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JORDAN | Thursday, 17 December 2009 | Views [785] | Comments [12]

I never got to finish about Jordan.

WADI RUM: i mentioned quickly the other day about this place. A camping, 4wd'ing, mincing around heaven.

It is all at the same time canyon country, rock wall country, desert country, bedouin country and camel country.  It also has very similar features to Fraser Island (well the sand and dunes anyway).

We jumped in a Landcruiser at the start of the valley, and after our crazy Bedouin driver raced a freight train to its crossing (we won by the way...just) we were into the heart of the Wadi.

It is not a massive place, you can drive from end to end in about an hour, but the features make it seem much more immense.

We spent time running up dunes, watching locals try to surf the dunes in their Jeeps (unsuccessfully), climbing rock features that are reminiscent of Hole in the Wall on Mt Castle (is that Mt Walker?), and speeding through the desert in the Cruiser.

Just before sunset we got to the camp, an isolated set of tents underneath a huge rock wall and tucked in behind another protective rock outcrop. The sandstorms they get here can last 3 days and you can only see 1m in front of you - the more protection the better!

The main Bedouin tent was a huge goat hair number that housed a luxurious interiour akin to a Turkish bar. Red-patterned carpets on the floor surrounded a fireplace where the Bedouin tent-master cooked chicken and Pita bread with thyme and olive oil. Around the outside of the interior were VERY comfortable backrests surrounding the entire tent, again adorned with that characteristic red patterned carpet. Lying back on these while the guide talked about Jordanian customs, I almost lost the battle to stay awake. The talk of Shisha soon got me back up and rearing to go.

Red wine, baklava, more shisha and talk rounded off a very enjoyable evening.

Living the Dream! Could have been a touch warmer though! Got below zero at night, it inspired me to buy another jacket for Everest Base Camp.

THE DEAD SEA: The itinerary mentioned that no trip to Jordan was complete without the experience of floating on the Dead Sea's extremely bouyant waters.  33% salt they are. Think about dilutuing that much salt in a glass why don't ya? And it's getting more salty over time as the sea loses 1m of depth every year! Thanks agriculture and dams. This is even speeding up the decay of Petra some 30kms away.

I had no idea about how floating in it would feel, but geez, it is really freaky at first. you can stand bolt upright in the water (well not as bolt upright as Glen McGrath), feet not touching, and have your shoulders sticking out of the water! Which is a good thing. Apparently people die there each year by diving under, and the extreme pressure forces VERY salty water into every orifice. Good fun.

We also got caked in Dead Sea mud (some cool photos to come) and it did feel like our skin was 5 years younger after we washed it off. No ad necessary.

After these fun and games we had a 5-star buffet with No shit the BEST dessert selecting I have ever seen. No point describing them, the best method is to tell you I had 2 very full plates of dessert after alrteady having 2 very full plates of mains. Nunu wasn't far behind.

Did I mention that we loved Jordan!

 

Tags: camping, food, wadi rum

 

Comments

1

Jesus can walk on water. So can Leon! All hail the King. Send out your warg riders. All Isengard is emptied.

  Asphalt or Bitumen Dec 18, 2009 6:09 PM

2

I am feeling sad. My depression is washing my bones into the dry bed of the Dumaresq. Asphalt grows to cover the air sacs in my lungs. Even the moon offers me no respite as it rapes me again for the second night this week. I cry into my pillow. I have sticky-taped a flying insect to my forearm. I cut at it with a scapel I stole from Dr North while his back was turned. There is valium raining from the sky and everyone catches some except for me. They rebound straight out of my open hand and into the gutter, where the piss of an old drunk washes them presently down into the stormwater drain, beyond my reach. My name...is Dominic. And this is my story.

  I'm a Sad Loser Dec 18, 2009 6:31 PM

3

All right you bastards. When I find the smart arse who wrote that second comment, I'm gunna kill them in 2 seconds flat! You're all a pack of arseholes!

Dom

  kill frenzy Dec 18, 2009 6:32 PM

4

I've got some mud cakes of my own for that bastard who dissed my uncle!!

  Myla Dec 18, 2009 10:09 PM

5

The banning of all commercial agriculture is the enema that our mother Earth requires. May her bowels be flushed clean and replenished with sustainable slash and burn subsistence farming. Please donate heavily.

  Greenpeace grunt shunter Dec 19, 2009 7:49 AM

6

The truth is...Greenpeace grunt shunter is actually Andrew Bolt; and he has finally found a forum in which he can go unchallenged. Hail King Abbott. Hail the Victorious Dead.

  The Truth Dec 19, 2009 9:20 AM

7

You'll wish you had listened to me when our majestic whales are no longer able to graze on our land due to high soil salinity caused by el nino.

  The shunter of all evil Dec 19, 2009 10:27 AM

8

My toilet just overflowed with poo. Is this where I leave a message for the plumber?

  geoff Dec 19, 2009 11:00 AM

9

You tools are missing the point. My uncle Leon and auntie Nunu are having the time of their lives in strange foreign lands where the sun rises at night and people pee from their mouths. Can't you all just comment on their amazing stories?

  Myla Dec 19, 2009 11:03 AM

10

My toilet just overflowed with poo. Is this where I leave a message for the plumber?

  geoff Dec 19, 2009 11:04 AM

11

Wow you guys! That's fabulous! Adventuring in foreign lands, how romaaaaaantic! Reminds me of the time I ventured into foreign lands with that lovely boy from turkey. Slap slap, wake up, Peter. You're daaaaydreaming! Drool drool. Listen people, anywaaays, leon, kiss, nicole, kiss. Let's do lunch when you beautiful people get back into town. Have your people call miiiiine! muacks! Love you sweet candy cakes xoxoxoxoxoxo

  Peter Rainbow Dec 19, 2009 11:12 AM

12

What can one say? Jordan sounds amazing, and I'm definitely going there, but I won't keep a journal because the only comments you get are from freaks, and yes, we know who you are.

  heather Dec 28, 2009 8:43 AM

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