So fricken exhausted tonight. Walked around 30000 steps, including lots of vertical ones.
This morning's breakfast was the worst so far in terms of variety and inspiration.
After breakfast we headed down the hill to Petra. 50JD to get in ($75). Ouch!
Indiana Jones Gift Shop
Photo by Mum
I knew *nothing* about Petra other than the treasury building (and the horse ride to it), so let myself be surprised.
First surprise is that they don't let you ride horses through the siq (gorge) anymore, which was a bit disappointing, because was looking forward to that (Indiana Jones, anyone?).
Second surprise is just the concept of the place, which is essentially the biggest ancient graveyard on the planet.
So yeah, walked down the hill and through the siq to the treasury building. We had to keep hurrying up to stop and stand still which was pretty frustrating. So took quite a while to walk through.
Rocks and tombs on the path heading down to the Siq
The Siq
The Siq
Rocks in the Siq
Our guide was pretty sneaky at one point and got us to walk in single file through a narrow bit, citing dangerous driving by the horse and buggy drivers. Then he got us to step out and look back up the gorge to look at the colouring of the rocks. Then he said "turn around", and there was the building through a gap in cliffs. Very cool!!
Treasury building from the Siq
Of course the treasury building is pretty spectacular. Stopped and admired it for a while.
Treasury building at Petra
Canyon outside the Treasury building
Photo by Dad
Guards outside the Treasury building at Petra
Photo by Dad
Treasury building at Petra
Entrance to the Siq
Photo by Dad
Mum, Dad and me with guards at Petra
Photo by Dad
Then continued on past the dozens and dozens of tombs cut into the rocks.
Ancient tomb in Petra
Looking into a tomb in Petra
Ancient tombs in Petra
Photo by Mum
Ancient tombs in Petra
Ancient tombs in Petra
The Urn Tomb at Petra
Colonnaded Street in Petra
Photo by Dad
Six of us then decided to power walk up to the monastery at the top of another canyon. Approximately 1000 vertical steps, 35 minutes each way, and a 5000 step round trip on the pedometer. I was very hot by the end!
They kept offering donkey rides to the top. But I didn't ask how much they were cause otherwise they wouldn't leave you alone. Similarly all the vendors all the way up the hill were all "buy a gift, one dinar" (except someone from our group tried to take them up on that offer, but it was of course a lie, and wanted to charge more for what she wanted). What these people don't seem to realise is that their crazy hard sell is a complete turn off for a lot of people. I want to window shop without being hassled. You can't do that here. If you so much as look at their stalls they won't leave you alone. So they won't get my business, because I really don't even know what they have to offer.
Start of the walkway up to the Ad Deir monastery
Cliffs in Petra
Stairway up to the Ad Deir monastery
Ad-Deir Monastery building at Petra
Had lunch at the Crowne Plaza café, then continued back. Dad and I went up to another temple the others had gone to while we'd gone up to the monastery.
Temple of Dushares
Photo by Mum
The Urn Tomb at Petra
Inside the Urn Tomb at Petra
View from the Urn Tomb
Continued to walk back fast.
The Siq
The Siq
Rock carving in the Siq
At the end of the siq, we claimed our included horse ride (plus $3 tip) back to the bus.
Kaz on a horse at Petra
Photo by Dad
So left Petra at 2pm, covered in dust. You could easily have spent a couple of days exploring the place. We were meant to get a full day, but it had to get cut short because we had to go to Wadi Rum today as we won't have time tomorrow.
So yeah, headed south to Wadi Rum.
The Seven Pillars of Wisdom
Hopped into some utes and headed out into the desert a la Lawrence of Arabia. That was pretty fun.
Wadi Rum
Wadi Rum
Walking up a sand dune in Wadi Rum
Photo by Dad
View from the top of the sand dune
Rocky hills in Wadi Rum
Rocky hills in Wadi Rum
Rocky hills in Wadi Rum
Petroglyphs at Wadi Rum
Part way along we stopped a bedoin camp and a bunch of us had a couple of minute camel ride which was a tonne of fun.
Me riding a camel at Wadi Rum
Photo by Dad
Then stopped a little way along at another bedouin camp for some thoroughly delicious tea, and a kick-back shopping opportunity.
Rocky hills in Wadi Rum
Photo by Dad
The Siq Um Al Tawaqi canyon
Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum
King Abdullah stone carving at Wadi Rum
Lawrence of Arabia stone carving at Wadi Rum
Photo by Dad
Serving tea at the Bedouin camp
Back to the visitor's centre, then headed back to Wadi Musa to the hotel, stopping once to look at the sunset.
The Siq Um Al Tawaqi canyon
Rocky hills in Wadi Rum
Sunset over Jordan
Went straight to dinner because it was about 7:15pm by the time we got back. So we were all filthy and smelly. Oops. The super rude Europeans weren't around so dinner was a lot more relaxed, although not super great.
Then up to do photo stuff and try and use the internet.
But I really need to collapse into bed pretty soon. After I have a shower. And wash my hair. With some of my clothes on (such as my socks) which really need a wash..
Distance covered on the GPS: 229.8 plus some stuff in Petra
Steps walked: 33324, but I'm taking off 3000 due to bumpy roads screwing up the count
Photos on the Canon: 467
Photos on the Sony: 103
Videos: 17
USD Spent: 6
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