Petra and Hiking in a Desert

Today was an early morning rise. We wanted to beat the heat and the crowds through Petra, one of the seven ancient wonders of the world. Our hotel sat right at the entrance and was beautifully decorated in a pure middle eastern style. We got out early but no tour guides were around so we spent some time at one of the vendor stalls and purchased some trinkets for outrageous prices while we waited. But the tour guide that showed up was worth it. He walked us through Petra pointing out ancient carvings, damns, water ways, tombs, unique items, and the coloration differences in the stones due to various minerals (black = magnesium, red = iron, yellow = sulfa, grey = silica, purple = phosphorus, etc). The vibrante colors flowed carefree through the entire landscape, ribbons crossed in every direction. A very interesting feature were the cave ceilings as they looked like colorful mosaics. The morning temperature was perfect, 80°F, breezy and shaded as we hiked through the narrow canyons. Our guide pointed out the millennia of water, sand, and earthquakes that naturally carved out the aisles of Petra. The stark difference in light from the night before provided us an entirely new experience. We traversed gaps as narrow as 3’ and as wide as 20’. Throughout the entire expedition there were carvings, aqueducts, and tombs. But when we reached the most iconic sight, the treasury of Petra, it was perfect. Aside from a few local vendors and camels we had the place to ourselves. The sun had just started to hit the treasury from above and the temperatures slowly started to rise when we arrived. We pondered the massive structure awhile and shot some amazing photos before others started to arrive. Our guide took us further into Petra, which I have to admit I didn’t know existed but Petra is actually 102 square miles, with significantly larger structures than the iconic treasury. As we slowly left the narrow canyons we came out into open areas where the Nabataeans carved their tombs, shrines, and temples directly in to the colorful mountain sides. There were too many to count! Some as small as a breadbox cave to some that were 100s of feet high! By this time we were no longer under the cover of the canyons and the sweltering sun began its siege. The temperature climbed to 99°F and each sweat soaked step was felt. Our guide pointed out several ‘fun’ hiking routes and short cuts. But laugh med openly at us while exclaiming, “Jordan in July!? You’re crazy people!”  Sadly after 2 hours our tour had concluded. He made several recommendations for continuing which we followed. Our first hike was a 1.5 hour hike to the ‘monastery’. It was midday and there was nowhere to hide from the blazing sun. We hiked slow and steady taking frequent water breaks as our clothes and brows were drenched. It felt like hiking through and easy bake oven. Step by step we climbed over sand cover stones and boulders, through narrow canyons, and up redden hillsides until we reached the furthest point for tourists, the monastery. It did not disappoint. This was a mammoth sized temple carved straight from the mountain (look closely at the picture to see Emily standing near a column for scale).  High fiving with sweaty palms we turned around and marched back. Along our long trek back under the midday scorcher we hiked up to and in the royal tombs. Again, massive open rooms with mosaics of red, yellow, black, blue, and grey stone ceilings and walls. The bedouins had made living spaces of many of these tombs and caves. Some were covered wall to wall in carpets and pillows and some had signs of decades of heating fires etc.  Up and down we hiked in the sizzling weather, passing incredible sites after sites. Finally we returned to the treasury and we had a special ‘unlawful’ spot we wanted to hike to for good pictures. The locals were ruthless in their fees for passage but we haggled with the best of them and had an 8 year old take us up the steep goat trail to get a great shot above the treasury. With that complete, we caved and rode horses back to the hotel to save our legs. All together we hiked 9 miles in the sizzling desert!! Once back, we relaxed poolside for a few hours before driving further into the desert to Wadi Rum. 

