Jordan

OCTOBER 2023 - NOVEMBER 2023

As we stepped out of Queen Alia International Airport, warm late evening air greeted our arrival in Amman. A smooth transfer from Paris to Amman had filled our afternoon and evening and now we were ready to explore Jordan. But, it was almost mid-night so just sleep was required for the moment, courtesy of a comfortable hotel room in the city center.

Leaving Paris (Arc de Triomphe in the top right corner)

The previous two months had been spent socialising and watching rugby in Spain and France.
The Rugby World Cup was held in France this year and I, Malc, had been able to get tickets for nine matches. This took me all over France with my rugby loving friend David. However, it was Anne who accompanied me to the final in Paris, two days before we left for Jordan.

Stade de France St Denis - 1

Rugby World Cup finale, South Africa vs New Zealand - 1

The following morning, after breakfast, we met our guide/driver - Zahair in the hotel lobby. Ready to start our city tour. “We”, included more than just Anne and I, but also Anne’s sister Catherine and her cousin Isabelle.

As we drove through the busy Amman traffic, Zahair showered us with interesting facts. We learnt that most of Jordan’s population live in or around the capital and that almost all of the buildings are made of limestone. The use of limestone is not by choice but a directive from the government.
It wasn’t long before we noticed that all them have large, mostly white containers on their roofs. Zahair explained that each building only receives water once a week, so this needs to be stored and rationed until the next supply arrives. Hence the roof-top containers.

Water containers on the roof in Amman

Our first stop was the Blue Domed Mosque. Access was via the prayer room and museum. But before we could enter either of these we needed to be dressed appropriately. Fortunately, entrance included the loan of a Hijab (a long lightweight coat with a hood).

Blue Mosque

The museum consisted of photo’s of the royal family and many scaled models of mosques, each with a story to accompany them. After the museum we removed our shoes and ventured into the prayer room. A large circular building with wall to wall carpet and a domed roof. Zahair explained the functionality of this room and pointed out a digital display on the wall. The display showed the usual information, time, date, temperature, etc, but also the times of prayer. The display of prayer times was a bit surprising, aren’t they the same time each day we asked? No, they move with sunrise and sunset.

Inside the Blue Mosque

From the Blue Domed Mosque we drove through a tunnel into the old part of town. All the time being informed about what we were seeing and the history attached to it. Our next stop was the Citadel.
This archaeological site sits on top of a hill with great views over the city. We spent over an hour on a private guided tour of the site. The site had been occupied for hundreds of years and by many cultures. Evidence of the Roman period was the most obvious but each area unfolded a layer of history.
The Citadel also provided a great view of the Roman Theatre that dominated the landscape on one side. Seven prominent hills surround the city, all of which were visible from this vantage point. Those same hills provided great acoustics when the call to prayer rang out towards the end of the tour.

Amman

The Citadel

View from The Citadel looking over the Roman Amphitheatre

It was now time to see the many different parts of the city, something that needed to be done by car. First the old town, with its narrow roads lined by shops displaying every product you wish for. Followed by the new town with its modern buildings and display of wealth.

Street adverts in Amman

Amman old town

Amman old town

By now it was mid-afternoon and time for a late lunch. This we took in a beautifully shaded restaurant courtyard and were treated to a wide range of traditional Jordanian dishes. Very full we returned to the hotel and later checked out a local cocktail bar to complete the activities for the day.

Amman Restaurant

Jordanian feast in Amman

Day two didn’t start as planned as our morning hike had to be cancelled due to the risk of rain and the potential for a flash flood. Unperturbed, we carried on the day with alternative activities. First we drove south out of Amman towards the town of Madaba.
We were now in an agricultural area where plastic dome tunnels are used for growing vegetables. When this wasn’t the case, goats grazed instead. An occasional camel would appear amongst the goats, their purpose unknown. A more disturbing vision was the amount of plastic bags, either blowing about or caught on bushes. It seems that the Jordanians haven’t got the habit of the reusable shopping bag yet.
Mount Nebo was the first stop of the day, just on the outskirts of Madaba. It’s the place where the Bible says Moses stood and witnessed the "promised land". Our visit suggested this could be possible as the view from the top offers a panorama of the Jordan Valley and the so called “Holy Land”. Although a bit hazy we could make out the city of Jericho in the West Bank and the Dead Sea but further afield to Jerusalem was not possible. We looked around the site, took in the views, saw the ancient mosaics in the Memorial Church of Moses, then moved on.

