Over time, they got worse and worse until a couple of years ago when I was taking public transportation in the East Bay and had a full-scale meltdown. I thought I was having a heart attack. I was convinced of it. I felt alone and trapped and terrified. Somehow I was able to make it to my freelance gig where I asked a woman I hardly knew to take me to the hospital. Once there, I was miraculously healed. Every symptom disappeared the second I told the admitting nurse that I thought I was having a panic attack.

After that, I would have at least one major episode annually, more often than not in November. Another doozy was when Travel Boyfriend and I went to Southeast Asia. It was our first night and we were in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Until then I’d only really traveled to Western countries and to say that Cambodia is quite different than your Germanys and Spains is the world’s biggest understatement. Triggered by water retention around my ankles from the long flight and my discomfort at realizing I was as far from home as I’d ever been, this panic attack had me curled up naked on the bathroom floor with Travel Boyfriend feeding me Xanax and talking me down. After that I resolved to cure myself. I never wanted to feel that way again.

At first I tried talk therapy as well as some tapes I bought from that anxiety infomercial lady, Lucinda Bassett. The talk therapy helped with some other issues, but not the attacks. And I was too lazy to get very far with the tapes. Eventually I just decided to live with the periodic attacks and fear the month of November.

But a little over a year ago, I found out about a hypnotherapist in San Francisco named Angie Choi. Travel Boyfriend and I were just starting to plan our dream trip to Egypt and due to a nightmare I’d had in college, I was convinced something bad was going to happen to me there. In fact, I actually believed I was going to die in Egypt. That thought, coupled with the fact that my panic disorder had also manifested itself into a fear of flying quite inconvenient for a Travel Betty, convinced me to give hypnotherapy a try. Surprisingly after only a couple of sessions with Angie, I was able to take my first flight without Xanax. I couldn’t believe that the fear was gone. It wasn’t just sort of gone, it was completely gone.

Encouraged by that short domestic flight, I started to look as forward to my trip to Egypt as I’d always imagined I would. Angie made me a CD that was specific to my fears about the trip and so armed with that and my comfort bag, I was ready to hit the airport with confidence. The flight over went great and I thought I was cured. But at that point, I’d had yet to fly on Egypt Air.

My first flight on Egypt’s national airline had me gripping the armrests from the moment I stepped onto the decrepit plane. As we were taxiing down the runway for takeoff, the overhead compartments were shaking so violently, I thought they were going to crash down on our heads. I was a wreck and disheartened that I wasn’t totally cured. I was also afraid that this flight scare had dislodged all hypnotic suggestion and that I was destined to a life fearful of flying once again.

Luckily, that turned out not to be the case. Now, I’m about 80/20 with flights, and I rarely have to resort to Xanax anymore. Certain things trigger my fears. Anything that makes my body feel not quite right, like a cold or some unexplained soreness. Also drinking caffeine and especially if I drink alcohol the night before. If I’m even slightly hung over, chances are I’m going to feel afraid on the plane. It’s a bummer that I’m not totally cured, but it’s also so much better than it was before. I can’t imagine having gone to Bali by myself without Angie’s help.

Panic attacks are definitely scary, but being able to recognize them for what they are is a huge leap towards being able to manage them. If any other Betties out there have had positive experiences curing or managing their panic attacks, please feel free to share them in the comments section. That way we can all help each other to be more fearless on the road.

Travel Betty Basics

Unfortunately, the fabulous Angie Choi recently closed her practice, but she recommends Marilyn Gordon for other Travel Betties in need of hypnotherapy in the Bay Area.

Another week, another gazing over at Travel Boyfriend through blurry tears to see a similar reflection staring back. Yes, yes, I know, get over Anthony Bourdain, Travel Betty.

Well, it’s hard.

He started his television career off so irascibly, but has mellowed through the past three seasons like a fine cheese. There’s depth to him. Yes, he’s still cantankerous and that’s one reason to love him, but he’s also sentimental in a very manly and appropriate way.