Wadi Rum was jaw dropping. We were dropped off at this sketchy concrete shack and told to hop in the back of some trucks to be driven to the “luxury camp”…. So there we were, bumping along a true sandy desert in the back of a truck near the border of Saudi Arabia… the views were reminiscent of Joshua tree, and Zion put together. We rolled up on this quaint little camp with dome dwellings and the spectacular-ness started to sink in. No lights, open desert, domed rooms… no words…

Our room was crazy! The domes were covered when we arrived as to not cook the guests, but they moved the covers soon after we arrived! We signed up for hot air ballooning tomorrow morning at sunrise, and camel riding.. we explored the luxury camp and found a hookah bar the has been built out of the red mountain and I sat under a portion of a massive boulder in the most middle eastern styled room I’ve ever been in and smoked apple hookah. In front of us lay massive redrock mountains as the sun started to set. We then had a crazy hair and hiked up (yes, again with jelly legs) to a sunset lookout and it was spectacular. Reminded me of the epic vista in the southwest United States. 

We finished the night with some stargazing. We walked out into the middle of the desert and laid on the soft sand and stared up at the dusting of stars. It was the perfect night cap!

Dead Spa Day and Candles

Today’s objective: relaxation. Last night we arrived in the Dead Sea right at sunset and crashed hard. It was an action packed day. Emily booked us at a premier Dead Sea spa resort and it didn’t disappoint. The resort was a massive complex that was immaculately cared for with an Italian-meets-middle-eastern motif. The inside was cool with marble tiling and many water features with mosaics and the outside was a maze of infinity pools, relaxation spots, stone structures, and little side path shops. This morning we woke up to a giant middle eastern breakfast spread. Also, we are probably 2 of 16 people staying at a resort that holds 100s. There were two attendants per person here and they were all super overly eager to help. After a divine breakfast of complex spices and textures we set out exploring the compound winding our way towards the beach (the sheer lavishness of this place was impressive). We made it to the small private beach on the Dead Sea. Not the saltiest (at 33% salt!!!) but the lowest point of water on earth. The mud was thick and rich on the shore and we coated ourselves with it and let the sun bake it into our pores.  Then we waded out into the mysterious waters. Through the water I could see that we were walking on pure salt outcroppings. Then when I tried to lay down struggled because I was super buoyant.  I could lift all of my limbs completely out of the water and still float without effort it was insane. I even went so far as to taste the water and almost gagged at how salty it was. I could feel the sea trying to turn me into a raisin as we floated staring out across at Israel.   The cool shower felt nice under the hot sun and washing away all of the saltiness. 

Next we enjoyed the various pools and lounging around poolside before going to the spa. The views of the sea reaching towards the mountains of Israel were tremendous.  Prior to picking this place Emily found out it was rated as the best spa in Jordan and since we scheduled massages we got the run of the place.  We were warmly welcomed at a serine entrance and given a tour through the sanctuary-like space complete with hydro/massage pools, infinity pools, saunas, a Dead Sea pool, and iconic places to relax overlooking the Dead Sea. What was even crazier was that we were the only ones in the giant spa complex and we were being waited on hand and foot.  So we enjoyed relaxing by the pool reading with the hot winds blowing on us from across the Dead Sea. It was surreal.  Next we had scheduled massages and a mud wrap, again, we were the only ones so we received royal treatment. I even had an attendant following me around in the bathroom. I’ve never been slathered in mud before but I must say I am now a fan. 

