I was about to begin a magical journey through 6000 years of history. And then accept the hard truth. How do you recapture 6000 years of history in 1200 words, the social media-inspired limited attention span requirement that travel editors now impose on their writers? Usually my articles weave a story; this one's not going to. I think all I can do is let you experience a little bit of Egypt the way I did.

OAT places great importance on the philosophy of Learning and Discovery which OAT takes very seriously -- and our guide, Hussien, even more so -- which elevated an already enticing itinerary to a far more immersive travel experience. Hussien, whose Ph. D. in Egyptology made him astoundingly knowledgeable and whose sense of humor, abundantly entertaining, and whose honesty left no controversial question unanswered and no subject off the table.