Night in Petra and Wadi Rum

30th Dec

I thought that this will be a new article from Wadi Rum but there is saying “Man is planning and God is laughing” came to be true and I’m glad that it did. As I was ready to go to bed last night after the closing my Petra adventure in Rafiki hostel by posting the previous article and reviewing the photos Italian girl, which I spotted at breakfast, sat down next to me on worn out but comfy beige recliner couch with tired face and since I followed my intuition and that I saw her in Petra earlier that day “as well as she had a beautiful smile”  I said hello and asked how was her day in Petra. She said good but long and that she is going back to Petra for night visit with candles, which I wanted to see too but was told that this is only on Mo, Wed, Fri so when I asked in hostel they said that I will not be able to do so.  I was really surprised how come that she is going and apparently they changed the schedule due the new year and moved this candle light evening visit at Treasury one da forward.

As soon as I heard that I said that I will come and she said that the hostel is organizing the transport, since more people are going there so I darted to my room, dropped laptop and took extra t-shirt and jacket as night is cold and was down at reception in jiffy. It was six of us so get down the steps to street level, hopped into Toyota Hilux and start on our way to Petra. Tickets are extra 17 JOD / €20 for this one night show and we have to have normal day ticket as this is only supplement for night visit. The path was lit by candle lights every three to four meters in small paper bag / lampion with sand at bottom to keep the weight and prevent the candle form over turning. It was a magical moment to see the path illuminated like this and also there were no horse drawn carriages or sales men to try and sell you whatever they can. The whole atmosphere was calm, nice and relaxed as with less light people were lass tend to stop for photo or chat and more less walked in awe slowly “some not too slowly as the program is only for one hour” towards treasury.

 When I entered the treasury area, this was lit by many candles front of the Treasury and lots of people were already sitting on the caret front of the treasury admiring the view. I have long legs so rest of the cool and gang came a bit later and went forward while I kept in background resting at back wall for better view and photos. The program started by Bedouin playing flute, then some sort of guitar and singing, while the guys were passing through crowds with huge trays of Bedouin tea, offering it everyone for free., which considering the temperature was good call. This was followed by storytelling about  Petra and how the Bedouins were out in charge to keep it for tourist and how tourist should respect the area with end saying that we all close eyes and make a one wish for new year and then he counted to three and when we opened eyes the Treasury was illuminated by colored lights. It was good plan from his side and nice surprise for those of us who closed the eyes. I took few phots from the back wall and went in search of cool and the gang, who were somewhere in the first line, thankfully Japanese girl wore white dress so it was easy to spot her in between all the dark colored active wear. We took some photos and selfies in which time the main crowd dispersed and we were having more space to walk the narrow passages on the way out. This time, I was in behind on my own to soak it up the amazing atmosphere and took some photos, while the group split to two parts of European and Asian. Since it was long day of walking for all of us we decided to take taxi to hostel as it was only five dinars for five of us therefore for 1 JOD / €1.2 we had easy trip back to hostel. Simon with Japanese girls opted for a walk what I was not in mood to do since early morning start awaits me tomorrow.