View Point over the Moses Promise Land (Jordan Valley)

Mount Nebo Church

A short stop at a mosaic factory and shop turned out to be more interesting than expected. Then it was back into the centre of Madaba to visit the Church of St. George with its mosaic map of the Holy Land dating back to the Byzantine era. The mosaic has lost a lot of its detail over the ravages of time but was still pretty impressive and surprisingly accurate.

We took the opportunity to buy postage stamps at the post office before we left Madaba. A visit to a foreign post office is always an interesting event and this one didn’t disappoint. Our purchase was a leisurely affair with a very friendly postal worker. Our request for 25 stamps caused a bit of a stir and required several members of staff and about 15 minutes to complete the transaction, but fun all the same.
From Madaba we took a dramatic mountain road boarding the Dead Sea. Soaking up the vista’s as we progressed. Finally we arrived at Ma-in Hot Springs. We weren’t here for the hot baths, which were very hot, but for the strange natural wonder of hot water waterfalls. At this point the thermal heated water emerges from the ground and spills over two cliff edges, hence the hot water waterfalls. One waterfall is captures in a manmade bath which people come to soak in. To our mind this spoilt the natural wonder, but we are probably in the minority.

Hot Spring waterfall at Ma-In

By now it was early afternoon and a decision needed to be made about lunch. We decided to skip lunch as we had a long drive ahead of us, and dinner awaited us at our hotel in Dana. Zahair picked up some local made bread to stave off the hunger and we pushed on to the Mujib River Canyon, Jordans version of the Grand Canyon. We stopped to admire the view and take photos before continuing our journey.

Mijib Canyon (dam at the end)

View over the Mijib Canyon

Karnak (castle in the left)

Karnak street trader

To begin with, our route was through the mountains but became more built up in the later stages. We passed through several medium sized towns including Karak (famous for its castle) before finishing the drive in the dark.
Our overnight stop was in the historic village of Dana, which its true beauty wasn’t revealed until sunrise of the following morning.

From our room balcony the view was incredible. Stretched out in front of us was the Dana Biosphere Reserve. A deep valley surrounded by steep mountain cliffs and home to some rare plants and creature only found in this part of the world.

Dana Biosphere Reserve

A hike in the reserve had been planned for this morning but the trail had been closed for conservation reasons. This was another disappointment, but as Anne’s bronchial issue had returned she wouldn’t have been fit enough to do it anyway. This allowed us to chill out after breakfast and enjoy our surroundings. Catherine and Isabelle were more energetic and went for a short walk into the village.
Zahair met us again at 11:00 and we continued our journey south towards Petra.
Around halfway we stopped in the small town of Shobak to pick some medication for Anne. This also added to our list of Pharmacies visited around the world. Just up the road was Shobak Castle and our first scheduled stop. The castle is perched on top of a hill and is particularly striking due to its remote location in the desert. It was built in 1115 under the crusader rule of King Baldwin I. Although mostly ruins now we were able to explore the various building and passageways. Some of the original stonework had Islamic writing which post-dates the crusader occupancy. An interesting diversion and an enjoyable visit.

Shobak Castle

Shobak Castle ruin (notice the Arabic inscription on the top of the tower)

On the road to Petra we stopped at a road side stall to buy some fruit, as much for the interaction with locals then the products they sell. With apples, pomegranate and raisins bought we continued our drive.

