Of all the places we went on PAT IV, of all the activities that we participated in, of all the wonders of the world that we saw, the one that leaves the most lasting impression on me is the Nile River in Egypt. Granted the ancient temples, pyramids and statues that line the river are fascinating in and of themselves, but I’m talking about the river itself. More specifically, the boat ride down the most unique river in the world. The cradle of civilization. The boat, with us aboard, floats down the wide expanse of river. Thin strips of verdant fields surround us on either side. This sliver of green is in turn surrounded by the dun colored desert. The desert. On one side of us the desert stretches for thousands of unending miles. On the other side only the Red sea interrupts the desert’s vast expanse of more thousands of miles. The journey down this miracle of geography is timeless. The Nile has always been right there. It has always watered the land, produced the crops, inspired the temples, given life, taken it away.

Two thousand years ago, Cleopatra captivated Julius Caesar and then Mark Anthony with the same voyage down the same river, seeing the same sites, visiting the same temples, ancient even then. Timeless.

And now PAT X. Our turn once again to experience the mother Nile, to bask in the sun, to see Egyptians working the land ashore as they have always done, without beginning, without end. We will once again immerse ourselves in a world without time, a world that has always existed and will ever exist long after we have gone. But upon leaving you will take the Nile with you. It has life beyond it’s sandy banks in the memories of all who visit. The unchanging Nile will change you.