31st Dec

              Mosque woke me up at 5amas that was the first call form it and as much as I wished to sleep I could not do so since I needed to pack my bag and head down to catch the bus to Wadi Rum so only exercise and then straight down to meet everyone. Since the start talk with Simon about this trip the group of two was now group of four and as we waited for bus since it came to pick us up from hostel “thank God” me and Rosa “Italian girl” got some bread and honey with coffee / tea for breakfast as we had two hour journey ahead of us and needed some hot food. Since the breakfast is starting at 6:00am the staff just started preparing the food and thankfully they brought us bread ,honey and jams with coffee / tea. Few toasts and cups of tea later the bus arrived and we were on he way down the steps with toast in the mouth. Bus was full and there was luggage pick up at the back and passenger car in front, since I was only one and had a big bag I’ve got the private car on my own with driver, who laughed as he said that he never saw anyone travelling with two bags as everyone is travelling with one backpack. Well that is the price for scuba diving that you need to carry your equipment what equals to big bag. We were the first in the convoy to left as everyone was on board and so we took off.  Driver asked If I like coffee as he has place on the road where they are making a great coffee so we stopped there and got a huge cup of coffee with cardamom, form which my heart pounded half a day 😊 Since it was holiday no place was open for food or coffee as he want to get me a breakfast but because everyone was at home, shops were closed. As usual driver tried to sell me his services to drive me anywhere and eventually asked to set up account on Trip advisor but since he did not remembered his facebook password this was impossible. Also tried to stop at some shop in middle of the road, where they are selling black mud from the dead sea but when he pulled to car park I just told him that I will not purchase anything and he reversed straight away and were on the road again. The hills were covered in frost what I had not expected but he told me that we are 1500m above sea level and that is normal in winter. We passed some beautiful park / forest walled off which when you are in Jordan is not a usual sight and he told me that this is the house of top manager of bank who is living in Europe and come there once per year for his holiday. It was amazing to see frost as this was surprise for me as for most tourist who came to Jordan dressed for summer 😊 poor Simon has to buy a coat as he did not have anything warm with him. Hour and half later we pulled in the Wadi Rum village, where we said good bye with driver to whom I sent instruction / advice how to set up trip advisor since he has wi fi in the car 😊

Met our guide Salem and went to get something to eat in local supermarket as the toast and coffee was long time gone from my belly and they had this lovely bread with mashed potato inside and it was warm, which I needed and it cost only 0.5 dinar € 0.6 so I took two plus bananas and then just hang around the road, waiting for the bus with rest of the cool and the gang arrive, which arrived about after thirty minutes later. Gang came and since we were waiting for few more people we went to supermarket as they were hungry too. Loaded luggage on the back of pick up and we were waiting a bit longer for the rest of the travelers before we set of on the trip to Wadi Rum. The 1988 Toyota Landcruiser pick up was our transportation with benches under the tarpaulin cover where ten of us sat and shake bones on the way through desert. First stop is Laurence of Arabia spring, which is named after the movie which was filmed here but the spring itself is there for thousands of years since the rock nearby has some carvings what apparently are from 3000 years ago describing that here is the spring of fresh water and how to get to it for anyone who came to this place. Me and Rosa immediately started our climb through the rocky steep hill towards the spring as we both love hiking as proper “mountain goats / antelopes” and did not want to just sat around the car. On the top under the cliff rock overhang is the spring and near by is the white fig tree what is growing from horizontal roots under the rock itself “obviously photo opportunity not to be missed” and then continue on the small hill nearby with the view on the valley. Took picture with another Emil 😊 who was from Holland and then few quasi artistic photos, before starting descend as we had few spots to see before the lunch. Next stop was fiend where Matt Damon made his movie Martian with few stories from Salem about Matt and movie as the Nasa vehicle used in this movie is apparently in Amman museum of vehicles as much as Bedouins would like to have it in the desert. Then moved to sand dune of  nice red sand where I asked Salem if he by any chance have sand board as I saw people carry one up the hill and he had 😊 woo hoo I took it and as child went running up the hill for sand boarding. The run lasted aprox four meters since the running in deep sand dune is not as easy as one thinks, so it changed to walk. Got up to view point look around and then get down to business of sand boarding. I have never snow boarded so I asked nearby guy what to do and off I went all the way down without fall since the sand is slow. Did four trip and then my glutes and leg muscles were on fire from the deep sand walk uphill so after last one I just went to jeep as I could not do it anymore. Next stop chocolate mountain with water spring in narrow canyon where everyone queued like there was some thing given for free at the end but the wall carvings were interested as there is carving of family displayed as figures and print outs / carving of child feet what apparently is how they dated the age of child, instead of years they just carved feet’s and by the size of the feet they determined age of a child. Then to the arch which was also our lunch stop, where we had lunch of two breads, two triangles of cheese, can of tuna, one small cucumber, one tomato, one banana, one biscuit, one swiss roll and fruit juice. After the lunch we saw Syrian children who were in the near campsite and Salem said that the Syrian refugees are helped by Bedouins who are making them camp helpers. The little girls was so nice and smiley that it was impossible to not like her but we have to move and she blow us kiss and we left. Another stop house of Lawrence of Arabia where we get tea and where I asked Salem if I could sit at the roof of the jeep instead at back since I was always hanging out from the side sitting on the side boards as I wanted to see more and get sunshine. He said of course you can and up I went 😊 Simon followed shortly and afterwards everyone took their turn at the roof changing at ever y stop. Amazing view and feeling to see everything fully without any obstruction in 180 degrees and with sunshine in the face it was much much warmer than in the back. We went through two or three stops took a group photo at one and one small at big arch with Rosa and Giorgio if I remember the name correctly. Then It was time to move towards our campsite so I hang on the side of the jeep at the driver doors like in India as I could not sit inside anymore.