For those of you who just watched the past two weeks’ episodes with him in Japan and Spain respectively, you know what I’m talking about. And for those of you who didn’t, please set your TiVos now. There will certainly be repeated airings.

Next week he explores Egypt. Having spent a good deal of time there last year, I’m curious what gastronomic successes he finds. Besides the koshary, my only memory of Egyptian food involves buffet pap and bread shaped like crocodiles. Not that I didn’t find the latter amusing. It’s just that my gag reflex still engages when I think back to the grit-marinated kebab meal we had on the outskirts of the Khan el-Khalili market.

But yes, okay, I hear you. You get the point. Tony’s show is phenomenal. It’s transcendent. It’s to be seen. And you are going to watch it so I don’t have to keep beating a dead horse into a tender succulent meal prepared by a village-dwelling culinary master like the ones Tony invariably meets weekly in his travels.

Don’t worry, next week is the Season Finale, so you won’t have to hear from me on the subject for a few more months. Until then, tune in. And maybe read Tony’s blog while you’re at it.

If you’ve got your own positive associations with Africa, send her your submissions: http://belleafrique.blogspot.com/

For those who need an extra boost of conditioning power, be warned that Philosophy no longer touts its product as a combo body wash, shampoo and conditioner. I wrote them to inquire about the reason and they replied that it just wasn’t living up to the conditioning claim. So now it’s marketed as a body wash, shampoo and bubble bath. Clever. It’s still better than say, Prell (or dirt), but just know you need to bring a separate creamy rinse.

They’ve got a ton of other delicious, yet sadly inedible flavors as well. Feel free to travel around the world so you can try them all.

Ease yourself into a seat on the terrace of the Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan, Egypt (as famous for its views as its relation to Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile). Musicians seranade you as feluccas drift lazily by and the sun slips down behind Saharan sands.

Orbitz: Don’t you deserve a little TLC when you travel?

And the Old Cataract Hotel’s Terrace is a lovely place to sip fine spirits as you watch feluccas sail by and listen to the musicians that play daily near around sunset.

It is not, however, a place to get the same pampered high-tea service Bette Davis or Mia Farrow probably enjoyed 30 years ago. You can certainly get high-tea, but the staff seem quite weary from all the gaggling tourists waddling in for a gander. I suppose you can’t blame them, but then again, for 85LE, I will blame them because in comparison to most other hard-working Egyptians, these people probably live on a fairly fine salary.
Pursed lips aside, the palm-kissed breezes and people-watching opportunities make for a delightful end to the day. If you’re looking for company, sit in the middle of the terrace on one of the couches. We had a revolving door of interesting couples sitting across from us, which helped pass the time quite nicely.

Travel Betty Basics

Sofitel Old Cataract Hotel
Entrance fee for the Terrace: 85LE (about $15)
I didn’t stay in the hotel, but it looks like prices are around $160

Hotel bookers, beware! The NEW Cataract Hotel is a hideous eyesore next door built by the Russians in 1963 supposedly as an “elegant extension” of the Old Cataract. If you like cinderblocks then you may indeed find it elegant.

Travel Betty’s Egyptian Soundtrack
Here’s my iTunes iMix of traditional Egyptian music, Nubian music, music I listened to while in Egypt, music Travel Boyfriend and I joked about on our trip and funky electronic and dance music with an Egyptian theme. Enjoy!

We came upon this gentleman playing his rababa for us outside the temple of Medinet Habu in Luxor, Egypt. Go ahead and enjoy half a minute of his musical stylings. You just might feel compelled to give him some baksheesh.

Orbitz: Don’t you deserve a little TLC when you travel?

Even though I don’t consider myself a religious person, I am fascinated by the history and origins of different religions. Therefore, I was quite excited to catch a glimpse of the Burning Bush. But after squeezing with 1,000 other people both entering and exiting through a single door best suited for a Keebler elf, I quickly lost interest. Perhaps it was the fatigue from my long descent down Mt. Sinai, but unfortunately I found my visit to the Burning Bush in St. Catherine’s Monastery to be quite devoid of spirituality. Either way, it’s still one of those cool “been there/done that” types of experiences. See for yourself.

