Monday: officially my rest/treat day. So I had a lie-in, breakfast in hostel and then late morning I went to a Turkish bath. I didn't really know what to expect, but it was a steam room for 20 minutes then this guy come and got me in his pants and led me to another less steamy room and laid me on a big stone slab that he'd put hot water on. First, he used a big hard brush to scrub every inch of my body. Then he was throwing water over me- hot and cold- it hurts a bit when someone drops water from a height on to you, haha! Then it was a massage but with soap and I must admit it was one of the best massages I've had in a while. I felt very clean afterwards and it was nice for my aching shoulders! I showered and left- all for £16. It was a surreal experience, but not seedy and a nice treat. I chilled in the afternoon- reading and walking around the small town. In the evening I got food in the town and some local guy started talking to me and asked if I wanted to go with him to exercise his horse and watch the sunset over Petra for free! So his mate dropped us at his horse and I found myself riding this huge horse up the hill. It's fair to say I'm not a natural and it was a bit scary! We arrived at a nice spot where we could see the candles lighting up Petra by night. We sat for a bit and he was telling me what amazing energy I gave off and teaching me "meditation" techniques that involved him getting close to me- they are very inventive with ways to touch you. But I was quite clear that I wasn't up for any funny business!! He was offering for me to stay at his and take me camping in little Petra, etc. but I'm not poor enough to pimp myself out yet. So we rode back and got picked up and they dropped me back at the hostel. It was a fun evening.
Tuesday: I got the 7am shuttle to Petra and had seen it all by 12! But the bus back wasn't til 6. So I walked around some more and sat for a bit. I wasn't expecting much- these big tourist sights are always a bit of an anticlimax, but the stone carvings are very impressive and it is undeniably an iconic place. There are walks you can do around the site- it's big- but you have to pay extra for a guide!!! Rip off!! I did a couple alone as the path was obvious. The Bedouin guys are offering you donkey or camel rides all the time, especially on the steep climbs and I was amazed how many lazy people there were who took these poor donkeys! There are also Bedouin stalls everywhere, trying to sell you stuff (a rock anyone?!). Again I had the Bedouin guys coming up to me and offering me all sorts of adventures for "free", but I'm avoiding these now. Although one guy arranged for me to do a guided walk for 5JD instead of 30! It meant I was chasing a group on horseback by foot uphill, so I guess it's lucky I'm fit these days. Then it was a fun scramble down rocks to descend. But it was a nice walk and killed a couple of hours! I don't know how people can spend more than a day there though! I ate dinner in the hostel and then went for a walk with an American guy to the town where we got kanafe. For the first 2 nights, I had an 8-bed female dorm to myself, tonight I have one room mate. The male dorms have been much busier, so I guess it is just quiet and you really don't get many females travelling here alone.
Wednesday: an early start as I got a bus at 6am to Wadi Rum. We arrived about 8.30 and it's not really a proper town, but small Bedouin village. I hadn't booked anything but got the bus to drop me at a camp I'd read good things about. They were starting a day trip with 2 American sisters and a French couple, so I went along. We were in a jeep visiting various sights in the desert; a spring, snowboarding on a sand dune, ancient writing in a cave, a rock bridge, Lawrence of Arabia's house, the sunset, etc. We stopped for lunch in the shade of a canyon and the Bedouin guide cooked a feast for us on a fire. We got back to the camp about 8- it is traditional tents and I have one to myself with a proper bed in it. We drank tea then had dinner! They cooked the meat and veg under the ground- it was very interesting to see the Bedouin traditions!
Thursday: another day out in the jeep but just with the French couple. More springs, a little hiking and climbing to views of Saudi Arabia, white sand, red sand, camels, etc. The desert is stunning- dramatic and yet so peaceful- and you can't visit Jordan and not come to Wadi Rum, but I think I was a bit spoilt after my 3 weeks in the Negev so don't think I'll be needing to visit anymore anytime soon. As Sophie said- I've seen a lot of rock and stone on this trip. A couple from Cambridge in the camp tonight, so I sat chatting to them over dinner. We saw a huge poisonous spider and a family of hedgehogs!!
