Another weekend journey down the Desert Highway delivered a
group of about 40 Qasid students and a few staff members at Petra’s doorstep
last Thursday night. Originally,
our Davidson group had planned to postpone our visit Petra and Wadi Rum, but
then Qasid organized a trip that was too good a deal to refuse. It was nice to relax and let those with
more experience plan our 2-night adventure through a couple of Jordan’s most
popular sites.
We arrived in Petra uneventfully, and the next morning, we
were thrilled to discover that the park entrance was only a short walk from our
hotel. Ordinarily, entrance to
Petra costs 50 JD per person, unless you are Jordanian, in which case it is only
1. Fortunately, our group rate
permitted us to visit at a fraction of the regular tourist rate. Also included in our visit was a guided
tour along many of Petra’s most prominent structures, given by a man who helped
excavate many of the ruins over 30 years ago.
Constructed beginning as early as 1550 BC, Petra was home to
several groups of people, including the Nabateans and the Romans. All of the structures in Petra were
carved into the red sandstone using only iron tools (i.e. chisels and
hammers). Its hallmark façade, the
Treasury (Al Khazneh) is a towering structure carved into the mountains. Given the elaborate and expansive
nature of the homes, tombs, and governmental buildings that we saw, I can honestly
say that Petra is one of the most incredible sights I’ve encountered in my
travel experiences.
The common Nabateans' tombs
Petra's Ampitheater
Al Khazneh
About 800 steps later, we arrived at Petra’s highest point,
a mountaintop that boasts some of the best views in the area and is home to the
city’s monastery (Al Dier). Our
hike lasted about 6 hours total but was rewarding, as it afforded us a glimpse
into one of the world’s most ancient, powerful societies.
Al Dier
Next stop, Wadi Rum.
We drove about 2 hours further into the desert and were greeted by our
gracious hosts, all members of the same Bedouin family who lead tours through
the Jordanian desert. To begin our
trip, we boarded open-air Jeeps that would take us into the heart of the wadi. In Arabic, “wadi” means valley, and
“rum” means elevated. Thus Wadi Rum is "The Valley of the Moon." As we drove
deeper into the area, we understood the reasoning behind its name. Reddish-pink sand covers the ground,
and towering boulders rise from every side. After about 20 minutes of driving, we stopped at a
particularly scenic point, just in time to watch the sun set behind the
mountains. After a day full of
wonder, I felt overwhelmed with gratitude for my position among friends and
nature. I could never have
predicted this opportunity a year ago, and I am continuously grateful to be
here.
Sunset at Wadi Rum
Eventually, the last rays dropped below the horizon (on to
wake many of my American friends and family), and we continued to our
campsite. Although there were
enough tents to accommodate at least 50 people, most of us preferred to sleep
in the open air, so we positioned our mattresses on the sand. A short time later, dinner was
ready. As you might have guessed,
ovens are scarce in the desert, so our hosts had instead buried loads of
chicken and vegetables in a barrel under the sand. Hours under the hot sun cooked our meal to perfection, and
my mouth watered instantly as a watched the food emerge from the sand. Following dinner, we listened to the
Bedouins’ songs and stories, and we even took a night hike to a nearby
mountain, where we sat to admire the stars.
Unburying our dinner
By the time I went to sleep, I was exhausted, but I was
fortunate enough to wake around 4 AM to the sound of the day’s first
prayer. One of the Bedouin men had
risen to remember God’s presence.
In a large city like Amman, this early prayer is a given daily
occurrence, but I was surprised to hear it in such a remote place. Echoing off of the mountains, it was a
beautiful offering of thanks and praise.
We rose early the next morning and boarded the Jeeps again
for a 4-hour tour of the desert’s most interesting spots. Alas, my camera died before this
portion of our journey, but it was a great way to end our trip—with more
climbing atop high boulders, running down towering sand dunes, and exploring
ancient canyons. A true adventure!
Before returning to Amman, we enjoyed a final offering of
“Southern hospitality,” a chance to eat a meal in the home of the Bedouins who
had hosted us. Although there were
many of us, they welcomed us with typical Jordanian warmth and sent us on our
way with happy stomachs.
I’m planning to stay close to Amman for the next several
weekends but hope to travel some more fairly soon. With an experience as memorable as this one, I feel
enthusiastic about the weeks to come.
Finally, I got to pet a camel! I was obviously very excited.
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