Jordan

At this point, I was getting my feet under me as far as the middle east went. I realized that not all westerners traveling the region would be shot at, quite the opposite in fact. Egyptians were the friendliest people I had met so far in my travels.

Perhaps it was that newfound confidence which spurred my next adventure. I arrived into Amman at 9:00, which was to late to go stumbling around trying to find a hotel. Amman wasn't even where I wanted to be--I had come to see Petra. So I decided I would head for Wadi Musa (the Tourist town that is the "Gate Way to Petra") that night. Trouble was, all the busses left at 6:30 AM, so that wasn't going to happen to easily that night. Instead, I walked up to the Avis booth and tried my hand at renting a Car.

Now, despite having a credit card that was over the limit and an invalid drivers license, I SOMEHOW still got the auto. It was a little piece of a thing, a Chevy Aero. However, it ran well and I was on my way.  

Which way that was, however, was something of contention. First, I headed WAY to far north, which I discovered when I whipped by a roadsign telling me I was within an uncomfortable proximity of Iraq. So I pulled a 180, and away I went, straight south on what I thought was the main high way. However, the twisty turning road wasn't the one I thought it was, and I ended up heading in the direction of Aquaba, which is the southernmost tip of the country. The other highway ran parralell to the one I was on, and THAT highway would have taken me where I wanted to go.

So, after being stopped by several military patrols, I caught wind of a small unmarked road that would connect my highway with the main highway, and I thought "Heck, I've bought the insurance, let's give it a go." So away I went, against the advice of some soldiers, across the desert in my Chevy Aero.

However, when I got into Wadi Musa, after turning my 2 hour rip down the highway into an 8 hour adventure, I found the hotel I planned to stay at was shut down for the night. So, I settled into a nearby carpark and drifted off into a restless slep.

The next morning, I woke to a stunning view.

Wadi Musa in the foreground, the mountains containing the City of Petra in the background.

My trusty steed on the way into Petra.

Familiar to most of you Indy fans out there? The Siq, or canyon, leading into the City of Stone.

And the Treasury. It was amazing.

Roman Amphitheater, which occasionally still hosts the odd impromptu production.

Bedouin goat herd. The Bedouin are amazing people, always willing to help you out and very friendly.

This little chap I came across on my way up to the Monastery.

He kept on stealing things from this table, running off with them and placing them on another table. The cutest kid I've ever seen, bar none.

This is my favorite photo of the trip. In Jordan, I was completely on my own which allowed for some excellent thinking. This picture I took by accident, when I was at the Monastery no top of a rock I had climbed. I was waiting for the sun to get lower, but must have accidentally hit the timer button early when I set my camera up on the tripod. Accidental, yes, but definitely my favorite.

I should mention now that something strange happened to me in Jordan. It's very hard to explain, the only word I can think of is Peace. Peace with me. I spent about 4 hours just sitting on the top of that rock, thinking, and I've never been happier before in my entire life. I came to terms with this girl leaving. I had let her go, and she never came back even as a friend, ergo she never was mine. After meditating on the various things she had said to me, I realized it was all a lie; leastways enough of it was that I couldn't be sure what was true. It was finally sinking in fully...like I said, Peace.

The Monastery

A Jordanian Sunset.

Thats me on a donkey belonging to a Bedoin named Salem.

I was on my way down, and since it was past sunset, he asked me if I wanted a lift to the Siq. But when we got there, he decided the siq was too dark, and the donkeys would get spooked. So, he offered to take me back through his villiage. We went to his house and met his family, drank tea and generally relaxed. I have made a good friend in Salem as well as his brothers, Ishmael and Mohammed.

My hat, looking properly Indy-ized. It was spotless before I got to Jordan; that was after one day!

The Arabian Coke Can.

There were two or three of these souvenir shops claiming to sell Indy stuff--since this one spelled Jones "Johnes", I doubt it was screen accurate.

Inside one of the buildings in Petra.

A Bedouin lady at the High Place of Sacrifice.

The High Place of Sacrifice, where the people who built Petra (Nabateans) would sacrifice animals to the Gods.

I used to think it was odd for people to take photos of Deer Crossing signs in North America, but now I understand the novelty!

My trusty Chevy Chariot, which took me to places I've never been (Physically and mentally)

Jordan was an interesting place for me, and where I got most of my head sorted out. It will forever hold a very special place in my mind. After Jordan, and a stopover in Dubai, it was off to Sydney Australia for some fun in the sun!

C'mon down unda!