Day 15 - getting toughened up to traveling - finally. No snivels, coughs, diarrhoea, and all present and packed for the 8.00am start. We headed out into the Judean Hills (the Biblical Wilderness) and it quickly got VERY dry. Saw a few Bedouin tending their flocks of goats and living in ramshackle temporary shelters. The land looks like it could support only about 1 goat to 50 acres and there is always some kid with them. We plunged down and down well below sea level and suddenly there was Jericho, 35degC (was only 10degC in Jerusalem when we started). Its only 35 km from Jerusalem to Jericho on the new highway - far cry from back in WW1. We went to an old monastery up on the side of Mt Temptation (by cable car) where Jesus was tempted by Satan after 40 days in the Wilderness. We could see much of the Jordan Valley and over to the Moab and Gilead Hills as well as the Dead Sea to the south.
We left Jericho about midday and ran the gauntlet through the border (about 5 checkpoints, 3 of which involved armed soldiers) over the Allenby Bridge and the River Jordan (nowadays a dirty little creek) to Jordan - the country. Then it was straight to our hotel, the Dead Sea Holiday Inn.
The Jordanians are proving very hospitable with a great sense of humour. We had a swim in the Dead Sea, floating so high that swimming was awkward all the while making sure eyes and mouth were closed. Then up to the pool for a salty sluice off, a few beers, buffet dinner and finally blog writing. Petra tomorrow. Yeah!