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<\/a><\/p>\nFacepalm? I hear you\u2026 and you\u2019re absolutely right. I know, it\u2019s much easier to fly to Amman. Now. Now I know. Really. But back then, it looked like a good idea to fly to Eilat and just take the car for 2 hours drive to Petra and on way back visit also Death sea and!… nobody stopped me. I think they thought that I know what I am doing and they never heard about my travel karma or maybe, they enjoy the life on the edge…<\/em><\/p>\n Of course it is something that can be managed, BUT Jordan is very smart about tourists \u2013 one day trips to Petra are expensive as there are additional fees for one day visit in Jordan, but there is special discount if you\u2019re staying in Jordan at least 3 nights. Basically, they have very good $$ arguments to make you stay at least 3 nights. It is worth it, because there is a lot to see in Jordan even during longer stay. Logistic question however appears in case you book your return flight to Eilat (Israel) arriving at 6:30pm on Wednesday, and leaving at 12:15pm on Saturday.. This might be perfectly timed\u2026 or not.<\/p>\n Spoiled Europeans used to cross the boarders just like that at any time.. I can tell we usually don\u2019t expect strict time schedule \u2013 opening hours, if you will, at the Wadi Araba boarders. We don\u2019t count with the fact, that after 8pm you can not cross the line any more\u2026<\/p>\n So our plan was simple. Land at 6:30pm and within 90 minutes pass the control check in Israel (we had just hand luggage so no need to wait) exchange the money, get a taxi and deal the price, take that 30 minutes drive from airport to the boarders and successfully pass – what basically means (and I know that only now) to talk to at least eight different people checking our passports or simply protecting the country and then walk trough the land of no one to get to the other side. Still possible, right?<\/p>\n Almost perfect, but\u2026 Ryanair flight was late 20 minutes, Matus had too big bag so they took it as checked in luggage, which lead to him looking very suspicious, walking around the airport with hands in his pockets, so security took him aside for lovely chat and it took him a little longer to pass the passport control as well. We did not have time to change the money so we paid expensive touristic prices in euros.<\/p>\n On the borders we were asked all questions in the world at every single door and got so many stamps \u2026. and those looks, shaking heads\u2026<\/p>\n \u2026dramatic pause\u2026<\/p>\n \u2026 we crossed the boarders at 8:04pm, heading to Jordan taxi mafia. At this time, it does not make sense to try to discuss the price in the middle of the desert. As we all know, they are the only chance we have.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll skip the part about accommodation in Aqaba. For your imagination, I attached the picture of fire alarm that looks almost like a plastic box from some yogurt, and the fact that the overall standard of changing towels and bed sheets after every customer has obviously not made it to this country yet. But what was implemented successfully is a photoshop miracle as pictures we saw at booking versus the reality are something similar as comparing my Instagram pictures taken when I\u2019m not breathing, having the perfect 30 degrees angle versus my belly when I sit comfortably after lunch at Rado\u2019s grandmother\u2019s place.<\/p>\n Alarm set to 6 am, very brave breakfast and taxi driver arranged via WhatsApp and let\u2019s go to Petra!<\/p>\n To take the taxi to Petra means to stop at every nice view (or smoking break for taxi driver on the side of the desert covered with the plastic trash) and also super luxury souvenir shop, where you can buy the most original scarfs from real camels! They still smell like camels and you can hear them roar when you put it on your heads \u2013 all genuinely hand made and so detailed that all hundred pieces look the same\u2026 Boys can tell\u2026 I\u2019m sure they stare at their scarfs back home now thankful for the camel that was sacrificed for their scarfs (somewhere in China).<\/em><\/p>\n Petra is magical and we were more than satisfied with our visit there. In fact, we had no clue that one of our friends has a master\u2019s degree in history \u2013 he definitely had something to say (thank you, Lukas). The lost city is actually uncovered by no more than 15% from the original size and all the archaeological work was stopped. But despite that, we had a lot to visit during that day. We left our hearts in Petra, a piece of ourselves.. and in my case by every meaning.