Khadija Teri-- thanks soooooo much for answering my questions. And yeah, I always have more.
No skydiving? Well, I guess I'll have to move to my second choice of risky activities-- scuba diving. Dad's against that, too, because one of his brothers drowned coming back from the Korean War. My Uncle Joseph survived a forced march along the Yellow River, was a POW, among other things, and then his plane crash landed into the ocean on the trip back home. There were survivors, but my uncle couldn't swim and he wasn't among the ones that lived. I do know scuba diving's available in Libya (isn't Mohammed Gaddafi an aficionado?)... however, I'm not the best swimmer (ahhhhh, memories of time spent on Lake Texoma and Keystone Lake in Oklahoma), so I should probably stay above the water. I could always go to the site of the USS Philadelphia... I am a history buff after all. It'd be nice to have the "other side" of the story, because you don't know history unless you have both sides of the story. I just hear the side of the Americans-- that the Tripolitanian pirates attempted to seize the ship for their own gain, but the USS Intrepid snuck into Tripoli harbor, boarded the USS Philly, and sunk it. However, the captain and crew had already been taken and sold to the pasha... not sure if they ever were freed. Probably after a ransom of some sort... we did have to pay a lot of bribes in that area at that time.
As for questions:
~What sort of insects do I have to worry about? Should I bring bug repellant? Bear in mind, this is coming from a woman that attracts every mosquito within a five mile radius. If it's out there and it bites, it'll find me. In Oklahoma I had to coat myself with enough bug spray that I literally glowed green under some lights and repelled more than just bugs... which worked out well for me.
~What sort of "wildlife" do I need to be on the lookout for? I'm referring more to snakes, scorpions, and spiders... are they present in the cities, or is it more in the countryside or desert? And how many of them are poisonous? What do they look like? I know carpet vipers and other poisonous snakes are present, but how prevalent?
~I guess a better combination question for the above two queries is-- "what bites/stings in Libya, what does it look like, and where is it found? Will it find me, or would I have to go looking for it?" I did use Google and found a pretty good site...
~What's the best time of year to visit? I'm assuming during the summer and during Ramadan would be bad times, although heat doesn't scare me, fasting does. I tend to "cheat" on those mandatory Catholic fast days (Ash Wednesday and Good Friday)... because I can. And then if I do successfully fast on those days, I'm actually committing another sin, gluttony (and probably lust, because I'm lusting after food), because as soon as the clock hits 12:00 am on Thursday or Saturday, I'm eating like some sort of farm animal. LOL. My bad.
~What sort of prices are charged at restaurants and cafe's? If nightlife consists of sitting around drinking coffee or tea, then this is the place from me. I come from the state of Starbucks' birth, home to a million and one coffee shops. And what's the food like at the revolving restaurant in the Al Fateh tower if anyone's eaten there? I'm intrigued... you know, because of the similarity to the Seattle Space Needle. Their food is excellent, though overpriced. I don't usually like salmon (yes, a sacrilige in this neck of the woods!) and I liked the salmon there.
~What airlines serve TIP? Do ANY of them use Boeing aircraft? I refuse to fly on an Airbus. I'm a Boeing loyalist, partly because of them being built here in Washington state (the new 787 Dreamliner looks pretty awesome), and partly because of the crash today in the Caribbean. The plane broke into three parts, and only one person died! And they're not sure if it was as a result of injuries from the crash, or from a heart attack brought on by the stress of the crash. Yes, the Boeing 737-700 is among the safest and newest of the 737 lineup, but still-- wow. The last few Airbus planes I've flown on were so cramped that getting into the EBP (emergency brace position) in coach class would not have been an option if I had needed to. I'm only 5'6", so WTF?!? I do ask this because of the recent crash in Tripoli... I don't want to leave Alex as a widower when our life is just getting started together!
~How bumpy is the landing at Tripoli International? Believe me, I'm sure I've landed on worse runways. Tulsa Int'l is pretty bad. So are New Orleans and St. Louis. Potholes every fifty feet or so. From what I can tell, Tripoli is about the same size as Will Rogers World Airport in OKC, though WRWA/(IAAA)OKC has more runways-- four versus the two in Tripoli. As for sheer runway size and length, Tripoli and Tulsa are about the same. I've watched several Youtube videos on landings at Tripoli, and the approach to the airport looks ah-maz-ing! Desert sands, palm trees-- it's like a oasis. The landing appears to be smooth, and nobody's swearing as the plane touches down... especially the pilot. It's never good if the pilot comes on over the intercom and is swearing... about as amusing as flight attendants doing it because of rude, unruly passengers.
~What sort of attention would a blond haired, blue eyed American woman (potentially) travelling alone attract? I'd probably have at least one friend with me at all times; it'd be dangerous not to. That's why I asked about hijab-- because I look like a Western woman. If you set down a photo array of stereotypical beliefs of American women and my photo was in it, I'd be picked almost every time about "which one is the American?". I really would prefer not to attract any more male attention than possible, out of respect for my "better half" Alex. I've been sexually harassed more than once in the U.S. (even when I go to Mass, men stare at me-- they should keep their minds on things holy, but no, they check me out! Perverts! Only one man is allowed to mentally undress me anywhere, and that's ALEX), and I find the attention pretty insulting. I'm not a piece of meat at the market, I'm a woman. Men need to respect women for more than their looks, but for the things that matter, like their personality, their spirit, their "inner beauty". The lasting kind of beauty, not the one that fades-- because beauty fades. Dumb is forever.
I know the Libyan people will be more than welcoming to this "rogue American tourist." For the record, I'll be working with a touring group. But off the sly, I may ditch them as soon as I have my travel visa. My itinerary will be my own, not theirs. I've heard about the famous hospitable spirit of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (along with the rest of the Arab world). And I look forward to meeting as many Libyans as possible. That's why I'll have to stay about two or three weeks-- minimum-- in order to pack as much as I can into one trip. I know I'll be back over the course of my life.
I do know where there's a Catholic Church-- St. Francis-- in Tripoli, and while I should go to at least one mosque, I'd just end up praying the rosary in the washroom like I did when I went to the mosques in Portland and Beaverton. My rosary beads are nearly always on or near my person-- I have a set in my purse, as well as one in my car. A Catholic I am, a Catholic I'll stay. One conversion in a lifetime is more than enough! I respect Islam, and I know a lot about the faith. Enough that my friend Mandy the Muslimah asked me once, "You know so much about Islam, why aren't you Muslim?" I think my answer was somewhere along the lines of, "Yes, I know about Islam, that's why I'm not Muslim"-- a non-committed, sarcastic answer (typical!), or "Because I lack the discipline that Islam would require of me", which is true. I'm pretty sure it wasn't, "Because I like to eat pork and drink alcohol and sleep around", because I don't and am not THAT cheeky. I have read the Qu'ran, probably more than some Muslims. I've read M. Fethullah Gulan's works. Despite the definite attempts of my co-blogger and another "friend", Hiba to convert/revert me to Islam, it won't work. Compulsion has no place in religion-- yours or mine. If you really want to show me Islam, then don't speak it. Live it. Lead by example. And I'll do the same with my (Catholic) faith.
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