises just to cope with the traffic on the way home from work, knowing they'll be late to the childcare centre again. Or maybe, like me, it's the day they wake up yearning for the time when they were not just a wife, not just a mum, but simply Sue - a person with hopes, dreams and desires just like anyone else.

That's where I was this time last year. At 43, I'd been married to Brad for 16 years, had two teenage boys and work full-time as a ward clerk at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children in Perth where we lived. It was a good job but one I'd held for 10 years. I was finding the stresses increasingly hard to leave behind at the end of the day.

I loved Brad wholeheartedly, but along the way trying to combine being wife, mum and employee, I'd lost me, the woman I was and, for all our sakes, I needed to find her again.

So when my long-service leave came up and I suddenly had three months to play with, I knew it was now or never to have the "ultimate" me time. I decided to get away on my own travelling through South East Asia for three months. I hoped immersing myself in a different environment and throwing away alarm clocks, homework schedules, shopping lists and all the other paraphernalia that comes with being a woman - whether working outside the home or not - would feed my soul and find the clarity I craved for the next stage of my life.

Not everyone found my decision easy to cope with. Brad definitely found it confronting at first and I had to explain it was nothing to do with him, nothing to do with us, but everything to do with me. I wasn't looking for anyone or anything else by going away on my own and I had no doubt I was going to come back to him and our boys.

Others asked if I had marriage problems and basically skirted around the issue - I didn't and I knew that. They could think what they wanted. We compromised by agreeing for Brad to join me on the last leg of my trip, where we would then trek through the Himalayas to Everest Base Camp. The boys, Jordan 15 and Dylan 14, just thought I was cool. I think they hoped it was going to be three months of Dad and the lads without Mum around to nag! As my flight to Bangkok drew near I felt nervous, but once I'd kissed my three boys goodbye and dried the tears, I cracked open the champagne and settled back to enjoy the first stage of Operation Rediscovering Sue!

The next few months were beyond words. The trekking in Northern Thailand, sleeping in bamboo huts in hill villages, zipping around on a motorbike, walking alongside a tiger with a Buddhist monk and a yoga and meditation course were highlights. I unwound, met people from all over the world and rediscovered who I was and what I wanted.

When Brad flew into Bangkok the night before our 17th wedding anniversary, we ran into each others' arms. the weeks that followed, trekking through beautiful landscapes, were just like a second honeymoon. Absence most definitely made our hearts grow fonder.

I'd kept in touch with the boys via Skype along the way but it was nothing like holding them in my arms again for a huge hug when we got back to Perth. Taking a sabbatical from my marriage and from motherhood changed so many things for me. I've found peace and contentment, renewed energy to embrace life, not just tolerate it. I came home, left my job and set up a travel company for women and within a few short months, Adventurous Women has become a booming business. The boys see me as a person, not just as mum any more and I hope this whole journey will provide a strong template for their own future relationships. In a marriage you're two people, not one, but it is easy to stagnate because of the demands of life and lose the essence of who you are - however much you love your family.

The past year has taught me it's possible to do whatever you want if you want it badly enough - and feeding your soul is just as important as feeding your family.

Story told by Sue Hile to Ruth Devine, Editor at Grazia Magazine on January 12, 2009

Aviation Pioneer Nancy Bird Dies

Famed Australian aviation pioneer Nancy Bird Walton has died aged 93, just months after fulfilling her dream to see the launch of the Qantas super jumbo named in her honour.

The National Living Treasure, as named by the National Trust of Australia in 1997, died from natural causes at her Mosman home on Sydney's north shore about 2pm (AEDT) on Tuesday.

Taught to fly by Charles Kingsford-Smith at age 17, Ms Walton became Australia's first commercially licensed female pilot two years later.

One of the first people to enrol in Kingsford Smith's Mascot flying school, the 150cm-tall Ms Walton needed to sit on two cushions to be able to reach the pedals and see out of the cockpit.

But despite her lack of height and disapproval from her tutor, the NSW-born woman went on to become one the country's most inspirational aviators.

"Smithy didn't quite approve of women flying," Ms Walton once said.

With support from her family, Ms Walton purchased her own Gypsy Moth aircraft and flew around NSW, promoting aviation and taking passengers into the skies. READ MORE

Camping Holidays around Oz

Australians are increasingly looking in their own backyards when it comes to holiday planning, as they try to cut back spending, due to the global economic crisis. Camping is one holiday which is making a huge come back as it is so affordable. My husband and I have always been keen campers and have found it to be a very rewarding experience, as we get to have a break without breaking the bank.

One of our favourite camping spots is Lane Poole Reserve at Dwellingup in Western Australia. Camping Fees are $5 per Adult (16yrs and over) and $2 per child aged between 5 and 16, day use is FREE and dogs are allowed on leash only (Due to Fox baiting in the reserve). There is so much to keep the whole family entertained at this fabulous site including; swimming, fishing, canoeing, rafting, hikes, night spotting, just to name a few.

There are plenty of similar camping options dotted all around Australia, some of which only charge a nominal fee, whilst some are actually free! If you are looking for in-expensive, last minute travel options for this Christmas holiday period, how about checking out the many National Parks and camp grounds we have available to us here in Australia.

Further Information is available at:
Australia Wide - www.camping.com.au and www.atn.com.au
South Australia - www.environment.sa.gov.au
Victoria - www.parkweb.vic.gov.au
NSW & ACT- www.environment.nsw.gov.au
Northern Territory - www.nt.gov.au
Queensland - www.epa.qld.gov.au
Western Australia - www.dec.wa.gov.au
Tasmania - www.parks.tas.gov.au

For more information about holidays around Australia visit www.adventurouswomen.com.au