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1001 Nights in Jordan
#travel #inspiration #experience #challenge #jordan
Jordan has a strange, haunting beauty and a sense of timelessness. Dotted with the ruins of empires once great, it is the last resort of yesterday in the world of tomorrow. I love every inch of it.
You know, King Hussein I had a point. Arriving to Jerash, I had a feeling as if I were reaching Ancient Rome. The only difference is – it was full of Jordanian flags, everywhere. I don’t want to say it looked like Ancient Rome under occupation, as there is no animosity in the air whatsoever. Everyone lives at peace with the heritage of the territory, as well as the heritage of their own people and traditions. It seems as if the Kingdom of Jordan and the Ancient Roman Empire reconciled at some point, uniting into a strengthened, extended hand of the two cultures combined, joining yesterday to form a brighter tomorrow. I understand and feel exactly what King Hussein I was talking about!
You could walk into Jerash today and it would be completely normal to expect Julius Caesar to suddenly appear at the hippodrome, watching the horse races joyously. The ruins, unlike the name suggests, are not as ruined as one would expect. In fact, if you’d want to experience the true Ancient Roman Empire, I would not advise going into its heart, in actual Rome, but rather endorse going to the modern-day Kingdom of Jordan. The statues and monuments are much better preserved and a true spirit of the Ancient Rome can be felt here – which I was not able to say about Foro Romano. Pro tip: not sure if I already mentioned, Jordan pass grants us entrance into the ancient city of Jerash, with no additional costs.
As much as I loved every inch of this city, there was something much more compelling in my book – the Wadi Rum desert! Upon having spent a night in Amman and eaten a quick breakfast in the morning, I had no idea whatsoever that I was up for one of the biggest adventures of my lifetime (*up to that point)! What is so fun to do around a desert, you wonder? I, for one, love climbing rocks and sand dunes. I also love the scorching dessert sun and the feel of brimming ground beneath my feet. Also, I had just bought a beautiful and light Egyptian-styled combination, there was no better place to wear to – so it proved extremely useful in the wasteland. The ride took us a couple of hours, as we went all the way to the southern part of the country. Wadi Rum has a frontier of its own – as long as you present Jordan pass, you can enter with no extra fees.
I believe, at this point already, the Jordan pass had paid itself off.
The desert is inhabited by Bedouins – nomadic tribes that dwell among the scarce natural resources of the Middle Eastern dessert lands. Their lives are unimaginable to us – the objects they utilize seem unreasonably old and not overly useful, as the money is not of goods valued here. Camels are the main source of transport, while the local denizens seem completely used to the heat, as well as the style of life in the area. The days seem relentless, and nothing seems to be fun. So, where is the magic?!
After investing a whole day dune and rock climbing, running away from a chasing tornado (it was quite small, to be utterly fair, but still a tornado), watching the camels eat each other’s’ excrement (they probably need to digest the same materials multiple times, don’t be judgmental), riding carts resembling the ones in Mad Max, posing as Jesus in Rio atop rocky peaks, we went to a Bedouin camp for dinner and some rest. Beware – with the increase in tourism and hospitality services, you can pay differing prices to enter and spend a night at different level of service resorts. Whatever you do, I suggest sleeping in tents or tent-like objects, rather than fancy hotels – that is, if you want to have the real feeling of the desert.
The food here was unbelievably uncommon and tasty. The lamb I keep ranting about – even for the biggest lamb-haters out there – does not taste like lamb. A fun thing – the camp owner asked us whether we’d like to eat meat or chicken for dinner. As funny as I found it, I did want to know what “meat” meant – not sure if I’d be willing to try camel or donkey, in a scarcity of any other life-forms. Baba Ghanoush is a must side dish, just like hummus. With a variety of salads, pastes and vegetables, I really wondered where they grew all of it, and why it is so delicious.
And here comes my favorite part – the wonderous life-changing experience, the night spent under the desert skies. Not sure if this is what “Arabian nights” had in mind, but I’ll go for it. Have you ever asked yourself how people in ancient times were able to spot constellations in the sky? Simple – they didn’t have light pollution. How do I know that? From the wasteland, of course! At one point, I thought I may be developing a cataract, seeing all the small and thin white shining lines, in between millions of stars, visible to the naked eye. No, turns out those are just more distant orbs. I could not stop basking into the greatness of this sight, experiencing becoming one with the universe. Priceless!