After such a relaxing day we packed up and caught a 3 hour Uber to Petra. This was the most harrowing portion of our trip so far. The driver didn’t speak a word of English and drove like the apocalypse was chasing us. With peddle to the metal, AC blasting, we wound our way through the harsh 107°F desert. We initially climbed slowly out from the Dead Sea but eventually we hit the craggy mountains. They were very reminiscent of Zion. Red rock formations jutting out everywhere and we continued our breakneck pace curving around goat trail like roads never knowing if there was an approaching car around the next bend or whether we would just skid off the mountain completely. Emily slept like a rock as I white knuckled the whole way. At one point the car started to over heat and our driver tried desperately to explain the situation to his two non-Arabic speaking passengers which ended in utter failure. But through the use of sign language we turned off the AC and crept the rest of the way over the desert mountains. Meanwhile I was running through dying in the desert scenarios in my head. Talk about steep; the grades on some of those hills must have been >25%!! But we made it in one piece, barely.  The reason for leaving the bosom of the spa was to hopefully see Petra at night lit up by candles.  We made it with an hour to spare. After changing my shorts we walked over to the entrance and started our climb. We were hoping to be the only ones by there was a crowd. We raced the 2 miles to the famous Petra Treasury and sat with a bunch of people listening to a flute player.  I convenced Emily to head back early with me and we got to enjoy ALL of Petra by ourselves, at night, lit by candles.  It was one of the more picturesque moment of my life. The photos simply didn’t do it justice. We ambled through a large and secluded rift in the tundra. The stone was smooth and had deep red hues. Above us was the night sky, filled with stars. It was magical.  After we picked our jaws off the ground we made it for a late night roof to dinner of middle eastern bbq. What a day!!  

Traveling to Jordan

What a send off! The Ecks (aka house sitters) stormed the house days before our trip. We had great food, conversations, and set up some very nice house projects. Unfortunately I had to work the night before we flew out. It was a busy night and I hoped to grab some sleep before our long travels but that was not in the cards for the accident prone citizens of Juneau. I also awoke an hour prior to take off with overwhelming vertigo and nausea, but nothing was going to deter me from this adventure. After our goodbyes and with a lot of Emily’s help I crawled  on to the first flight.  Luckily, with a little rest the devastating nausea and world spinning vertigo resolved. Emily said I looked like death on two legs. Off we go! Fortune continued to smile on us as we were upgraded to first class to Seattle and got to relax in the lounges before our business class flight to London. The food and comfort was worth it! We then we lounged a bit in London before our 6 hour flight to Amman, Jordan.  I think, for the first time in our travel history, we had an uneventful travel to our destination. No delays, cancelations, border issues, or lost luggage. Landing in Amman at 1am we disembarked and flew through customs where our bags were BOTH waiting for us. We drove to the hotel and crashed for the remainder of the night. 

Well, that was a solid night of sleep. We awoke to a bright desert sun and a broiling cityscape. Breakfast was exquisite, with falafel, hummus, fresh fruits and vegetables. Jordan is fairly liberal so Emily does not have to cover her shoulders or wear a hijab.  

Off we went towards Umm Qais at the northern tip of Jordan. This was one of the ancient Roman cities/military outposts that we had planned on visiting. It was a 2 hour long drive through the country. Our driver didn’t speak a lick of English and Jordan’s solution to traffic speeding is to put a ‘bump’ every 400 meters.  Needless to say, it was a jerky ride. The temperature started out at 88°F and quickly rose to 98°F with the bright sun. We found a guide that walked us through Umm Qais, and boosted that we could see Syria, Palestine, and Lebanon from where we stood, thus making that site ideal for military strategy.  We walked along a Roman trade road that stretched from Italy to Africa, lined by columns and Italian marble.    After a brief 1 hour tour we climbed back in to our car and drove off towards the castle of Ajloun. 

Now this was cool. An ancient Roman/Muslim fortress that was designed (and stood the test of time) to defend a strategic valley from invaders.  We were able to tour this castle alone. As we rounded the corner of the valley there it stood, on a small hill in the commanding the center of the valley. We drove up the winding hills under the blistering sun and got as close as we could to the fortress before hiking the rest of the way. This fortress had many tricky implementations to prevent invaders from capturing it including narrow arrow slits, various portions inside the fortress allowed defenders to drop boiling oil on people and a dry moat that forced invaders out in to the open.  We felt like true explores climbing around the inside the castle. After we had our fill of ancient artifacts we set out towards Jerash one of the largest ancient Roman cities in the world. 

