Preparation time - We have decided to go with STA because the style of travel fits our usual style of travel... light, easy, interesting, not cushy. I am going to try to be good and keep a running blog of all the prep, the travel, and the results.

We are NOT (repeat NOT) in Algeria - for some reason the choices given on the website didn't include the USA - which is where we are now =) Home, thank you - The Sadler NAture Preserve outside of Waxhae North Carolina, to be precise.

We are excited, of course. Neither of us are students and STA could hardly care... Jenny, our trip advisor, has been great in helping us find the best way to spend 3 weeks in Egypt - 4 months until we depart, but we are already starting to get stuff ready - We'll just use the backpacks and I think it will be pretty easy to stay in a low weight range for the packs.

Tomorrow (Sunday) we will confirm our trip - it is on a hold for now while we get our ducks lined up - Laurianne is coming to the Sadler Nature Preserve to house sit and dog sit and cover all my musical stuff while we are away - And that will be SO handy!
I've been researching and checking and comparing and STA just seems to be the way to go for us - It may not be cheapest, it may not even be best, but so far, so good, and they have been really helpful.

We have the History Channel or Discovery Channel or other likely source for all the various Egyptian info - And I am reading the Amelia Peabody books which probably don't have a thing to do with what we'kk see, but still add to the excitement of getting ready.