Friday: there is no public transport from Wadi Rum to Aqaba and the taxis wanted £30, so I got a lift with the French couple in their hire car to the highway as they were going back to Amman. Then I hitchiked to Aqaba- I got picked up quickly by a husband, wife and 2 kids which was nice. They dropped me in the centre of Aqaba- it was only about 10! I had booked an airBnb in Aqaba- as the hotels were all expensive. But I had no internet or sim to contact the girl. I walked around and got free wifi so I could message her. She told me to come to her office- I lost the wifi and got to the block but couldn't find the office. Luckily a local guy lent me his phone and she come to meet me. We sat in her office until her dad come to pick me up- he said that he had 2 hotels here and had space so I could stay in one of the rooms instead of the apartment I'd booked- all rather odd?!? But I have an ensuite room with a double bed! Aqaba is much as I'd expected- a rather characterless, touristy, beach resort. It's funny to see Eliat just over the water and know that I was there a couple of months ago starting my walk, sleeping on that beach and by climbing them mountains. I had a chilled afternoon- walked along the beach and around the town, had a nap, read, showered, chatted to the dad who offered me two dives for £44, which was a lot cheaper than I'd found online. Then in the evening they had a big concert thing to celebrate the Jordanian Independence Day! So I went along and listened to some music and watched the fireworks- it was a good atmosphere but I am getting sick of guys offering to take me to see and do things. Maybe I should buy a cheap ring and pretend I'm married?!
Saturday: Ramadan starts today which means the local Muslims (almost everyone) cannot eat or drink anything between 5am and 7.30pm! I can't imagine not even being allowed water in this heat. But it's interesting to be in a Muslim country for Ramadan, as it was to be in a Jewish country for Passover. The hotel manager/dad said I could make myself breakfast in the hotel kitchen- the place is a s*** hole and in desperate need of a clean!! But I used their eggs and pitta. Then got picked up at 10 to go diving. It was a great day- first I went diving to a ship wreck which was amazing! Then later to a reef called Japanese gardens, a lot of fish and corals! Back at the dive centre my guide made us baba-ganouche (a traditional aubergine dish) with pitta which was very nice of him and I ended up chilling there til they shut at 7 and dropped me back into the town. I got an ice cream and walked around as it got to sunset and saw everything come to a stop and the people gathering together in their shops, etc, to enjoy a feast! I showered and at 9 the dive centre manager met me at my hotel and we went to a bar (although nowhere serves alcohol during Ramadan) and we sat smoking shesha til about 2am. It's very interesting because during Ramadan everything comes alive at night and many people sleep through the day! Although, most of the young people working at my dive centre are not sticking to Ramadan- it's like in Israel- the young people are losing their faith or at least not sticking to the rituals.
Sunday: I made breakfast then went to the dive centre about 10. I done 2 more dives- one to a canyon which was so beautiful and we saw some huge rays. Then a second dive to an old army tank that was sunk and some more reefs! It was a fun day and it's so hot it's nice to be in the water! A German girl showed up late afternoon as she's couchsurfing at the dive centre. So we sat and they made us food and we smoked more shesha. Then in the evening us and the dive centre staff went into the city and smoked shesha and had a traditional drink made of flowers, then come back and chilled at the dive centre til late so I ended up sleeping here.
Monday: I went and got my bag from the hotel as I had to check out today. Then I spent the day catching up on sleep on the beach. Some American army guys who'd been diving here before showed up and were going to check out a nearby resort so I went with them, but it was all a bit posh for me so after a short time I come back and went for a swim on the beach at the dive centre. I'll stay here again tonight as it's free! I'm just killing days now before I fly to India on Saturday, there is nothing else I really want to see in Jordan and the people in the dive centre are really nice and so generous.
Sad to hear about Manchester! But I hope you are all enjoying the short heat wave you have/had.