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Diary - Jordan (7th May to 17th May)
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| “Too often travel, instead of broadening the mind, merely lengthens the conversation.” - Elizabeth Drew so we apologies in advance for the length. |
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| It was easy to see that Jordan has a lot more tourists than Syria when you get to the border. They were much more organised, with cash machines, cool buildings and even a café. Even this said though we still get a little on edge at borders as you do get the sense of being lost and confused about what, where, why! |
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| Once into Jordan we headed for the northern town of Jerash and we were planning to simply have a relaxing day finding camp (The Olive Branch), then seeing the ruins, after our whistle stop tour of Syria. However this took an instant turn around when we found out the hotel wanted 20JD (£20) to camp in their grounds. Instead we decided to wild camp somewhere nearby. We decided that we would see the ruins whilst we were here and they are impressive, equalling many others we had seen. Unfortunately we were tired, hot and had seen so many in the last few weeks we felt it was possibly one too many. They did have live displays and re-enactments dotted about but this just added to make the place feel very touristy. |
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| Having stocked up on a few supplies, including some jelly snake sweets, we went in search of a camp spot. Heading west towards the Jordan Valley, going through a checkpoint with army vehicles equipped with machine guns on top, we found much more desolate countryside. Finding a spot out the way we decided to continue investigating a small wadi. As we wound down, passing people farming we came to an abrupt stop realising the track was blocked. As we made our way back the way we came, feeling like idiots, a family began waving and motioning for us to stop. We felt brave and pulled over to say hello, only to then be ushered into their home made from straw, mud and a corrugated roof. The moment we sat, on the only bed, we were offered tea and some food, a plate full of rice and chicken wrapped in little leaves. After sharing our new sweets and scaring the kids and older lady with our plastic snake we have wrapped around the gear stick, we left feeling amazed at how generous people can be. |
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| Reaching our chosen spot we were surprised to find another car was there. As we pulled up to guys jumped out and came over for a chat. Explaining that we wanted to camp there they began having a conversation, the end result being that they didn’t feel it would be safe enough, which we agreed when more people that began to turn up. After following them and trying a few other places, getting more and more nervous, Terek said that they were not happy and that they (who included policeman) would be happy if we stayed with Terek at his home. Being British and not wanting to impose it took a lot of convincing before we finally agreed. |
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| When we arrived we were greeted by a full household that included parents, sisters, nieces and nephews who were there because it was the weekend. The welcome was astonishing and we were quickly encouraged to sleep indoors and to not only stay for dinner, but breakfast and lunch the next day (some suggesting we should stay for five days). Our time with them was sensory overload, with more and more people arriving, all family, to say hello and to meet the outsiders. We even went to be shown three other lovely homes that belonged to friends of Terek, being given tea, coffee and nibbles at each. The kindness and generosity from them was amazing. An experience that we have never had before and sadly one that we don’t think would happen in England. |
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| Eating on the floor, sat around with the whole family for meals was a fantastic experience and we were instantly made part of the family. They even cooked Mansaf for lunch, which tends to be for special occasions and is made up of flat bread, rice, pine nuts, goat and yoghurt poured over the top. Of course this was also eaten sat on the floor using only fingers and making a big mess compared to those more seasoned at the skill. The instant love and warmth from the family filled us with happiness, they could not have done more for us and we feel so grateful to have been invited into such a loving, happy family. The experience is difficult to express in words, but when we are so far away from our own families, a little bit of homeliness was fantastic. |
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| We decided after such a manic 24 hours that we would retreat to the expensive Olive Branch Hotel we turned down the day before, as it was close and we were exhausted. The next day started brilliantly with a quick trip down to the Dead Sea. This took us near Amman, the capital, and as the Pope was in town the army were scattered every 50 metres for miles and miles, thankfully none had itchy trigger fingers. |
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| As the Dead Sea is incredibly salty we opted to go to the public Amman Beach, only £7 each. This did mean that there were also lots of other locals there having a dip, however apart from a couple of other women swimming it was all men. Unless you class fully clothed women, wearing jeans and holding up their gowns as swimming. It was great fun and Steve managed to float properly, something he can not normally do, he even took in a book to read. After covering ourselves in the therapeutic mud we headed for Petra, via the Kings Highway. This was the mistake part of the day as we turned up in the dark, stressed and both felt totally exhausted through too much driving. |