Let’s be honest – day activities in the desert are only fun for a one-time thrill. Two days would have been boring. But the nights… I would gladly move to the desert at night! The breeze, the stars, no light in any visible vicinity on Earth, completely lost orientation in utter darkness… Majestic!
After hours of watching the swarms of stars in the night, spotting constellations I only remembered from books and pictures (and knowing the name of none, to be completely honest), it was time to go to bed. Maybe it’s because it was May, but the night temperatures were not below the freezing point. Sure, we needed a blanket each, but not tons of clothing to save us from dying of frost. And the craziest thing happened to us in the morning. Upon opening the tent door do get out, we had a camel peek into our tent, almost as a good-morning greeting. Funny and a bit spooky at the same time. Yet absolutely astonishing!
After a quick and rich breakfast, we had no time to waste, Petra was calling for us. At this point, two days into our trip, feeling as if two years into it, Petra did not even seem significant at all! And this is the main reason why I keep rumbling about not taking the beaten path. Everyone goes to Jordan to see Petra. And sure, Petra is a completely amazing place that everyone should voyage to, there’s no disagreement against that. But, the two natural landmarks we got to experience prior to it left a much stronger impression. If I recall, a two-hour ride took us to this ancient city, and our fancy new hotel. I must add, before we dive deep into the landmark, the prices in Petra are ridiculously high. You can spend the same amount of money (around 10 EUR / 12 USD) on a quick snack in Petra, or on a fancy dinner in one of the three classiest restaurants in Amman. Just for comparison.
Within the ancient city, we kept asking ourselves – how were humans ever able to live here at all? And let me disillusion you from one thing – the main gate in Petra that everyone knows of – let’s just say no one’s allowed to pass through it. Have you ever wondered why no one ever posts pictures from inside the stone-city? You’re welcome. However, there’s quite a lot to see and enjoy, walking forward from this point. Sure, it’s great for pictures, and I encourage you to take them here. But you’ll find much better spots, if you are willing to walk for up to 3.5 hours in the scorching desert sun (that’s just one way, mind you). Within the walls, you can find water and pomegranate juice quite frequently. Every few tens of seconds, someone will walk by with a cavalry of camels or donkeys, asking if you need a lift. Remember, Jordan pass does not include riding animals (nor is it nice for them). These people will tell you it does, but then ask for money, in order to help you get down. Not sure how they are even allowed to come in through the entrance, but I’ll not question that right now. Also, beware the pickpockets in the area.
Heads-up for Petra: Remember to dress lightly, especially if visiting in the summer. However, make sure you have enough clothing to cover all of your skin – not for religious reasons, but for the natural one. Personal experience – my neck was uncovered, and it was dark red and purple for days. And it felt worse than it looked! Also, make sure you have comfy footwear on you, as there are no escalators or modern-day stairs in Petra. Don’t be surprised so many people are taking donkeys further up the rock, the stairs are uneven and crooked. For me, having just healed my Achilles’ tendon injury, walking through Petra was a challenge. And one more thing – unless you have a pick-up fridge, don’t bother carrying bottles of water, for it will heat up by the time you reach the entry point.
Do you want to know what there is to see in the beautiful city of Petra and how our journey kept unveiling? Stay tuned for the third part and the finale of my big Jordan adventure. Until next Tuesday!
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[…] and we did not have to pay to enter. I will be letting you know more about this adventure in the next post, as my story through the magical Kingdom of Jordan […]
[…] point, and we did not have to pay to enter. I will be letting you know more about this adventure in the next post, as my story through the magical Kingdom of Jordan […]
[…] My dream is to sit atop the hill in Cape Town, and look directly into the water, for hours. This is an experience I cannot wait for. I can only bet it will be as mind-opening as sleeping in the desert of Jordan! […]
[…] My dream is to sit atop the hill in Cape Town, and look directly into the water, for hours. This is an experience I cannot wait for. I can only bet it will be as mind-opening as sleeping in the desert of Jordan! […]
[…] – The journey of Jordan, pt. 2, […]
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