Tripping.

A few years ago, someone gave me the book "1,000 Places To See Before You Die"; I know that it was a perfectly well-intentioned gift, but it was actually one of the meanest presents that a person could hand me. I can't really plan an exploration of the Amalfi Coast or the Amazon rainforest on my current salary. But I've made a grand resolution this year: I will visit one new place around the world every weekend. What else do I have to do?

First stop: the pyramids of Giza. My roommate recently came back from a glorious expedition to Egypt, with tales of Nile cruises and hot air balloons at sunrise, so I decided to follow in her footsteps. Her love for the area was literarily fueled by Elizabeth Peters' delightful Amelia Peabody; mine springs from Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot. I still dream of a Nile tour, but at least I can check off one of the wonders of the ancient world from my endless list of places to see.