<\/p>\n You know how it is when you\u2019re traveling \u2013 trying all exotic food, various spices, combinations that you are not used to and drinks\u2026 well, I managed all that. What made me sick was garlic powder in pepper Pringles chips. My garlic intolerance made me puke right there in Petra with the perfect view of Monastery\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n Anyway, let me show you some pictures from Petra \u2013 they can tell you much more than my words\u2026<\/p>\n The night after Petra visit was adventurous \u2013 we spent it in the tents in the Wadi Rum desert. Luxury beds, perfect food, happy tea, shisha, camp fire under million of stars \u2013 so impressive, breath taking and so prefect in every way you feel as it cannot be real. But it was. We had to go to bed early because of supper aggressive lady from Bulgaria that did not get the point of sleeping in the tents, but on the other hand, it was a good thing because the very next morning, we woke up at 5:30 and head to another perfect moment \u2013 to watch the sunrise in the desert.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t get confused by my face \u2013 sun rise was truly amazing, what you can read from my facial expression is lack of caffeine \u2026 but no worries, they have all survived.<\/em><\/p>\n The day\u2019s program was Desert Jeep Tour where we were joined by a very nice Canadian man\u2013 Robert. We fell sorry for him joining such group as we are, but it took us maybe 2 minutes to realize he is on the same wave as we are.. and what a wave he is \u2013 real tsunami! And I mean it as a compliment.<\/p>\n Maybe at this point you think again, spoiled Europeans driving jeep in such amazing nature, but in reality, jeep just took us from one place to another and we were asked to simply hike and climb the walls. I really thought I left the rock climber back home as he had some work in Czech Republic, but I was so na\u00efve, cause I took another rock climber with me. And the result? Well, I noticed very similar basic behavior and tendencies, intention to climb everywhere, which woke up my natural reaction to follow him even in bad shoes, even to places behind my possibilities. Lukas was very patient with me and when I ended up on the ground with a piece of rock (locker) in my hand (close to death)- all he said were all the same things that I\u2019ve already heard from Rado\u2026 Climbing is more about legs, not the arms.. so MAYBE I should start listening\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n Wadi Rum desert is natural park that has a lot to offer. It\u2019s not just sand how you picture it, but amazing rock walls in various shapes, colors, perfect views\u2026 You look at the canyons and you see the movie scene when Bedouin tries to escape, he runs into the canyon and without issues gets lost in a place that looks like the end of the path and as the result, his pursuer basically gets lost and dies in desert (yeah, we were checking the fuel and Ahmed\u2019s intention to leave us alone in the desert regularly).<\/em><\/p>\n Bedouins are at home here.<\/p>\n Flora is so rare in here and so dry, but even that is something they can use. Within 3 minutes they can make a soap out of that. 40 years ago, government made them leave the desert and forced them to live in the village, try to integrate into society, but it\u2019s not easy.<\/p>\n And it\u2019s not easy to pick enough wood for the fire in the desert as well for the tea during the sunset.<\/p>\n And the camels? Yeah, they are part of the desert as well. Lukas fell in love with one and he insisted it\u2019s so soft and fluffy as a teddy bear so I decided to try to pet one. It ended up with one scared camel and me screaming when it decided to eat me. He explained it\u2019s just my hair that looks like dry grass (thank you a lot for such compliment) and basically, camel was just hungry\u2026 poor thing.<\/em><\/p>\n The very next morning we just packed our bags and went back to the airport in Eilat. We took the taxi to Aqaba, crossed the boarders, took a taxi to the airport and passed all the security interviews about everything. I love airport in Israel. Honestly. It\u2019s one of the best organized and effective airports I\u2019ve ever been to.<\/p>\n To sum this up:<\/p>\n And the overall feeling? One of the first scenes in Dirty dancing movie, when Baby exits the car and manager of the hotel welcomes them, he says \u201cWithin 3 weeks you experience more than within a year\u201d\u2026 it applies here, with a little correction \u2013 within 3 nights\u2026<\/p>\nCrossing the Wadi Araba borders<\/h4>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\nDay D – Petra<\/h4>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a> <\/a> <\/a><\/p>\nWadi Rum Desert and night in Bedouin camp<\/h4>\n
<\/a><\/a> <\/a><\/a><\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/a><\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a> <\/a><\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nTIPS FOR TRAVELING IN JORDAN AND PETRA<\/h4>\n
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