Road side fruit seller

As we entered Petra, Zahair purchased more local bread for us, which was even more delicious than yesterdays.
The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing in our hotel, eating the bread and fruit.
At 19:30 we met up with Zahair again and he directed us to the gates of the ancient city of Petra. Tickets purchased, we began the experience of Petra by night. Lanterns placed along the edge of a gravel path guided us first through an open area and then into a steep sided canyon. Our only light was that of the lanterns and our torches so at this point we were unaware of the amazement that surrounded us, we would discover this the next day. After around 3kms we emerged into an open area with Petra’s most famous monument, The Treasury or Al Khazna, right in front of us. We were instructed to sit down on one of the various benches and await the entertainment. After a short while that entertainment began, with local musicians playing traditional instruments whilst Al Khazna was illuminated by different coloured lights. The show lasted around 30 minutes then we retraced our steps out of the ancient city. An enjoyable evening and a prelude to what was to follow the next day.

Petra by night

Lanterns lighting our way through the Siq

Al-Khazneh el-Far'oun (Treasury of the Pharaon) at night

Soon after 9:00 the following morning we were back in the ancient city of Petra (see below), this time with a specialist guide and under a clear blue sky. The darkness of yesterday evening had hidden the wonders on display, but now the sunshine showed them off in all their glory. We slowly progressed along a gravel path stopping regularly to be informed of what we were seeing. All around us tombs and dwellings had been carved out of the cliffs, a process undertaken by many cultures over hundreds of years. Some dwellings were still lived in today by the Bedouin people of Jordan. The Bedouin also administer the complex with guidance from the Jordanian authorities.

Start of the long walk in Petra Ancient City

On of the many tombs of Petra

In less than a kilometre we reached the Siq, a narrow passageway between towering cliffs. We progressed along the Siq with points of interest explained by our guide. The cliff faces provided welcomed shade as it was already getting hot. Most of the time we were walking on gravel, but every so often remnants of Roman road would appear, amazingly still in fairly good condition.

The Siq, Petra

Remain of camel carving and it's handler protection water chanel in Petra

Two kilometres zig zagging through the Siq brought us to an open area, where in front of us stood Petra’s most famous monument, Al Khazna. Here we lingered for a while taking photos and admiring what lay before us.

At the end of the Siq, the Jewel of Petra

World famous image

Beyond Al Khazna the cliffs were wider apart and for another two kilometres we gazed up and around at more incredible structures. Our guide continued with us providing further interesting commentary. Finally the cliffs closed in again and we were at the end of our tour. Our guide left us and we sat in a shady restaurant for some refreshment.

Bedouin salesmen in Petra

Deep in the heart of Petra

Starbucks Ancient Petra

Stairway to heaven in Petra

Petra

In the restaurant we reflected on what we had seen. Undoubtably an incredible place and we felt privileged to be there. Being picky and a bit spoilt from our extensive travelling, there were too many tourist for our liking, even though tourist numbers are very much down for this time of the year (see below). We also felt the Bedouin stalls selling trinkets had no place in this environment. In addition their constant insistence that you travel on one of their horses, camels or carts was a bit wearing. Having said all this, everyone needs to make a living, some tourist need these various modes of transport to access the site and it was quite fun to exchange banter with all the Bedouins, children and adults alike. So all in all what are we moaning about, we are very privileged.

We left the ancient city of Petra the way we came in, the only difference was that it’s down hill coming in and up hill going out. By now it was the hottest part of the day and in the shade it was quite comfortable walking. But the last kilometre in the sun was a bit tough.

Back at the hotel we rested and freshened up in preparation for a Jordanian cooking lesson. The lesson would take place in the hotel kitchen and would be a group of four to six, we were told. Looking forward to this culinary experience we entered to kitchen at the allotted time to find the numbers had risen from six to twenty six. No problem, we can share. Aprons and Chef Hats adorned, we were ready to start. What followed though was not what we had signed up for. Instead of learning how to prepare a traditional Jordanian meal we were put to work as kitchen staff, peeling and cutting vegetable, stirring pots and plating up. A bit of a rip-off. Once we had finished our kitchen chores, and now with the knowledge of how to peel a potato and slice an onion!, we eat the meal we help prepare. A bit of a disappointment but at least we got fed.

