BY CLAY LARROY
In
the world of traveling, there are plenty of great resources available to both
new and experienced travelers alike. There are many websites, guides, books,
videos, and other resources available. By writing this blog I hope that I am
providing valuable information about wonderful vacation destinations. When you want to
plan a vacation contact me!
For well over 2000 years, the
peoples of three faiths have revered the near Middle East as a holy land. No
area of the world has been more gifted with religious significance. Christian
pilgrims have traveled to Israel, Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Greece and
Italy to achieve a fuller understanding of their religious heritage. The first
pilgrims traveled a difficult path on the dangerous roads of the old Roman
Empire. Today’s travelers will find their journey somewhat easier to achieve,
but no less rewarding in the doing. It has often been said that travel is a
journey of the soul as much as the body. Nowhere is this truer than in travel
that expressly seeks out the core of a religious tradition.
More and more travelers are
discovering the important role the geography and culture of the Middle East
played in the development of their religions. This TRO Activity Index Guide
focuses on the Christian tradition in the Mediterranean region. Other TRO
Activity Index Guides look to the Jewish heritage or to other geographic areas
of pilgrimage. This TRO Guide will acquaint you with the basics of planning,
booking a preparing for a trip to the holy land: that area of the Mediterranean
important to the history and heritage of Christianity. Many of the most important
events in Christianity occurred long before it was the religion of the Roman
Empire, but when it was instead a little known but growing sect.
Early in your trip research,
determine what type of travel to the holy land you wish to undertake, and the
destinations you wish to visit. If you want to delve back to the pre-Christian
era, Egypt holds many of the early origins of the faith in its fantastic array
of antiquities, as does Israel. The life of Jesus is the story of Bethlehem,
Jerusalem and the Jordan valley. The life of the early church spans a much
wider area, however, through Israel and Jordan to Lebanon, Turkey, Greece and
Italy, the first regions of travel for the early apostles and Church.
You will also want to decide
if you want to travel independently or with a group. Your travel consultant can
arrange an independent fly/drive itinerary for you in almost any destination.
An independent itinerary has many advantages in that your time is your own and
you can pace the trip to suit your own preferences without the confines of
schedules and timetables. A hosted or escorted tour is another option,
providing guided tours of the destinations involved. Hosted and escorted tours
can be arranged privately, so that you are not with other travelers, or as part
of a larger group. In the hosted or escorted option, you have the advantage of
a knowledgeable guide and the efficiency inherent in having someone familiar
with the setting arranging your itinerary. Group tours tend to be less
expensive in general than independent or private tours. Escorted group travel
permits the traveler to experience a destination while letting others worry
about logistical details of the itinerary.
Many of the sites you will
visit will have a maze-like quality to them, and vast historical and religious
significance. Your travels will be significantly enhanced by the presence of a
knowledgeable multi-lingual guide. Regardless of the type of tour for which you
opt, investigate the quality of the guides that will be available to you so that
you can quickly and efficiently negotiate the ins and outs of the encounters
you will have. In the end, it is a matter of personal preference and budget.
Should you decide to use a
tour company, you should also discuss with your travel consultant the character
of the tour companies available. Many tours to the holy land are run by secular
tour operators providing excellent programs complete with well-trained guides.
Other tour companies are "faith based" and often use ministers or
lay-evangelists to guide and conduct the tour. Some tour companies offer a
variety of options such as tours specially designed for Catholics or
Protestants. The character and ambiance of these groups can be very different,
so communicate early on your preferences with your travel consultant.
REFERENCE SITES:
The Holy Land... What an experience. I will never
forget this day.
Justin Timberlake
Enjoy life and travel often, the more you travel, the more memories you create!
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