Traveling through Egypt 🐪

I made the cardinal sin of not checking accommodation reviews before booking a hotel in Egypt, where I planned to work remotely between touring the pyramids and a freediving expedition. TL;DR — I had to ditch my initial hotel and pay a pretty penny to upgrade to an all-inclusive resort with better wifi.

Currently typing this between bites of my third pancake stack from the morning buffet—so I’m taking this as a win.

Hey, this is Kelsey, and you’re reading the SiteSee newsletter. Expect an email from me every Friday filled with tips for living a location-independent lifestyle and the gear to get you there.

Gear Check🧳

My sister-in-law joined me on a weeklong tour with Flash Pack throughout Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan. And for someone who runs a travel website, she put me to shame with her travel gear.

She managed to fit all her essentials into this compressible carry-on suitcase by Solgaard. However, that wasn’t my favorite thing she brought. It was this crossbody bag from Beis. The standout feature of this bag was its concealed water bottle pocket, which proved incredibly useful as we explored the pyramids and temples.

While others in our group struggled to balance water bottles and cameras, my sister-in-law effortlessly slipped hers into the water bottle pocket. Plus, when not in use, she simply tucked it away and zipped it closed.

Handy, right?

Travel Story✍️

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: the best part of any trip is never the same as the reason that led you there in the first place.

Traveling to Egypt was no different.

Of course the pyramids of Giza were breathtaking. And getting to actually go inside a pyramid had my third-grade self reeling with excitement.

But there were two unexpected moments that stood out.

The first was when we embarked on a boat ride down the Nile to a restaurant serving authentic Nubian cuisine. At one point, I glanced over and saw camels walking freely beside a giant sand dune, silhouetted against the setting sun in the distance. Kids played by the water and families worked together to make dinner.

It was incredibly uncomplicated, yet profoundly beautiful. While traveling, we often encounter only the highlights and iconic sights, rarely getting a glimpse of the ordinary, everyday life there. Seeing this was refreshing. It gave me a peek into what life is actually like there.

The second standout moment occurred when we visited the Philae Temple dedicated to the Goddess Isis. Our amazing tour guide, Mona, shared her origin story with us, revealing her role as the Goddess of healing and magic. She also explained how many people make the pilgrimage to this temple just to experience its serene energy.

Magic…

Energy…

Two words that really get any crystal-loving woo-woo girl like myself going.

It could’ve been all in my head — but I swear the energy in that temple was palpable. You could feel her presence. It gives me goosebumps to this day.

Arriving in Egypt with the pyramids in mind, but discovering so much more than expected, reminded me that you truly can't grasp what's meant for you until you venture out and see it for yourself.

After all, life is meant to be experienced.

And seen.

And felt.

And heard.

Even tasted.

And if you’re like me and now have to find a way to bring a dozen Isis relics home, then more power to you.

Airport Reads🗞️

• I loved this story about the man who created the Duty-Free stores you see at the airport and how he ended up donating over $8 billion.

• Michael Singer (author of The Untethered Soul) is one of my all-time faves and this podcast episode is a perfect 10.

• We updated our website! Check out the new design here and let me know what you think.

Last Thing✨

Thanks for being here! Before we part ways, I’ve been re-listening to Tony Robbins. He talks about how to get better answers, you need to ask better questions. I journaled to this question and it was really eye-opening: "What are you most proud of in life? How do you get more of that?”

I bet your answer will surprise you.

Onwards,

Kelsey

Was this email forwarded to you?