I went on this journey as a personal quest. In many ways, I had no control over it. I felt as though I were following a set of instructions and I was dead sure I was doing the right thing at the right time. Having said that, I also knew the journey was going to be the biggest challenge of my life. And what surprised me the most is the way I took to it, almost relishing the difficulties because they made me push my boundaries and get to know all these hidden strengths and capabilities. I think that's what so invigorating about adventure travel, it's like taking an exam that you can't possibly prepare for. And in the Mideast, I constantly came up against issues that tested my limits and each time I pushed them, I broke through a barrier, that was emotional, mental and spiritual. The ultimate surprise was how similar people are all over the world, despite all our differences, we yearn for the same basic things like love and friendship and that can be very powerful in bridging cultural gaps.