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Day 64: Our last full day in Jordan we took the minibus from Petra out to Wadi Rum, the protected desert area celebrated by Lawrence of Arabia, where we spent the day on a four wheel drive tour of the main sights.
Within easy driving distance of Wadi Rum village we explored canyons, rock bridges and […]

Days 61-63: After a few nights in cheaper places we decided to treat ourselves in Petra, where we stayed at the Amra Palace, which immediately impressed us with its clean rooms and swimming pool. However the best was yet to come: our shower was the best that we could remember in more than two months […]

While at Petra we climbed to three of the high points with views back over the site and surrounding valleys. The first was to the High Point of Sacrifice, with views to the south; the second was to the formidable Monastery. This hike, on a less-well-trodden path, which gave us a great view overlooking the magnificent Treasury building, was a great way to finish our two days at Petra.

Just uphill of the monastery begin a series of signs enticing visitors to the two viewpoints boasting certain advantages over the other. At first, the two trails seem to be heading in separate directions, leaving visitors a dilemna and feeling as if they have to make a decision based on the strength and veracity of the competing claims.

In the card game of international tourism, Jordan wasn’t dealt too many cards, but it did pick up a few aces. First, there was the surprise of the Dead Sea, later it was our desert experience at Wadi Rum, but the trump card in the middle, the absolute Joker, was Petra.

Handing on your hand-me-down Lonely Planet is always a moment to be treasured. So, after seeing us through Turkey, Syria and Jordan, we gave our Book to two happy-go-lucky scuba divers from South Africa. The official handover ceremony was conducted in the Aqaba International Ferry Passenger Terminal. Johan and Mauritza, good luck!

Weird. We met some people in the Jordanian desert that are Canadian travel dopplegangers of us.
Seriously. Of the catalogue of similarities:

Jerome and Caroline started their trip in Europe, came through Turkey, Syria and Jordan (so did we)
They’re now in Egypt and are en route to India with a stopover in the Gulf […]

We swam at Amman Beach “Number One”, a newish compound to the south of the Dead Sea’s megahotel complexes with some chlorinated water swimming pools to cool off in after swimming in the very warmish Dead Sea. Here there were the obligatory range of beauty products available featuring minerals from the Dead Sea. Personally, I am dubious about the health benefits offered by a body of water which operates as an ancient terminating drain, 400 metres below sea level, fed by the Jordan River in which all manner of dissolved solids have accumulated over time as the water evaporates away in the harsh heat.