Finally a short entry for you all!Saying adios to the desert, we began the long haul to the Dead Sea.   The five hour drive went well, except for a small fly situation. Good god the flies. They were out of control. For a second, we thought we had taken a wrong turn and wound up in Africa. We finally arrived at the Dead Sea, the lowest point of Earth coming in at 400 meters below sea level. The Dead Sea came to it's name because the salty water kills off...

***Note: 2 days in 1 entry...another long entry...be advised....Day 1 Wadi Rum - Not today camel, not today.We got up and, with heavy hearts, drove out of Petra. Navigation went well enough, but we soon discovered a significant lack of gas stations along the way. Getting toward the 1/4 tank mark, we became a bit concerned that we were going to run out of gas. In the desert. Which would be bad. Happiness returned when we found a station and a nice man filled...

The 4 S's for today are:1. Sleeping in...After a very tiring day yesterday, the three of us decided to have a bit of a sleep in and head to Petra for our second day in the afternoon. Mind you, when you're on a T adventure, sleeping in means you are up by 8am...I mean, c'mon, we still have things to see and do here people.2. Souvenir shopping...As some of you may recall from my SE Asia days, while I am not a big shopping fan in general, I am obsesse...

***NOTE: This is going to be a long one people...skimming is allowed, especially if you bore easily :))My words, my photos will neither do justice nor live up to the experience that is Petra. An ancient city more than 2000 years old, Petra was the capital of the Nabataean Empire and was later annexed to the Roman Empire where it remained a thriving city until much of it was destroyed by a large earthquake in 363 AD. In 1812, it was "rediscovered" by a Swiss ex...

After a great but tiring day in Amman, our only real task was bonding with a rental car and making the journey to Petra. My guide book said it was likely going to be a 6-7 hour drive with stops along the way...guide book did not account for getting lost in the desert...more on that in a bit...A very nice man from the rental car company met us at our hotel and gave us a ride out of the city to the start of the highway (I almost hugged him as I was not looking for...