From floating in the Dead Sea, to seeing the ancient ruins of Petra, and riding camels in Wadi Rum (where they shot the Martian), Jordan was pretty incredible. From the moment our plane landed, everything felt so surreal. Yes, we actually floated in the dead sea, and got to put the mud on our body and faces. Apparently, it’s really good for your skin! After spending a few hours at the Dead Sea, we were off to Petra with our tour guide. It was great because we didn’t go with a big tour group on a bus. We had a tour guide that drove us around (with wifi in the car) and tailored the tour to our requests.
We had the most beautiful views as we drove from the Dead Sea to Petra. We drove along the border of the Dead Sea. We stopped at the side of the road in this cafe with an incredible view of these mountains, when we saw a wild pack of dogs further down the road barking. We also saw a falcon flying above. As we enjoyed the scenery, we heard the dogs barking even louder. We saw three foreigner cyclists, zooming down the hill with this pack of wild dogs barking at them, and as they passed us in the cafe, we heard them yelling a stream of expletives. I think they were pretty glad to have passed by the pack of wild dogs alive. Those were just some of the small memorable moments that I didn’t get to capture on my camera.
We spent the whole day exploring Petra (about 7 hours). We left early in the morning around 8:30am. The weather was really nice, not too hot and not too cold. We did wear a few layers, because in the shade it was a bit cooler. We walked the whole trail all the way to the monastery which is at the highest part and has the best view. There are about 800 stairs you need to climb to get to the top. Make sure to climb to the top because the view was worth it! People can pay to take the donkey ride up, but honestly that looked a bit dangerous. I would recommend just walking up the stairs if you are able to. Also, pack snacks with you as well, as food is a bit pricier inside, but not unreasonable.
The last photo below is from Wadi Rum, a beautiful desert in Jordan. That was definitely one of the highlights of my Jordan trip. We were able to sleep in a fancy tent (bed & toilet inside) in the middle of the desert. I mean, when will I ever do this in my life again? We had a delicious meal of chicken and lamb that was cooked underground with a fire above. We also had a chance to ride camels in the desert. Make sure to hold on tightly, because when the camel goes up and down, it’s a bit bumpy. Our camels were quite calm, and lovely.
People have asked me if it was “safe” there. And overall, I would say yes. There wasn’t a time where I felt unsafe. There were tons of tour groups from all over at all the sites. It was interesting when we were in Amman (the city) and at the Citadel, looking at the old amphitheater, and some kids and adults would come to us and ask to take photos with us. That has never happened to me before when traveling. I guess Asians are a novelty. Overall, I really enjoyed the city and the historic sites in Jordan. If you are planning on visit, let me know, and I can recommend some more places and our tour guide!