Cooking lesson (really not much to it)

View over modern Petra where everyone stay

We then drove south east on a high plateau before descending into the desert of Wadi Rum. Now, all around us camels roamed freely and small settlements eked out a living with minimal resources. A brief stop to look at a 120 year old Japanese train, locomotive and carriages, now abandoned in the desert. Was followed by a drive deeper into the desert.

Desert Train

Desert railway line

Finally we arrived at Mazayan Luxury Camp, were our Zahair left us, to meet up again the following morning. Mazayan is just one of 300 camps (of which only around 50 are authorised) that sit on the edge of the Wadi Rum Protected Area (see below), each partially hidden by rocky outcrops. They all consist of individual sleeping units, a restaurant and a Bedouin style social area. Ours was comfortable and in a nice environment.

Our Wadi Rum Camp

There was just time to dump our bags in the room before our Land Cruiser was ready to take us on a desert excursion. Filled with excitement our 4x4 driver drove us off into the desert. This was a 3 hour excursion that gradually lost its appeal as it progressed. For most of the drive we were never far from a camp and seemed to be in a convoy of other tourist 4x4’s doing the same thing. Quality information from our driver was hard to come by, but at least the environment was stunning.
First stop, after about 5 minutes drive, was a tent where tourist meet to drink tea and buy souvenirs, should they wish. Our driver went for a chat with other drivers and suggested we should climb the adjacent sand dune for the view. It looked more interesting than sitting in the tent drinking tea, and as it was in the shade, we made the effort. From the top the view was nice but nothing special.

View point over Wadi Rum desert

Another 5 minute drive and we all arrived at some rock drawings and inscriptions. Supposedly 400 years old. Our driver did explain that camel caravans had met at this point for hundreds of years and that was why the inscriptions were here and left us to wonder around. At this point we were only 30km from the Saudi Arabian, Egyptian and Israeli borders.

Ancien Rock Art

It didn’t take long to take a couple of photo’s, then we were on the move again. This time the drive was a bit longer with fewer 4x4’s in tow. We were also further from the camps making it easier to enjoy the beautiful scenery. We eventually stopped at some more rock inscription. The area was also a waterhole in the past but rock falls and climate change had now put pay to that.

Inscription from previous civilisation

The next stop seemed a bit of a waste of time. A rock outcrop in the shape of Homer Simpsons face. What was more interesting was the ground melon growing next to it.

Desert Melon

Wadi Rum camel caravan

It got busier again by the time we reached the following stop. A rock with Lawrence of Arabia’s face carved in it. It was getting a bit boring now. So we spent most of our time watching a desert beetle go about its daily business.

Desert beetle

We then joined a 4x4 convoy and raced across the desert to a rock outcrop to watch the evening sunset. However, the pleasure was rather diminished by the crowds and the amount of rubbish laying around the site. The drive back to camp then followed.

Wadi Rum sunset

That was not the end of the days activities, as we were going “stargazing” after dinner. Dinner was from 19:00, but just before that we went to the cooking pit to see the meat emerge. Just outside the restaurant a pit had been dug in the sand. That pit is filled with wood in the morning and set on fire. Once the fire was established stones are placed in the fire and it is partially covered. Later in the day meat is placed on the hot stone in the pit, covered and allowed to cook slowly until just before dinner time.

Food coming out of the cooking pit

The cooking pit

At 20:45 myself, Anne and Catherine climbed in to a 4x4 and out into the desert night we drove. Our destination was the Wadi Rum Stargazing Facility, a building containing a reception and lecture room plus an enclosed area where six large telescopes point skywards. Prior to us looking through the telescopes we had an informative and entertaining presentation, in the lecture room and out on the desert sand. Then the real fun began. The resident astronomer escorted us to an enclosed area where six large telescopes, all pointing in different directions and up in to the star filled sky. He explained what we were going to see through them and then we were let loose. It was unbelievable what we could see. Jupiter as clear as day (or night in this instance), Saturn with its distinctive rings and other stars hundreds of light years away.
Amazed and impressed we clambered back into the 4x4 and headed back to camp for a good nights sleep.

