We got back from Jordan over a week ago, but it has been pretty hectic, and we led a walk on Saturday so wanted to get that out of the way before I could concentrate on the final bit of the Jordan blog. Watching the news emerge about the new covid variant makes us appreciate how lucky we were to fit in a trip. 200 pounds now added to the cost of our Christmas trip, for day 2 Covid tests, to the UK!!
We also had two nights in Madrid to allow me to see the Prado Museum. Madrid was chilly and autumnal and every time we go, I think we need to stay longer as there is so much to see. The Prado was interesting if a bit and full of religious art. But for us it was good to be back in Spain and we had a delicious Sunday meal. Our journey back to Casas Nuevas was uneventful, travelling by train in Spain is a joy and so inexpensive and no need to book months in advance and it was good to be home and to get back to a
So back to Jordan, and last time I wrote we were in Petra and thankfully we had arranged a slightly later start and could have a leisurely breakfast. We went first to Little Petra where our guide talked about the evolution of the place and how it lives under the shadow of Petra. At the end of the Siq was a steep clamber up to a view across the valley and I managed it without too much trouble. I think the guide was a bit surprised!
Our next destination was the desert of Wadi Rum and Youssef drove us to meet our guide and driver Nasim. We were both feeling shattered, but he was one of life´s positive people. His happy smiling face got us through the next few hours, and we were blown away by the landscape, I don´t think the pictures do it justice. We had a very simple lunch and then we were off again on the back of a truck as he showed us the highlights of the place. Most people watch the sunset at Wadi Rum but we were so knackered that we just wanted to
get to our Martian pod. Youssef had dropped our bags off in the tent, great service. It wasn´t quite a rustic Bedouin tent but the setting was beautiful, and we had and aircon for heat as the desert gets cold at night.
We had a Bedouin style meal, but it was really a sanitised version, although the lamb and chicken had been cooked in a fire pit in the sand and we were ready for an early night after the time at Petra. It highlighted the difference of an organised trip over our independent type of trip. We would have had a down day after Petra and just chilled and recovered.
The next morning, I was awake early and there was a hot air balloon overhead, bet the views were stunning. We had a mediocre breakfast and set off for Aqaba and the Red Sea. It was a couple of hours drive further down the Kings Highway. We had decided to treat ourselves so were booked into the Movenpick resort, with a private beach on the Red Sea. Instead of upgrading for the flight home we upgraded to a suite. It was
about 60€ for two days and for that we had an enormous living area and balcony with a sea view. A dressing area with 4 wardrobes and a bathroom with both a shower, bath and over bath shower. We got unpacked and sorted with our beach gear and had a swim in the sea and the heated pool. I could not resist the cocktail of the day which was a Singapore Sling. We went to the bar for happy hour and ended up just having snacks and a Greek salad.
We got up early for breakfast as we were being picked up to do a morning on a glass bottomed boat followed by a barbeque. The quality of food was amazing, the best of the trip and I know I am sad getting excited about overnight oats after cornflakes and chocolate kids cereal (none of which I ate). We were picked up for our boat trip and when we got to the boat, we realised it was not what we had booked.
