Wadi Rum

Trip Start Oct 30, 2007
1
13
15
Trip End Nov 18, 2007


Loading Map
Map your own trip!
Map Options
Show trip route
Hide lines
shadow

Flag of Jordan  ,
Thursday, November 15, 2007

We've had an exhausting day at Petra.  We are both just beat, but it was another amazing day.

But, I'll start with our amazing day at Wadi Rum yesterday.  Wadi Rum is a dessert land with ancient and recent history.  Moses spent 10 years there as a shepherd and it is mentioned in the Bible.  The ancient Nabateans also inhabited the area and we saw several carvings left by them.  T.E. Lawrence lived here as well for 3 years during the Arab Revolt.  We saw the "house" that he lived in - an old tax collection stop on an ancient caravan route.  The land is beautiful - it reminded us of Utah expecially Arches National Park.  We stopped at several sites throughout the area including giant sand dune the Kev and I climbed - wow, it was a lot higher and tougher than we thought it would be.  But, it was fun to run down it.  To get around, we drove in 4x4's in the sand as there is no road that goes throughout the area as you typically would find in the US.  It was a blast and a bit scary at times - it felt like we would roll at any moment :)  At the end of the trip, our driver went over this giant sand dune like you might see done in the movies.  It was crazy fun!! 

We stayed overnight at a Bedoin camp and had a traditional Bedoin dinner that had been cooked 4 ft underground.  The head of the camp, Mohamed, was this really crazy, tiny man.  He wears his robes and traditional Bedoin head scarf (you know the one, red and white checked that I'm sure you have seen in some photographs before) and these platform shoes (LOL).  He served up his Bedoin Whiskey - really, really sugary sage tea.  All of our Aussies take sugar in their tea as well as Kev so they all opted for the traditional with sugar.  After one sip, they all had this look of shock as the tea was so sweet.  KEv said that he needed some insulin after it.  I luckily opted for unsweet from the beginning and most everyone did a 1/4 sweet, 3/4 unsweet afterwards...  We slept in Mash like tents under heavy blankets as it gets really cold here at night!  It was a good time.

Ok, gotta get ready for dinner.  Stay tuned for Petra as it was amazing.
Print this entry Amman hotels