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| The Treasury at Petra |
To many American sensibilities, driving around the middle east is a bad idea, especially given the current climate. It gave us some trepidation, for sure. And there's merit to that feeling: if you zoom out a bit on the map, you'd recognize many of the nearby places as places of current or recent conflict.
But if that stopped you from visiting Jordan, that would be a shame. Because nestled right into the middle of a turbulent region lies an oasis of welcoming and easygoing people -- people that are particularly happy to see you, given the tourism industry has been decimated in light of recent events. One tour guide told us that Petra, one of the world wonders, usually sees 5,000 visitors per day at this time, and today only sees 500.
Jordan is a place of rugged beauty. A landscape that quickly changes between barren desert, green farmland, glistening sea, and bustling city, all within an hour's drive. The scenery captivates you immediately.
Alix and I rented a car at the airport, and did the classic Jordan circuit. Starting in the capital of Amman, we hit the big three: Petra, Wadi Rum, and the Dead Sea.
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| Mural art in Amman |
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| Roman theater in Amman |
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| Tasty lunch in the hilly city |
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| Our vehicle for the next week |
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| Hitting the old dusty trail |
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Sage advice from a coffee shop pitstop
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Driving through the countryside, view from Kerak Castle
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The modernity and infrastructure of Amman was a (literal) breath of fresh air from overcrowded cities in Egypt. We did some shopping, ate fine dining, walked around, and ran errands. Given how hilly the city was and the weather in winter, parts of the famous Rainbow Street reminded us a bit of walking around SF.
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| Peeking through Al Siq to discover Petra |
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| Petra at sunrise with no one else around |
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| Alix for scale |
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| Looking down upon the Monastery |
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| Alix with the camels |
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Made it to the top of the High Place of Sacrifice
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| Along the trail |
Petra was awe inspiring! An entire city carved into rock. Spending the day there, hiking around to all the various viewpoints and structures, was truly incredible. We arrived at sunrise and got a private view of the famous Treasury. One of the most memorable moments so far.
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| Driving to our camp in Wadi Rum |
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| Our little home |
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| Our pals Mish-Mish and Fu-Fu |
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| Commuting |
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| Sunset |
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| Traditional Bedouin meal cooked underground |
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| Cave view from below |
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| Sitting around the campfire in the cave |
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| Our camp at night (long exposure, it was totally dark there) |
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| Lunch in the main room |
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| Reese pondering the vastness of the desert |
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| Pops of green against the red desert |
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| Taking it all in from the top of the hill |
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| Adventurers in action |
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| Coming down |
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| Tea break |
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| On the move |
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| Our excellent guide, Sutan |
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| Admiring views |
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| Hike through the canyon |
Wadi Rum is now the answer to "what's the most out there you've ever been?" A vast desert in southern Jordan, dotted with a few campgrounds run by the local Bedouin people. Leave your big city worries and headaches at the enrty gate: the silence and stillness of this place will humble you. During the day we hiked and explored, and at night we took in the beauty of the night sky beside a campfire. All the while feeling lucky to have stumbled across something so stunning in a little corner of the world.
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The Dead Sea
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| Salty |
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Reese floating
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| Poolside |
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| Sunset restaurant |
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| Resort room with a view |
The Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth. We joked as we were coming out of it that the rest of our lives are uphill from here. And yes, you really do float effortlessly! It's a bizzare and funny feeling. This part of the sea is home to many luxury resorts. Ours was heavenly and allowed us to relax for a couple days as we concluded our final stop on the Egypt & Jordan phase of our trip. Shukran!
