I’m turning 35 in December, and for some reason I’m having some anxiety about it. My gut is telling me to go on a grand adventure for the occasion.  So the question is where?

My family and friends have been very helpful in providing me with lists of options that don’t involve the Middle East. Much to their chagrin, however, I’ve narrowed the options down to Iran or Egypt.

Sorry family and friends (not sorry).

Iran has provided a unique challenge in that it’s really a very inexpensive place to visit, but because Americans are required to have a tour guide, the prices have been pretty ridiculous. It’s taken a good 3 months for me to figure out that sometimes you just have to be persistent.  The whole experience has been frustrating and discouraging, honestly. The American and British tour companies are exorbitantly expensive, and the Iranian companies are hard to work with because of cultural differences/language barriers. But, with lots and lots of sleuthing and some pushing, I may have found a tour that works with my budget.

There are clearly some obstacles to going to Iran. I’m closely watching the political situation, and there’s no guarantee I’ll get a visa, but I am currently feeling hopeful.

My second option is Egypt. Truth be told I haven’t done much research on this option yet, mostly because I just came up with the idea this week (after weeks of trying to find a suitable alternative to Iran). However, I have a friend who has spent a lot of time there and has already supplied me with a great starting point for my research. It’ll be much less expensive than Iran (or it should be) and it’s easier to get to but still has all of the ancient history that I’m interested in.

So I think that as far as adventures go, it’s looking pretty good for me!

Now, who wants to come with me?