Well today is our big day.Up at 0430 and picked up at 0530 to travel via the Desert highway(also the road to the airport) on our way to Petra.Just outside the city limits you see the bedouins in their tents with small plots of agriculture or goats and occasionally sheep.Interspersed with this are large homes-as I said before a lage difference between rich and poor.So a few shots taken from the car-
Just before we turned off for Petra we stopped at a small town.Wael bought us tea and it was really good.Turned out to be black tea with cardamon and honey.I think I am a convert.The town though was really desolate-
Whilst we were stopped a convoy of car carriers passed-the highway is the route from Aquaba,Jordan's only port,to Amman-
Now would you stop for this pair?
The first part of the drive from the Highway to Petra is featureless.Again the benefit of going with a local became apparent.Wael knew where the speed camera would be so slowed down 2Km before it.We were still flagged down.As it turned out it was so the policeman who had been on night duty could be taken home-it was ~ 25Ks to his village and no transport is provided.We agreed to let him come with us.After Wael said he was promised he would not be booked today.
The policeman's village was basically running along in a Wadi or canyon so there was evidence of agriculture and many fruit trees.There were trees that are claimed to be a thousand years old-
Soon after this we arrived in Petra-the town is strung out down a quite steep hill so anyone staying there needs to do a little research-the Movenpick hotel was the closest to the entrance of the Petra park.Wael dropped us off at the entrance just after 0800.He did warn us that the local Bedouins are renowned for their love of the Dinar and specifically getting tourists to part with them.That was not an exaggeration.
We should have paid attention to the small print at the ticket office.Anyway it is 50JODs for 1 day or 55 for 2 days so if you have the time and inclination 2 days are better.
After paying we were immediately beseiged with offers of a horse ride or carriage ride.The horse ride is actually included in the ticket price but a tip is mandatory-2-3 JODs.However we as I said did not read the small print and paid 10 JODs for the 700 metre horse ride.Then the fellow had the hide to ask for a tip-he got one something to the effect that he was a theiving.......The carriage ride to the Treasury is in the small print 20 JODS for a return trip-though a fellow at the Treasury as we were coming back wanted 50 JOD.
Enough of the prolems-next the walk to the treasury-spectacular in the early morning light.