With not much energy left for anything else, we had an early night ready for a big day driving the following day. Up early to pick up our hire car, somehow we managed to negotiate our way out of Amman (there must be some sort of signpost-shortage in Jordan at the moment) and down to the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth at over 400 metres below sea level, a drive of an hour and half. We weren't staying at one of the flash hotels that line the coast, but we paid to use their private beach and facilities for a few hours. Swimming in the Dead Sea is just crazy, its so salty that you do actually bob like a cork - its hilarious, kind of like you are your own inbuilt lifejacket. Something that needs to be experienced to be believed!
We were spending the night in Wadi Musa, a village on the edge of the historical sight of Petra, so we were back in the car mid-afternoon for a drive on some of the craziest roads we've been on, in that we seemed to climb for an age, with our little hire car struggling along the entire way. 
Dinner and an early night when we finally made it to Wadi Musa 3 hours later, so we could get up nice and early for our day inside Petra. Petra is a historical city that was established about 2500 years ago, so today it is really one big archaeological site. You enter along a 1km narrow valley, the "Siq", that still echoes of horses clopping along thanks to the tourist caravans transporting lazy tourists along its length. 
As you leave the Siq, you are transported into the city of Petra itself, and come face to face with the Treasury, an awesome facade carved into the sandstone cliffs. Amazing to think this has stood like this, stil in pretty decent nick, for 2500 years. For most of these years, the site was unknown, lying hidden in the mountains until discovered by a Swiss explorer in 1812. 
Camels taking it easy with some of the many tombs carved into the cliffs in the background.
Our exercise for the day was an exhausting 45 minute walk up to the highest point, and most impressive building, the Monastry. 
Another early night, but this time not too early a start, for our 2 hour drive the following day south to Wadi Rum village. Wadi Rum is a protected area of desert, in that you need to pay entry fees and only registered vehicles/tour operators are allowed. We decided to take the slow route, and jumped on a couple of camels for a four hour tour through the desert. Led by our guide, we plodded along until we arrived at camp just in time for sunset, dinner by the fire and some music before tucking in for an early night. 
With an early morning start thanks to the meanie tour leader, we were whisked back to Wadi Rum village in the back of 4x4 (much faster than by camel). Nursing some serious bruises and sore backs we jumped back into our hire car for a quick 1 hour drive further south to Aqaba. Aqaba is a resort town on the Red Sea, nestled between Saudi Arabia, Israel and Egypt, but we didnt manage much, spending the day by the pool relaxing.
Having taken the slow route from Amman to Aqaba via the dead sea highway, we took the direct route back to the Amman Airport for our late afternoon flight back to Dubai. The drive only took 3 hours, showing what a small country Jordan is, but it certainly has its share of attractions and some amazing sights.
No comments:
Post a Comment