It has been really tough since I returned from my backpacking trip to Jordan... I feel unmotivated...lazy...and just downright depressed sometimes.

it's all because I had such a good time in Jordan...Petra was sublime... camping at Wadi Rum was a wonderfully peaceful experience, Jerash was an impressive complex of Roman ruins...Mount Nebo had such a historical and religious significance, I am still not able to comprehend the importance of the site visit.  Dead Sea was extremely fun, and Amman was an interesting mix of old and new...a city that seems to search for something to tie everything together and really define itself.

Even with all the interesting places, ruins, and landscape, I am particularly impressed by Jordanian's friendliness and hospitality, which is quite refreshing after having lived in Qatar for several months.

Day 1 - Petra

The morning walk through the Siq was very soothing and peaceful... the even light of an overcast sky really allowed me to see all the colors of the rocks along the way.  This photo is particularly interesting because the lines of the rock all seem to converge in the middle... almost feel like a motion shot going toward the middle.

After about 30-40 minutes of walking through the Siq, I was finally reaching the end... with the glimpse of the Treasury.

once I stepped out of the narrow passage way, the grand and massive Treasury just hit me.  At first I was just amazed by the sheer size of the structure and the way it was carved out of the rocks.  The facade of the Treasury is not lavishly detailed.  Perhaps the massive scale of the facade makes all the details seem so insignificant.

The sun was in and out of the clouds... made it a great day to shoot the sky...

After an hour of hiking up hundreds of steps, I was up at the Monastery.  The approach is through the right side of the structure, from the back.  When I finally arrived at the open area in front of it, I made a conscious effort to take a couple of steps toward the center of the open space, with my back facing the facade.  Then I turned around slowly to see it for the very first time.

It is simply amazing... I must say.

Day 2 - Petra

It was drizzling during the first day... I was concerned the bad weather will linger into the 2nd day, which would be bad since I would be camping at Wadi Run the night.  However, as soon as I stepped out, I knew I had nothing to worry about.  It was a bright sunny day.  Light and shadow created a strong contrast... made the walk through the Siq very different from the first day. 

Sitting in front of the Treasury, I looked sleepy still...  It was probably around 8:00am... very little tourists around, exactly the way I like it.

High Place of Sacrifice....the second day was all about hiking off the main trails... I got lost a couple of times...but finally made it up here.... because of the hike the day before, my legs were sore and I was really struggling to climb the steps.

Luckily from High Place, it was all the way down... here was Garden Temple...

I believe I was inside Triclinium looking over to the Soldier's Tomb...

After I passed the Soldier's Tomb and the Triclinium, I followed the river bed...went up the hill...and saw this right in front of me.  Another area where the Nabataeans seemed to start working on the structure... got the facades carved out...but they are not as completed as the other facades along the main axis road.  They look as if Nabataeans just stopped for some reasons. 

After Petra, I took a one-hour car ride to this protected desert reserve in South Jordan - Wadi Rum, also known as the Valley of Moon...  I made it just in time for the sunset.  This was taken when I was waiting for Obeid the camp owner to come pick me up and take me to his camp.

After making some acquaintances with my fellow camp mates, a wonderful dinner inside the Bedouin camp, some interesting conversations...I was lying on my back... just staring at the sky.

I love the experience of camping in the desert.  It was such an unique experience.  As I laid there next to the camp fire, kids were playing with fire, Nile was having shisha... my mind was at peace... and I could feel the temp started to drop dramatically as the night progressed... finally around 10:00pm I called the night and tug myself in my own little tent.

A recount of who I met at the camp: two American girls teaching at Turkey (one from Indiana, and the other from Atlanta, Georgia), one couple (husband was Caucasian (forgot where he was from originally), and the wife was Korean) with their beautiful mixed baby girl (they live in Amman), three Polish girls from Geneva and one's Iraqi French speaking husband, one Chinese couple living in Abu Dhabi, one Singaporean guy living in Doha, an American family (husband living in Japan, wife living in Saudi Arabia, and daughter living in Lebanon), 4 German from Berlin (one of the girls was so attractive), and of course Obeid and his crew, the Bedouin people.

Day 3 - Wadi Rum

got up around 5:30am... and saw the sunrise...

My little tent for the evening...

