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| 29/05/2009 |
More working needs to be done today. I am also trying to get the website updated. Zelda spends some time working and also just browsing on the Internet. We would really like to get to Egypt and she is investigating prices. To fly to Egypt from Jordan will cost just over R10 000 for the four of us. Land only tour packages in Egypt start from $700 per person for a 7 to 10 day tour. It seems steep. And at this stage, out of our reach.
Going by bus and finding our own way in Egypt, will be much cheaper, but then you pass through Israel (which we would also like to visit). Syria will not give you a visa or let you enter their country if your passport has an Israeli stamp in it. As our only way to Europe is through Syria, we do not want to take any chances.
The children slept late, watched some TV and did some school. For dinner, we went to the Valentine Inn Hotel. Zelda had read on the Internet that they serve an excellent buffet for JD4. We arrived just after 8pm. By this time, most of the food was finished. It does however look like very good value. We settled for Shwarmas (JD1.50 each) at a little restaurant in town.
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| 28/05/2009 |
We have more work to do today so decide to leave the day excursion to Petra for tomorrow. At lunchtime, we ventured into town to buy some bread. We also had a quick lunch of tasty chicken schwarmas. Everything in Petra is expensive. A cold drink is JD1 for a 330ml can.
While Zelda and I worked today, the children did the washing and also unpacked, cleaned and repacked all the outside storage holds of the camper. They even managed to finish some schooling. A productive day for every one.
We received some bad news today. Ivan’s lovebird has died. He was rather upset by the news, especially since his dog had also died since we have started this trip. My recommendation is that in future, we only buy wooden animals.
The wind here is icy cold and the blankets are hauled out of storage in the holds. Supper is soup and fresh bread from the local bakery in town. We huddle together watching Nanny McPhee on DVD.
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| 27/05/2009 |
We are off to Petra, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. I am getting some work done in the back and Zelda is driving. The road is hilly and winding but the views are grand. Petra the archaeological site is situated in the town Wadi Musa, a lovely little town at the bottom of a valley. The town is packed with tourists and tourist busses.
Finding a place to park for the night is not so easy and we drive from one hotel to the next without success. Eventually we are directed to Al-Anbat, which is out of the town centre but have a big parking area, with electricity, hot showers, a swimming pool, restaurant and no beer. No beer is the standard in Wadi Musa. There are only a few hotels in town that serve beer and at JD3 – JD3.5 (€3 – €3.5) that is too expensive for me. Stock up in Aqaba at JD1 for a 500ml can before coming to Petra.
While in Wadi Rum we were advised by some other tourists to do the Petra by Night excursion. It is only done 3-nights a week and it is on tonight.
Tickets are JD12 per person and there is no clarity whether children below 15, below 12 or below 10 are for free. We don’t take a chance and only buy 3 tickets.
We had the buffet dinner at our hotel before leaving. Although the food is good, we feel it is pricey at JD8 a head. After asking, the rate for the children was dropped to JD5 each.
Petra by Night is overrated. There is about 150 people on our group and before entering Petra the guide explain the rules and says it will be one of the most unforgettable experiences of your life. Not in my life… Pay-up, hurry-up and shut-up seems to be the rules here. After walking the 1.2km length of the Siq (entrance to Petra) we all sit down on the amphitheatre, listen to a Bedouin playing his one stringed guitar, another one playing a flute, get served a really tiny cup of tea and then we are all guided to the stalls selling curios and after a total of 1-hour, we are whisked out for the 30-minute walk back.
When we get back to the entrance there is a visitors’ book and after asking the guide whether we can complete it, he says ‘only if you write something good.’ No wonder the book is mostly full of good experiences. Beside our criticisms there were a few other comments like “greatest bloody rip-off”.
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| 26/05/2009 |
True to form we sleep too late to make use of the free entrance offer. We pay our JD10 (€10) for the vehicle and JD4 for 2 adults.
Into Wadi Rum we go. This is pure dessert and despite all the little niggles in our car we will try and get to a campsite where we can stay over for the evening. Just past the village there is Lawrence’s Spring (T.E. Lawrence the British writer is associated with this area). Well we get stuck after 200 meters so it’s out with the spade and sand tracks. The sand is like powder. If you dig beneath the wheels the car immediately falls in deeper. We quickly get the hang of it. You must hardly dig at all. Just push the tracks as far as possible underneath the wheels then you can reverse onto them. The only problem is that as soon as you go 2-3 meters you are stuck again.
In our defence, I must add that we are getting stuck because I don’t want to let down the tyres. The compressor has stopped working some time ago and I’m not sure I can inflate my tyres again once we get to tar road.
Eventually I manage to reverse out of the area in which we got stuck and we find firmer ground, and the right way to Lawrence’s spring.
One positive aspect of this excursion is that there are numerous other tourist who all sensibly make use of the 4x4 transport offered by the local guides. We follow in the trail of 6 other vehicles and reach the spring without any further problems. The spring itself is situated some distance up a hill and it is a stiff hike to get to it. While we are here we might as well do it, so out with the hiking boots and up the hill we go.
After our return and a good breakfast we are off again. This time we are on our own and it’s not long before we get stuck again. This time it is a bigger mess and a longer distance to get out of so I let down the tyres. Eventually we are out but not before meeting an English couple, Ulle and Simon who invite us to their home in England, if we ever get there. We also meet a South African couple, David and Jane who are on a boat cruise in the Middle East and visited Wadi Rum as a day excursion.
The result of all the digging is that nobody feels like driving deeper into the dessert. We camp out right on the spot and decide to wait for sunset to see the effect on the rock formations around us.
The children, especially Ivan, are really happy with this huge sandpit in which to play in and they enjoy the next 4-hours. It makes me even more tired to watch them running around in the dessert, digging holes and just having fun. For the Zelda and myself it is exhausting just to go out in the sun but the children thrive on heat and sand.
Just before darkness we hit the road to get out of the dessert and tonight we camp some distance away from the main gate but with electricity and a hot shower.
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| 25/05/2009 |
Our first objective is to find internet access. Our work is getting behind and since before Ethiopia we have not had fast internet access.
McDonalds has free internet so we spend about 3-hours there. Then off to town to find something decent to eat and then we try and find the back entrance to Wadi Rum.
Well we went all over and could not find it. Eventually it is dark and we decide to take the road towards Amman. We will sleep over at the first town we find.
After about 40km we see a sign for Wadi Rum. This is the main entrance and so as not to miss this experience we decide to spend the night at the main gate and go into Wadi Rum the next day. The guys at the gate are very friendly and they allow us to overnight in the parking area, and kindly arrange for us to get electricity. Not only that, if we leave early enough the next morning we can go in for free.
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