Jerash is a small Jordanian city built around a massive Greco-Roman city that was rediscovered in 1920.  Hundreds of columns, giant Roman theaters, massive stone gates, bath houses, and street shops have been excavated.  But the modern city had already been build so it presents as an interesting juxtaposition of ancient architecture and modern infrastructure colliding.  Unfortunately we arrived at the peak of the heat. It was 101°F and absolutely no shade as none of the ruins’ roofs survived. We found an awesome young and enthusiastic tour guide who walked us around for two hours beaming about the ancient relics as we sauntered sweat soaked and panting.  We sat in the massive amphitheaters shouting from the perfect acoustic points, watched live street venders painting with sand, walked in the same arenas as gladiators, wondered down streets rutted thousands of years earlier by chariots and trade wagons.  It was fantastic! Hot, but fantastic. 

Finally we piled back into our sweltering car and made our way south to our next destination, the Dead Sea, while the unforgiving sun set.  Oh, did I mention that the further south we go the hotter it will get? Yelp, 104° when we reach our Dead Sea hotel… can’t wait for tomorrow!! 

Mesh of Religions

This morning was glorious. I was abruptly awoken by a fierce thunder and lightening storm. It was one of those, BANG! which causes you to jolt awake to the sounds of rumbling and wind with flashing lights. Did I forget to mention I LOVE thunderstorms? I got up and sat on the back deck and listened to the rain cascading over the resort interrupted by staccato flashes of lightning and loud booming thunder. The air was warm and wet with the tropical downpour. I reluctantly returned to bed and awoke at a more appropriate hour to prepare for our tour through the national park. We met our tour guide early in the morning and drove for about an hour and a half up a small mountain, stopping occasionally at view points to look where they took the stones to build the temples from our second day. Once we reached the top, there was a giant monastery dedicated to the ‘lying Buddha’. At the top of the mountain there were LARGE boulders and the largest had a massive carving of the ‘lying Buddha’ encased in an ornate temple perched atop the boulder. It was all a bit fantastical. While we ascended the open air spiral steps barefoot, we listened to live instrumental holy music. The smell of incense hung heavy in the air.   After this we followed our guide to several smaller religious sites including a waterfall. Our guide was interesting as he complained about the disparities between the wealthy and poor of Cambodia nearly the entire time. After 5 hours of hiking around we returned to our hotel for a relaxing poolside afternoon. 

This theme continued through the next day. Emily and I decided to relax for the last few days of our trip. Today we lounged poolside until late in the afternoon then we ventured out and explored the less touristy side of Siem Reap. After visiting several night markets we found a quaint little spot for some traditional Cambodian fare and a bottle of African wine.  Next we meandered the street which were teeming with activities and concerts in preparation for New Years. What a trip. Tomorrow we head back.. 38 hours of travel… but with a quick stop over in Japan. 