Star gazing experience

After breakfast the following morning we explored the perimeter of our camp. Climbing up on to the rocks that form the southern boundary of the camp an open desert landscape stretched out in front of us. Not pristine by any means but still quite beautiful.
As we walked we spotted tracks in the sand. We didn’t know what creature had made them but our best guesses were snakes and Gerbils. There wasn’t much flora to look at, but what there was held our interest. More disturbing was the amount of rubbish laying about the place, mostly plastic. A general problem plaguing Jordan as a whole.

View from the camp in Wadi Rum

Tracks in the sand

Desert Flora

Problem littering in Wadi Rum

At 10:30 Zahair collected us for our trip to Aqaba. Aqaba is the main town and port of Jordan’s short Red Sea coast. It is a Special Economic Zone (low tax & duty free) and serves as a hub for almost all of Jordan’s imports and exports. It has also become a major tourist destination, especially those seeking out water sports and diving.
We drove round the city receiving commentary on the most interesting landmarks. Stopped at a Liquor Store (quite a rarity in this predominately dry country) to buy some alcohol to go with the meal that was to follow. Then had a fabulous fish lunch in a tiny restaurant, usually only visited by locals. A bit of post food shopping then it was back to the camp.

Aqaba

Fish meal in Aqaba

Having gone almost as far south as you can, it was now time to head back north to our last destination, the Dead Sea. With stops, the drive was going to take most of the day. Once out of the desert we got on route 15 and didn’t leave until just before Amman.
Journeys like these give you time to contemplate the scenery that passes your eyes as you race along in a motor vehicle. You also ask yourself questions about what you are seeing and probably never get to know the answers.
For most of the time the highway cut through rock strewn desert. Every so often passing through a small town where you wonder how the inhabitants make a living. No wonder half of Jordans residents live on less than the Jordanian living wage.
Small open cast mines appeared on a regular basis, strangely most had little activity going on. Goat herds were commonly seen, often on the road eating cereal spilt by passing trucks. Camels and their herders appeared regularly as did some packs of dogs roaming the scrub close to the road side.
This being the main highway between Amman and Aqaba it wasn’t surprising to see a lot of trucks. As we have done in other countries it’s interesting to read the number plate to see where they’re from. In France for instance you see trucks from all over Europe. However, in Jordan you only see Jordanian trucks, often with a different plate for the trailer. When you think about it, it’s not surprising. Road access to its neighbours is limited with most of the imports and exports going through Aqaba in the south and are destined for Amman in the north.

Highway South / North

Road side mine

Just before we reached Amman we turned west for the Dead Sea. A couple of stops to admire the view and see the salt accumulating on its shore. Then we were at our hotel.
All Jordanian hotels do security checks before you are allowed in, and this one was the most thorough. Under vehicle scan for bombs and the usual airport style baggage X-ray machine. I suppose it’s because we were now only a few kilometres from the Palestinian West Bank border. We had two nights in the Movenpick Hotel and its complex was vast. Its facilities included; private beach access to the Dead Sea, an upmarket Spa, four on site restaurants, three swimming pools, tennis courts, a gym, shops and of course lots of bedrooms, 346 evidently. The area was so sprawling they offer electric cart to get round on. Not somewhere we would usually choose to stay but we thought we should try it at least once.
By the time we arrived at the hotel it was quite late so just enough time for a pre dinner drink and dinner itself.

The Resort Hotel at Dead Sea

It was a leisurely start to the next day, which was good as we hadn’t slept well. Problem with the A/C, we couldn’t get the room to cool down enough.
In the daylight we could see the hotel in all its glory. The architecture made you feel you were in a “Flintstones Theme Park”. Whilst its size and facilities had a cruise ship feel about it, one that had run aground in the desert. These observations aren’t meant to be derogatory, it was a nice place to stay.

