I wouldn’t say I’m the world’s most adventurous traveller; I love going to European cities and visiting friends in the US, but I haven’t really visited anywhere that exotic. I decided a while ago that I want to be a bit more daring in the destinations I visit, and when a friend suggested going to Jordan over the new year, I jumped at the chance. I’ve wanted to visit Petra ever since watching Indiana Jones as a child, and I’ve also long been keen to visit a Middle Eastern country and have the chance to see beyond the stereotypes. We booked a seven day guided tour of the best bits of Jordan, as we knew we would want to travel quite extensively and didn’t feel confident at the thought of driving across the desert by ourselves!, and so just after Christmas, we hopped on a plane to Amman, and five hours later, landed in a city that was utterly different to anything either of us had ever experienced before.
Amman certainly has many elements of Western culture, and the appearance of the city, set over three hills, with its cascading tumble of creamy-coloured blocks of flats, lethally unconstructed pavements and maze of steep stairways that connect the zig-zagging streets, reminded me quite a lot of Italy. However, the steeples of the minarets piercing the sky, the calls to prayer floating across the air, the shops piled high with exotic produce and variety of souks make it unmistakably Middle Eastern, and the mélange of ultra-modern buildings and recognisable brands – McDonald’s, Baskin and Robbins, KFC – alongside souks, falafel stands and tumbledown buildings, made for a fascinating entrée into Middle Eastern life. We loved wandering the streets, finding surprises on every corner – a Roman amphitheatre, a Royal palace, a nineteenth century Moorish mansion – and breathtaking views across the surrounding city and countryside as we scaled our way up the hillside. Everyone was friendly, everyone spoke English, and we ate like Queens as we stuffed our faces with falafel and baklava. It was brilliant.
However, we were soon off exploring – our first day was spent at the Dead Sea, where we floated around in twenty degree sunshine in this incredible stretch of water that overlooks Jerusalem and Jericho and wants to do its best to kick you out. Friends had told me of how strange an experience it was to float in the water, and I couldn’t quite understand what they meant until I was in it myself, and kept getting forced onto my back every time I tried to get up! The water is just so buoyant – it’s an utterly bizarre feeling! – but absolutely marvelous. I could have bathed in it forever! The second day saw us heading out towards Petra – it was a long drive, and we stopped off firstly at Mount Nebo, where Moses was shown the Holy Land. We marvelled at the incredible, spine-tingling views across to Jerusalem and Jericho – amazing to think of all the history that has happened in this place! – and went into the monastery to see some wonderful Byzantine mosaics. We then drove for hours through the desert to reach Little Petra, part of the larger Petra mountain range, just before it closed, and had a wander through the incredible canyons and carvings, which we thought were absolutely breathtaking until our tour guide Khaled said we’d not think much of them when we saw the main Petra site the next day!
That night we stayed in a wonderful hotel which is a converted Bedouin village, with incredible views across Petra and a fantastic hammam spa. We ate marvellously again in the hotel restaurant – hummus, falafel, the most wonderful fresh vegetables – great for vegetarians! – and the most wonderful honey cakes. Jordanians certainly know how to feed you! – and then headed to bed ready for our big day at Petra. The day dawned bright and sunny, and we were thrilled to be walking through the enormous orange sandstone canyons that lead to the city carved into the rocks as the sun was rising, making the cliffs glow with such a beautiful fiery warmth. Words can’t even describe the awe and wonder I felt as I turned a corner and saw through a gap in the rocks ahead the sunlit facade of the Treasury building glimmering in the distance; it was truly like something from a fairytale. We spent all day roaming this remarkable place, that has so much to see and so much fascinating history to discover. The most amazing thing about it is that half of the ancient city is still buried underground, and archaeologists are still making new discoveries all the time. It’s exciting to think that in ten years’ time, there might be so much more to see. As it was, we did the hour and a half climb up into the mountains to see the enormous Monastery building, and took in the fabulous views across the site of the city as we did so, encompassing the amphitheatre, colonnaded street, tombs and houses. We must have walked for miles, and yet we never felt tired – we were just utterly entranced by our surroundings. It was a magical day – one I’ll never forget – and certainly the highlight of the trip for me.
That night we celebrated New Year at the hotel, before heading out early the next day, into the desert. On the way we stopped off at an old Ottoman railway station and were allowed to climb all over an abandoned steam train – heaven! – before being taken out on a jeep to explore Wadi Rum and see the sights made famous by T.E.Lawrence. We saw the rocks that he called ‘the seven pillars’ – and the site where he gathered together his troops to fight during WWI. We rode a camel for part of the trip, which was certainly an experience! – and the desert landscape, filled with other-worldly rock formations, was simply incredible. It really does feel like you’re on another planet, and miles away from civilization. We stayed that night at a Bedouin camp in the desert, and had a marvelous time drinking traditional sage tea by the fire and eating traditional Bedouin food. We watched the sun go down in a blaze of glory over the sand dunes and then bedded down into our tent to sleep under the stars, which was another totally unforgettable experience – absolutely magical!
The next day we drove back to Amman and spent the afternoon wandering, before our final day, which we spent at the Roman city of Jerash, north of Amman. This is an incredible, vast site, which, like Petra, is still being uncovered, and offers the opportunity to see the entire layout of a typical Roman city. The forum, the colonnaded streets, the temples and amphitheatres, the stadium, the houses – it’s possible to see it all, and it’s all in such good condition, thanks to having been buried underground for so long. It was a wonderful way to finish our trip.
I loved Jordan – it’s a stunningly beautiful country with such a varied landscape and a fascinating history. There’s so much to see and do – if we’d had longer, we’d have definitely spent a few days at the beautiful Red Sea resort of Aqaba – and I know I’ll go back one day, and also visit some more of the region. We felt perfectly safe the entire time, and were made to feel completely welcome everywhere we went. I can’t recommend it highly enough!