Travel Betty Basics

St. Catherine’s Monastery
The monestary is only open from 9 until noon each day (closed Fridays, Sundays and all Greek Orthodox holidays) so your chances of catching it during a “slow” period are slim. However, if you do, I can imagine it might be quite pleasant. Admission is free.

Travel Betty Banter

Have any other Betties visited St. Catherine’s and the Burning Bush? I’d love to hear your impressions.

Orbitz: Don’t you deserve a little TLC when you travel?

Yesterday we climbed Mt. Sinai. If you’ll note, the word ‘mountain’ precedes ‘Sinai’ which means that you are correct in assuming that Travel Boyfriend and I are both completely exhausted today as well as certifiably insane.

Our Bedouin guide was aptly named Moses. He’s been climbing the mountain 5 days a week for the past twenty years and he said he loves his job.

On a path composed mainly of gravel, dust and camel poop, we started the climb at 1am and it took us about 2 1/2 hours to get to the top. We stopped for short breaks about every half hour and when we were near the top, we took shelter in a small tent where Moses fixed us the most delicious hot cocoa and let us warm up for a bit.

Then we proceeded to the summit where he set up a couple of thin mattresses and two coarse donkey blankets on a ledge facing East.

We watched the sun rise around 5:30am, stayed for about an hour taking pictures and watching a horde of Japanese tourists praying with utter conviction while speaking in tongues (or Japanese, it was hard to tell).

Thinking the worst was behind us, I’d given Travel Boyfriend most of my breakfast, leaving myself only a few slices of pita to munch on.

It turned out that the descent was the hardest part. Supposedly a monk of the nearby St. Catherine’s Monastery built 3,750 stairs in the face of the mountain as penance, but ‘stairs’ is a very generous term for ‘giant sporadic boulders that have absolutely no resemblance to stairs whatsoever.’

Our legs were twisted and shaking by the time we got to the bottom. I kept trying to engage my glutes instead of my knees, but they refused my proposal.

Luckily today the effects are minor. I took about 25,995 Tylenol and then slept like a drunk for the next 12 hours.

After the descent, we waited to get inside St. Catherine’s Monastery to see the Burning Bush. Or at least the offspring of it. Might have been a nice time to reflect on religion in some way if it weren’t for the fact that there were a million people crammed in the tiny courtyard all grabbing at its limbs while pushing and shoving us out of the way.

It’s very telling of a devout Christian who elbows you aside before making the sign of the cross in front of her favorite Saint.

Highlights

The methodical sound and feel of gravel crunching underfoot. Best described as walking over Cap’n Crunch and peanut brittle.

The dusky outlines of boulders surrounding us in the blackness of night as we climbed. Periodically a few would groan or move and transform themselves from boulders into camels.

Our Bedouin guide, Moses referring to me as ‘sister’ throughout the climb and declaring “God carries us to the top of the mountain.”

My headlamp shining down on Moses’ North Face climbing shoes, which were given to him by a client after a five-day mountain hike because his own shoes had fallen apart.

Listening to Cat Power on my iPod at the summit as I waited for night to shed its thick matted coat.

Finally forgiving Travel Boyfriend for putting Stairway to Heaven in my head as we climbed.


Travel Betty Basics

Mt. Sinai
Purported home of the Ten Commandments
Summit 2285 meters high
At the foot of the mountain, St. Catherine’s Monastery sits at an elevation of around 1,200 meters
Translation: http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifThe total elevation of climb is 1085 meters or 3559 feet
The path to the top is 7 kilometers long

St. Catherine’s Monastery
Purported home of the Burning Bush

If you go, dress for the frigid mountain air and consider bringing a change of clothing. It gets cold up there and once you stop climbing, your sweat will turn to tiny individual ice cubes.

Also, bring toilet paper! And don’t pay anyone to use the bathroom. There will be entrepreneurial folks waiting nearby asking for payment, but you are in a National Park and toilets are free. Just say, “No, it’s a National Park” with conviction and walk away.