On a jeep tour of the desert... I believe Lawrence of Arabia the 1962 classic was filmed at this location.

one of more iconic views in Wadi Rum... the rock bridge.

In the afternoon, I took an one-hour camel ride... It was my first time riding on an animal.  It was pretty relaxing, except for when they started jogging a bit...and apparently they were on the lunch break, since they tear through all the shrubs we passed in the desert!

After saying goodbye to my fellow camp mates (this is around 5pm), I first took a car ride to Aqaba, the ocean-front city in South Jordan.  The city was an important port city, as it is the only city that fronts the Red Sea.

Didn't any time to tour around city, (I will definitely go visit there if there's an interest) I jumped on a bus, started my 4-hour back up north to Amman.

I was probably conscious for 2 hours of the ride.  It's tough to ride in a car full of people for that long, but luckily I got my music with me to keep me entertained.

Day 4 - Jerash, Mount Nebo, and Dead Sea

I hired a car to drive me around town to Jerash, Mount Nebo, and Dead Sea.  Along the way, I managed to pick up Wallace (the Singaporean guy who works in Doha) and tour Mt. Nebo and Dead Sea together.

The main gate area to enter Jerash, the Roman ruins about 30 km north of Amman

Facade of the stage area in this one amphitheater...

There were a number of smaller amphitheaters in Jerash...this being one of them.

After Mt. Nebo, we went from 800 meters above sea level to minus 400 meters to the lowest land area on earth...Dead Sea...I notice the change in humidity and temperature as soon as I stepped out of the car.  Thanks to Wallace, who stayed in Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea, I got to enjoy the beach facilities in the world-class resort.  

made it to the beach right at the sunset... immediately I went into the water... it feels a bit oily...it stings my bruises and cuts on my legs, but I floated and swam on my back with ease...so there I was, just floating on the water, and watching the sun gradually disappear into Israel.

Then it was Dead Sea mud time... the resort had a big tub full of mud from Dead Sea.  It supposed to be very therapeutic, so I quickly went to town with the mud.  I was completely covered from head to toe in matter of minutes.  During the process, two Arabic ladies, fully clothed in the water, were laughing at my new look.  However, on my facebook, it received massive response.  

I only left the mud on for about 10 minutes, it stings quite a bit...at this time, the whole beach is pretty empty, so we are the only ones sticking around.

Last day in Amman...to be continued.

Part of my reason for moving out to this part of the world was to explore some of the most amazing places around here...  Petra was not even on my list of places to visit until a couple of months ago, but once I found out about it, I was so fascinated by the ancient structure, the history, the scenery, and the culture there.  Since Eid al-Adha is coming up and I am supposed to have 4 days off, I decided to go explore the country as the first stop.

so the following is the itinerary for my 5-day trip:

MON 11/15 - Arrive in Amman, Jordan in the afternoon... head down to Petra / Wadi Musa right way and check into the hotel...

TUE 11/16 - Petra (Day 1)

WED 11/17 - Petra (Day 2); late in the afternoon, head out to Wadi Rum... watch the sunset and spend an evening and camp out with Mr. Obied at Bedouin Life Camp in the desert (to be confirmed).

THU 11/18 - Explore the desert during the day and head back to Amman in the afternoon.  Evening activities to be determined.

FRI 11/19 - Go out to Dead Sea in the morning... be ready to float and read; return to Amman in the afternoon, visit the Citadel Hill at sunset.... 

SAT 11/20 - Morning activities in Amman to be determined; head to Airport.

If you feel like joining me, you still have time~ :)

I still remember when I was leaving Los Angeles for Hong Kong, I was so happy about not having to drive there.  I was just so sick and tired of the traffic, the road rage, and all the time wasted on the road.  During two years of living and traveling in Asia, I enjoy taking the trains, the buses, the subways, cabs, and tuk tuks to places, whatever is the most convenient.

Here in Doha, the most convenient mean of transportation is back to driving a car, so I started driving again.  Right back to what I hate about driving in the first place - the traffic, the road rage, and the wasted time, but I appreciate the freedom of having a car around (especially so after the trouble I went through to get my license here)...so I can go wherever I want, whenever I want, without checking any schedule.

Inland Sea - I want to drive there for a camping trip by the beach, but before then, I need to learn how to drive on sand.

but not as crazy as these people going dune bashing...

but not as crazy as these people going dune bashing...