New beginnings

After yesterday’s fiasco we stayed up late to re-organize our trip midway through. We now have flights home and moved hotels. We even found some exciting activities. The day started like any other with a massive breakfast and packing. We bid our great hotel goodbye and boarded a van for the floating villages of Tonlé Sap. It was an hour drive, with Frank, our new and very talkative tour guide. We arrived at the boat launch in the sweltering mid morning and boarded our own little skiff that took us leisurely down river to the Great Lake of Cambodia (and largest freshwater lake in Asia).   The water was a muddy brown color and plastics and trash lined the waterway.  This was the LOW season as the rivers and lake shrink by 600%. If I had to guess, the middle of the river we were cruising on could not have been more than 6 feet deep. All manner of boats were traversing the river, fast skiffs, large haulers, and tourist double deckers. The shipping lanes were as tight as the crazy motorways in downtown. The surrounding houses and shacks were all on 10 foot stilts and all looked worse for wear. There were children swimming and bathing in the same water where others were cast netting.  As the sun rose I found myself envying those swimming or standing in the dirty waterway, at least they were cool.  Down the river we cruised, with our shirts sticking to our backs and sweat dripping off our brows. But the scene was invigorating. Finally we rounded the last bend and came upon the lake with its many floating houses, schools, churches, and restaurants.  Our boat pulled up to one such… house/restaurant/shop/crocodile pit. Yep! There were crocodiles in a cage on the floating building. In keeping with the theme of we-try-anything-once, we each sampled a boiled crocodile egg, not my favorite but not terrible either.   No yolk, and the white was slightly grainy. We chatted up the locals for a bit then boarded our skiff and headed back. On the way there was a herd of water buffalos meandering towards the river to cool off.   We actually got stuck in the mud twice! But we arrived at midday to the exit docks and swam our way through the hot humidity to our nice air conditioned van. From there we drove to an artisans workshop where we watched various students making stone and wooden carvings, forming silk tapestries, and molding silver pieces. It was very impressive (though funny how every country we travel to has the same experience).  As the suffocating heat reached its pinnacle we arrived at our new hotel and we were very impressed.  It boasts a 2200 square foot pool, eco friendly bungalows, and an in-the-jungle vibe with lush greenery throughout the compound. Once we settled into our room (complete with outdoor shower and tub) we were poolside chatting up guests, sipping Prosecco, and having a traditional Cambodian lunch (which was AMAZING!). Hours rolled by in perfect bliss then the adventure itch struck so we set out to check out the botanical Gardens. For those of you that don’t know, Emily has acquired a passion for plants and she was in heaven. She galloped around the giant landscape calling out plant names while being awestruck at how large they were..  (I know little about plants). We even happened across 2 full sized ostriches, 2 monkeys, and 15 peacocks (including an albino). It was a surreal experience. Finally our next adventure took us to the Hero Rats of Cambodia.  We visited APOPO, an NGO that trains rats to sniff out land mines and other ordinances. Then they are cleared. Over the past few years they have cleared 5,000 mines, and 50,000 ordinances. We even got to meet the rats and watch a demonstration.  Soooo cool! We ended the night at a fabulous restaurant with a Cambodian-French fusion tasting menu. It. Knocked. Our. Socks. Off.  So many great experiences today. I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings!

The fiasco

Well, in a prior blog I mentioned a visa issue. Today was the day of reckoning. I worked through a travel company to help arrange this trip and about 30 hours prior to takeoff I was informed that the visa letter (needed to enter Vietnam) had NOT been issued. They told me we would need to delay entry in to Vietnam for 3 days. Needless to say, our original trip was Vietnam then Cambodia. So in a panicked 5 hours of bargaining with airlines, switched international flights, rearranging reservations we managed to flip our trip to start in Cambodia while we await our visa letters. As of last night they were still ‘in process’. Today’s plan was to have a relaxing morning then fly out to Vietnam at 3pm. So we anxiously checked out phones for the visa letter…. And no luck. Our visas were not approved by our flight out so we scrambled to change plans, staying in Cambodia at least another day. Then we went out and explored the city a bit and received news that our visas would NOT be approved before we have to LEAVE Vietnam for our return trip…. panic. 

Emily was ferocious on the phone with the travel company as they completely hosed us AND we were already in Cambodia. She went full mamma bear and was able to get a full refund for the whole trip/fee for Vietnam. But the travel/airline tickets were the issue. We had to rearrange all of our international travel… again and on short notice. Needless to say $$$$$…..  Though after looking at pictures of our snow covered home we opted to become bohemians and stay in Cambodia for the remaining days. Turns out, their 5 star super deluxe hotel is $90/night. Emily and I went to dinner at a restaurant recommended to us by an ex-pat which was the best meal we’ve had so far and discovered that Siem Reap is the culinary capital of Cambodia! We discovered many more amazing places to try. Over delicious and unique Cambodian-fusion food we planned out the rest of our trip.. the graduation from panic to excitement was lubricated by lychee martinis and passion fruit whiskey sours.  Tomorrow we are off to the floating villages and a Grand Prix meal at Cambodia’s #1 restaurant. And of course as we lay our heads down to sleep the tourism company shoots a text stating they will not refund us…sigh…