              We stopped at chicken rock and then off to the campsite which was located nicely hidden behind the rock so no wind there at all and the camp was pure luxury comparing toe Morocco one I stayed as this one had beds, towels, floor, electric socket, light , showers, toilets, dinning tent and common tent, where we were served tea before dinner and listen to music played by Salem’s uncle. But first we went to see sunset at nearby rock since it was near the sunset time, first we stopped at one lower point since the girls were not in mood to go higher but when Simon pointed out to top I just nodded and we were off running up to the highest point through most easier way for descend later in the dark after sunset. Sat down with Simon, Rosa, me and later by Japanese girl whose name I could not remember for life of me… we were on the top while rest of them were afraid climb on top and stayed on lower levels. Sunset was nice and we sat there in quiet “when Rosa shut up for minute 😊 “ and admiring the sunset until the Rosa wanted to go down since it become darker and she was afraid to come down by one overhang. Simon was waiting for his pink sunset which came as he was descending down the steep slope and we stopped for a while, where when we looked for Simon we nearly could not see him at all as he blended with color of the rock in sunset with his coat. We came down and got allocated our tents from Francis “kiwi woman” who works with Salem and his family. As mentioned earlier the tent was so nice that we di felt like in 5 star hotel. Dropped bags to tent which I shared with Simon we went to communal tent fort tea and music. A lot of cups of sweet tea later “as we were thirsty” the dinner was served but first we were invited to see pit opening as the food is cooked inside pit / old oil barrel which has fire at the bottom of charcoal I would say and the food is cooked steamed  on three tier platter. Lots of salads and vegetables with chicken and roasted onions what I love so whatever onion was left I ate and still plenty left, as much as we were hungry we could not eat all. Then tea and baklava as desert and we could be rolled out like barrels 😊 Francis sat down with us and told us the story how she got involved with Salem’s family and this camp, which If you want to know you need to write to me or go there www.wadirum-jordan.com . A we were stuffed and as the sky was beautifully littered with starts we said that we will go for a walk to admire stars and walk off the dinner since to midnight was long time to go “only 19:00” in dessert the time is different and since the sunset is around 16:30 at 19:00 you feel like it is 22:00. Took a walk with Rosa to admire stars and talk until the 1am, saw some fireworks for mother camps, pick ups full of people with loud music crossing the dessert, listened to loud music of parties and when everyone went dead silent few minutes after midnight, it was amazing how quiet it was. Eventually the cold got better of us and we decided that it is time to get defrost in the warmth of bed in the tent. Amazing new year experience ! In the morning we tried to see sunrise but the clouds covered the whole sky and it was impossible to see anything until the tear in clouds appear and the sun came out as we sang “Here comes the Sun” 😊 Amazing morning. Since most of us were on one day trip we had to pack the bags and left the camp in jeep to Wadi Rum village where the buses and taxis were awaiting us. Say hasty good by toe rest of the gang who stayed for second day, to Salem, to Francis and we were off through dessert bumping in old Toyota, taking a selfies. Transfer to various taxis depending om final destination we finally said good bye and left the Wadi Rum in my case to Aqaba.

              I have to say that this was trip I will remember for ever and thanks to Simon to recommend it  and getting us booked on it. Great Idea Simon, cheers !

              Thank you Salem, Francis and rest of the team, you made this trip into unforgettable experience !