Our accommodation at the Dead Sea

The breakfast options were extensive and of high quality. This meant we were well fed before indulging ourselves in what the hotel had to offer.
By now it was mid-morning and already getting quite hot, unseasonal so according to the hotel staff. Changing into our swimming gear we made our way down to the Dead Sea. By the time we reached the beach we were 480 meters below sea level. The water was warm, very salty and provided an unreal level of buoyancy. I normally sink as soon as I relax in water, but there was no chance of that happening here. It was quite disorientating, if you tried to sink it just spat you out, spinning you around at the same time.

View point over the Dead Sea

The Dead Sea beach

altitude at the Dead Sea

Following our Dead Sea adventure we showered and made our way to a more conventional water facility. With multiple swimming pools to choose from we opted for the largest with an infinity section looking out over the Dead Sea and the Palestinian West Bank beyond. Remembering this is high season for tourism in Jordan and this is the most popular hotel in the area (as per the brochure). We were handed towels as we walked through the gate into the pool complex where about 150 sun loungers encircled the pool. Our first thought was to find an unoccupied lounger and place our towel on it. This wasn’t a problem because 148 were available. The water was cool and refreshing against the heat of the day. We swam a bit, took in the view from the infinity edge then retired back to our loungers. It was now getting busy, in addition to us four, eight other guest were spread out around the pool. I think we would have spent more time indulging ourselves in the exclusivity but the flies were becoming annoying

Infinity Pool

On of the pool at the resort

We had a very tasty late lunch at the pool bar but didn’t stay long. The flies were back in force, intent on eating our food before us, and the girls had a spa session arranged. Whilst I spent the rest of the day chilling out, the girls visited the on site upmarket spa. Their report back was full of praise. They tried almost every type of treatment offered, made use of all the pools and other facilities and had the whole place to themselves. They returned radiant and relaxed, ready to finish off the alcohol we still had.

Sunset Spa

That was our last full day in Jordan. The following morning after breakfast, Zahair picked us up and drove us to the airport for our flights home. The drive to the airport provided time to reflect on this ten day journey around Jordan. A country full of fascinating scenery and friendly people. An oasis of calm in a very troubled region of the world. To the west it borders Israel and Palestine, to the north is the Syrian border (now with a massive refugee camp) and to the east is Iraq with all its ongoing problems. A large section of the south east borders Saudi Arabia and the far south is Egypt, both with issues of their own.
Throughout the trip you couldn’t forget that there was a war ragging just 150-200km (as the crow flies) away in Palestinian Gaza. Many lives were being lost each day. This is not the forum for opinions on the conflict but it did question our presence in the area. As with the Syrian conflict in the north, Jordan could become a safe haven for displaced civilians from Gaza. This beings an added cost to a country that is already not the most prosperous in the region. For this reason they can ill afford to loose the income generated by one of the biggest earners, tourism. As already mentioned, tourism is really suffering at the moment due to the war in Gaza, so I am pleased we were there to help the economy a bit. It’s just a shame that the over reaction of other tourist are having such a negative affect at the moment. Jordan is a very safe country to visit and the conflict in Gaza didn’t dilute that opinion in anyway

