Cheers to the new decade (old post from January 2020)

I was about to write a new blog, after several years of stopping writing anything.. and found this post still in the draft.

I know between the time I wrote this and now a lot has happened... but I'll publish it as it is since I guess this was my intention to reflect on what I have lived and what I thought at the time.

I know there are a lot of other important moments I have lived and maybe it was still in the draft because I wanted to add more. 
And as I'm adding photos to show a glimpse of these moments caught it time, I found others that probably I would have added if I worked on this post for some more time.

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It's the start of a new year, of a new decade.. It has been long time since i stopped by to write. Maybe it's time to come back to writing among other things I'm trying to restart in my life.

Since we are celebrating the start of the 2020's. I thought it's time to remember the great moments marking the last decade (now that sounds a big a word).

The main highlight would be, welcoming new members in our family, the new generation Alpha and of course welcoming my niece Rita.

Travel has been a big part of my life, reaching country #40 last year. I have been to many places in all continents. It's really difficult to pick the best city or country because each place has its own charm.

The top moments (not in a certain order):

• Swimming with Ray fishes and small sharks in French Polynesia in the pacific (furthest place I have been to in my life) - Dec 2016

• Attending a rocket launch in Cap Canaveral (Aug 2019), 20 years after seeing the first rocket Ariane 4 in Kourou, French Guyana and missing the launch due to weather conditions (1999)
  
  
  
  
  
• Attending the holy mass with Pope Francis on Copa Cabana beach with estimated 3 Million people - July 2013
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  Hiking in the mountains of Sinai - 2010
  3 photos from 3 different places (El-Galt El-Azraq, Serabit El-Khaddam and Abbass mountain)
  
  

  
  
  
• Visiting Gaudi landmarks in Barcelona - August 2011
  
  
  
  
  
• Visiting Foz de Iguazu falls in Brazil and Argentina - August 2013

• Traveling alone on vacation hopping from one city to another in Italy - August 2012
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Traveling 1000km by bus from Florence, Italy to Riga, Latvia - December 2016
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Watching Federer play live in Montreal's final in his perfect 2017 season although it was just his 5th match he lost that year (lost to Zverev). I reserved ticket for the final as I had arrived the night before so this was the only match I could attend and I just hoped he make it till the end.

• Attending matches in the Philippe Chatrier at Roland Garros - May 2011
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Obtaining the MBA. It has been 2 hard years, running around the clock, running around Cairo from one side to the other, pushing for the extra mile not taking stops (taking 2 summers and 1 winter in between the normal spring and fall semesters) - 2012-2014
  Photos from the graduation, Feb 2015
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Living a dream of a better country, after Feb 2011 (for a moment of time), aka Tahrir Square

What is more important is the journey itself and all the friends I made throughout these trips.