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| Thankfully we managed to recharge overnight and we needed it as walking around Petra is hard work. Of course it doesn’t help that we decided to decline the donkey ride and walked to the Monastery in the heat of the day. After completing the 800 + steps we reached the top exhausted and relieved to see some refreshments. The decision to find a shady corner, read our books and watch the tourists was easy. We have come to not look at how locals treat the animals since Turkey as they are not soft and gentle like most European countries, too much excessive whipping is Petra’s main failing. Petra is stunning in both size and the effort that has been taken to carve buildings, sometimes metres deep in detail and 30 metres high, out of a solid rock face. |
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| The Bedouin camp we were camping in paid for itself the next day by being a silent little haven to sit and relax whilst we waited for our evening treat. We had decided to do the ‘Petra by Night’ touristy thing and it was really good and certainly worth sticking around for. Lighting the way to the Treasury at the end of the canyon is by hundreds of candles in paper bags that give of a wonderful glow and a real feeling of tranquillity. Once at the Treasury we took the time to lie on our backs, looking at the brightness of the starry sky, whilst instruments were played by local Bedouin. It was certainly the most romantic night we have had since we left. |
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| On our way out of Petra the next morning on our way for a couple of nights in the desert we stumbled across another British Land Rover, ‘Sandy’. Gweneveer thinks she has found a distant relative as they look similar. Whilst stopping to leave a note Bob and Jackie appeared from the hotel and we joined them for several hours before continuing on our way. |
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| This meant that we arrived at Wadi Rum, a desert in the south of Jordon, later than we had intended, which added to what happened next. We got stuck in the sand! Having been set on quickly finding somewhere to stay for the night we failed the basics of driving in sand, letting your tyres down, but also to be sure the way ahead is sensible. Katie, the navigator at the time, decided to direct us towards the only section on our rubbish map that clearly said ‘Sand Dunes’. Of course being the driver I have to take part of the blame, but working together and using both the shovel and the sand ladders we escaped our trap with relative ease. We can safely say we didn’t drive much further before finding camp that night. |
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| Feeling a bit nervous but keen to prove that we can drive on sand we set of to see a couple of the sights. However the map provided really is rubbish when compared to the vast scenery that spreads out before your eyes, so we missed some places. We did end up at Um Frouth, a little natural rock bridge about fifteen metres up, and both climbed on top. Katie found the climb a little bit daunting but with other people about she continued to triumph to stand over the gap. I was so proud of her. After our little bit of exertion we pulled out the awning and had some lunch, watching day tourists come and go whilst we simply sat. The only other thing we did that second day in the desert was to find a quiet corner and hang out our clean clothes to dry. In fact that was a decidedly busy day as the next we woke up, read books, watched two random camels walk by, ate and then went to bed only moving from our spot no more than fifty metres and all the time surrounded by total silence. |
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| The remainder of our time in beautiful Jordan was spent in Aqaba, in a little campsite overlooking the beach. It is here were we both experienced the wonder of snorkelling for the first time, both instantly finding the sport addictive. All along the coastline, just metres from the beaches, are arrays of coral reefs. Each reef is slightly different to the last but all with incredible shapes, colours and hundreds of varieties of beautiful fish. The best moment being when we both swam towards a school of thousands of three inch, silvery fish, making them split as we approached, only to turn around and find they had surrounded us. It was an amazing experience to be cocooned by these fish and feel apart of something quite different. We then divided our time between being refreshed whilst floating in the sea and getting being hot and bothered trying to organise our ferry to Egypt, along with collecting our first post via DHL. |
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| It was nice to spend a few days relaxing, especially as our new travelling friends (Bob and Jackie, Ueli and Esthi) were all doing the same before the Egyptian onslaught was to begin. |
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| For more photos please see the Gallery. |
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| Jerash Gateway |
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| Mud Hut Family |
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| Terek and Family |
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| Terek and Jaffa |
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| Katie Floating |
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| Dead Sea Facial |
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| High Up in Petra |
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| Friendly Face |
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| Having Fun in Petra |
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| Bob, Jackie and Sandy |
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| Wadi Rum Camp |
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