Interesting Facts

Petra
The city of Petra, capital of the Nabataean Arabs, is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. It is Located 240 km south of the capital Amman and 120 km north of the red sea town of Aqaba. Petra the world wonder, is undoubtedly Jordan's most valuable treasure and greatest tourist attraction, and it is visited by tourists from all over the world.
It is not known precisely when Petra was built, but the city began to prosper as the capital of the Nabataean Empire from the 1st century BCE, which grew rich through trade in frankincense, myrrh, and spices. 
Petra was later annexed to the Roman Empire and continued to thrive until a large earthquake in 363 AD destroyed much of the city. 
The earthquake combined with changes in trade routes, eventually led to the downfall of the city which was ultimately abandoned.
By the middle of the 7th century Petra appears to have been largely deserted and it was then lost to all except local Bedouin from the area.
In 1812 a Swiss explorer named Johannes Burckhardt set out to ‘rediscover’ Petra; he dressed up as an Arab and convinced his Bedouin guide to take him to the lost city, After this, Petra became increasingly known in the West as a fascinating and beautiful ancient city, and it began attracting visitors.
Petra is also known as the rose-red city, a name it gets from the wonderful colour of the rock from which many of the city’s structures were carved. 
The Nabataeans buried their dead in intricate tombs that were cut out of the mountain sides and the city also had temples, a theatre, and following the Roman annexation and later the Byzantine influence, a colonnaded street and churches.  
On December 6, 1985, Petra was designated a World Heritage Site, also Petra was chosen by the Smithsonian Magazine as one of the 28 places you should visit them before you die.

Petra

Tourist Numbers
We are travelling in the tourist high season for Jordan, when the weather is at its most pleasant. However, tourist numbers are well below what they normally are, some say down by 80%. The reason for this is the large number of holiday cancellations due to the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Some 150-200km (as the crow flies) away from Jordan’s western border. The British Foreign Office advised it was safe to travel so we did and without concern.

Tourist number have dropped by 80% but you would not believe it this part of Wadi Rum

Wadi Rum
People have lived in Rum for thousands of years, struggling to survive in its harsh environment. They have been hunters, pastoralists, farmers and traders, as Rum is close to national borders. Even the famous Nabateans once occupied Rum, leaving behind several structures, including a temple.
Local people gained notoriety more recently when they joined the Arab revolt forces under the leadership of king Faisal and fought along with Lawrence of Arabia during the Arab Revolt (1917/18) to fight the occupying Turkish and German armies. Lawrence himself makes many references to Wadi Rum in his book ‘The Seven Pillars of Wisdom’, a title apparently inspired by one of Rum’s imposing mountains. The exploits of Lawrence have become part of local folklore, and some popular tourist sites are named after him, although whether he used these exact sites is open to debate.
Virtually all the people living in and around Wadi Rum today are of Bedouin origin and, until recently, led nomadic lives, relying on their goat herds. They are resourceful, hospitable people who are largely responsible for developing Wadi Rum as a tourist destination.
Recognising the unique natural and cultural history of Wadi Rum and the vital importance of tourism to the local economy, the government of Jordan declared Wadi Rum a protected area in 1998. With support from the World Bank they commissioned the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, a national NGO, to prepare a conservation plan and build a team of local people to manage the area. This team is now under the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority and is pioneering ways to restore and safeguard Rum’s sensitive desert habitats from ever-increasing human pressure. The area also became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011.

Lawrence of Arabia memorial

The Binoculars Incident(s)
Progressing through Queen Alia International Airport at Amman was all very smooth until my bag didn’t appear on the luggage conveyor. The representative from Jordan Tours asked whether I had binoculars in my bag, to which I replied yes. He then asked me to accompany him to the customs area where he spoke to some people and in no time my bag appeared. However that was not the end of it.
I was required to open my bag, pull out my binoculars and allow a customers official to inspect them. The tour representative and the customs guy then conversed in arabic before I was given back my binoculars and was able to depart with my bag.
No where else in the world have taken a dislike to my binoculars, so I enquired why in Jordan. The tour representative didn’t know, Royal Jordanian Airlines don’t list binoculars as a restricted item, even the Jordanian customs website didn’t shed any light on the mater. Delving deeper on various online forums I found that lots of people have fallen foul of the binoculars rule, but none knew why. However, one unconfirmed theory was that they were deemed as potential military equipment, but if not military style when inspected they are not confiscated. We may never know the true reason.
I bet you can guess what happened when my bag went through the baggage check machine on departure. Yes, I had to undo my bag, show them my binoculars, have then inspected then allowed to keep them and continue on my way.