Domina Aqaba III

... immediate need to make reservations. One of the excursions is snorkeling in the Red Sea. We are too exhausted to think clearly and do not want to get up early again tomorrow to do this. This is one decision which we will live to regret.

We go to our room to find a beautiful two bedroom suite, complete with all the latest technological facilities including high definition TV. Wow, are we in the right hotel? We feel like we are in heaven as we drift off into a deep sleep.

... publiek strand, maar volgens de touristen info moest je daar ook je shirt aanhouden om enigszins zonder geschreeuw te kunnen zwemmen.. Lama dan! Onze tenen hebben iig de Rode Zee aangeraakt, net als Mozes!

Ditmaal aten we wat bij onze Rough Guide bar (echt de enige degelijke straat in town) en 's avonds aten we pasta en pizza op de hoek.. Foul en Humus doen we wel weer in Israel..

Zaterdag (shabbat... slim) gaan we de Grensovergang aan.. Spannend!

... from Jordan into Egypt. Despite the wait (all part of the fun I guess lol) and the humid conditions on the ferry, the trip was relatively straight forward and was actually a good laugh. For our troubles we were rewarded with a great relaxed two nights at a Beach camp near Nuweiba (cue some great Red Sea diving and MORE chilling out!).

Egypt here we come!!!

Richy :)

... a traditional Bedouin dinner and fell asleep in our tents. We started day 2 in the desert by hiking up a large Jebel where we could see the biggest mountain in Wadi Rum (about 1800 meters) half of which is in Saudi Arabi. The views from the top were spectacular and well worth the climb up. Our guide made us tea at the top of the Jebel while texting some friends on his cell (odd we know). We also witnessed Bedouins talking on their cell ...

... He had been to Petra and told us how nice it was and how much he enjoyed it. He planned on 2 days there and spent 4.

We then walked around to find the bus station. There was a bus ready and waiting to go to Petra! We couldn't believe it! This is Friday. The driver tried to talk us into going and getting our bags and get on the bus. It was now after 2 and check out time is 12, so we knew we were committed to the hotel. Darn it all anyways. We head ...

... and showed us how to play a game of magic rocks, where they all ended up in one hand, don't ask me how he did it but it was pretty cool (particularly with his broken english instructions). We came across a bedouin tent, set up for day visits for medicinal teas and purchases of bedouin finery, the plus side of this is that the tent was set up next to a rather large sand dune. I had to do it. Truding up the massive dune, I only made it half ...

... and camel treks in this area. YOu can even trek all the way to saudi arabia along the ancient camel trails used for the Haj to Mecca. It would have been a lot of fun to take in the desert at that pace for a week or so. But, as usual, we were on somewhat of a schedule and had to leave Wadi Rum to go back to Israel. We didn't expect to like Jordan, or the Jordanian people as much as we did, if we'd known we would have allocated more time. But then again, what would we cut out?

... Nuweiba port (to catch the ferry to Jordan), I felt incredibly alone and scared. I walked to where a bunch of people were waiting outside, walked toward the front of the seating area to ask the snack dude where the hell I was supposed to go. Honestly at that moment, I swear to you that every single person on those hundreds of benches was just staring at me. Not only was I the only foreigner, but Asian for that matter, and female. Of course the guy didn't ...

... was leaving (that's how things work here.) We eventually made it out to Wadi Rum Town where we negotiated with the Bedouin chap who runs a set of camps. That afternoon we were taken on a jeep tour of a good swath of Wadi Rum; visiting the sand dunes (which you climb up and then run and fall down), see some ...

... people is likely to be that they are, almost without exception, decent, honest, respectful and friendly.'

Super. Awesome. **ck yeah! All that loveliness aside, the fact that this isn't, thank Allah, Egypt means that it has already done enough to make us fans for life, whatever may happen from here on out. In fact, we might actually have been willing, right here & right now, to publicly state our undying love for the place if it hadn't been for the ...