Accomplishment Travel can encompass everything from physical feats to deep cultural dives. Jackie’s favorite example of the former is the time she ran the Lewa Safari Marathon—an especially challenging race for a first-time marathoner. The route cuts through the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in northern Kenya, starting at 5,000 feet and featuring some 7,000 feet in elevation gains. Endurance wasn’t the only challenge she faced, however—the race was delayed because a lion killed an impala on the route. The thrilling setting and course attracted some of the world’s most famous runners, and Jackie found herself running alongside the likes of Eliud Kipchoge, who holds the world record for fastest marathon.  

On the more cultural side of Accomplishment Travel, Jackie discusses a trip she took to Jordan to research women’s issues. As a Western woman, she typically would not have been allowed unchaperoned visits with other women without a male present. On this particular journey, however, she found herself in Wadi Rum with a woman chaperone and visiting with women and families in rarely touristed regions of the country. She was surprised at how liberal thinking has started to trickle out into these more remote regions, including women expressing the desire to start a career and not get married. It was a behind-the-curtain view of the country’s women that few get to see. 

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