Jordan Adventure - Chapter 1
After catching Bus 444 from the central bus terminal in Jerusalem and enduring a 4 hour bus ride I arrived in the southern Israeli city of Eilat. By taxi I made my way to the border between Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Since taxis cannot cross borders I walked my way through security, passport control, customs control, exit taxes, entry visas, more security and passport control. It was hot especially so since I had a backpack and one carry-on in tow in 28 degree Celsius heat and 500 metres to negotiate. This is what the traveller gets used to. That..... and lots and lots of questions and searches. Try explaining to someone with little English what a sabbatical to study theology is all about. I have been wisely advised to just say “I am a pilgrim going to pray at religious holy places.” It works!
I determined to do a walk-around of the city of Aqaba (population 90,000 - but I find that figure hard to believe). The shops are open until 11:00 pm every night. Thus there is quite a night life in most Arab towns. I found that the sidewalks and streets both were busy with locals coming and going and pausing in great long conversations, some sounding like animated debates to me.
On my agenda was to discover a way to get to Petra and to Wadi Rumm. Petra is an ancient Nabataean city about two hours plus drive north. Wadi Rumm is.... well it’s not on every map I discovered. But it is the site of the filming of the old movie “Lawrence of Arabia.” Basically it is desert. I found little luck in the travel shops. It appeared that groups of persons travelling to such areas make their plans from far away in their home countries through well known agencies. My hopes in picking up a last minute tour where diminishing.
Then I met Muhammad, dare I say an elderly businessman. Muhammad has a fleet of taxis. It seems no one retires here. Muhammad and his more elderly brother and his even older brother-in-law are enjoying a fine evening smoking and sitting in chairs on the sidewalk in front of Muhammad’s taxi office. This is not at all unusual. The pace is much less hurried here regardless of what the impatient car horns have to say.
I seaw that Muhammad has signs indicating trips to Petra, Amman (the capital), and Wadi Rumm among other destinations posted in his windows. I passed by, paused, then turned to speak with Muhammad. Once it seemed we might be able to do business Muhammad invited me to sit in the one remaining empty chair, introduced himself to me, and ordered tea to be brought to me. That’s when I learn the identities of his companions. All three of them were neatly groomed as are all Arab men which explains why there are so many barber shops everywhere. They were wearing the traditional floor length robe. Muhammad himself has 26 brothers and sisters. Most of them living in Aqaba. His father had four wives which helps to explain the fruitful nature of the family. He is very proud of his large family lineage. He himself enjoys one wife, three sons and one daughter.
The conversation was polite to be sure. Business is business. Then Muhammad invited me into his office where he was more than proud to show me every photo taken with he and the late King Hussein, and one taken of he with King Abdullah, father and son Kings of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Muhammad described them as upstanding, kind, and generous men. He counted himself among their friends and business associates.
Muhammad had one of his workers call a driver and have him commit to me for a trip to Petra. In short order a taxi, a Landrover, driven by a distinguished gentleman pulled to the curb. Another chair was brought and we succeeded in blocking the entire sidewalk. Pedestrians stepped into the street to pass. I was introduced to Radwan, the driver. Yes, he was available and would be pleased to escort me to Petra the next day. We negotiated a price, finished tea, and Radwan drove me to my hotel in order to secure the meeting point for the morrow’s adventure. On the way to the hotel Radwan convinced me that we should leave an hour earlier at 7:00 am and include a stop at Wadi Rumm at the end of the day. “The sunset” he said, “should be experienced by all.”
I determined to do a walk-around of the city of Aqaba (population 90,000 - but I find that figure hard to believe). The shops are open until 11:00 pm every night. Thus there is quite a night life in most Arab towns. I found that the sidewalks and streets both were busy with locals coming and going and pausing in great long conversations, some sounding like animated debates to me.
On my agenda was to discover a way to get to Petra and to Wadi Rumm. Petra is an ancient Nabataean city about two hours plus drive north. Wadi Rumm is.... well it’s not on every map I discovered. But it is the site of the filming of the old movie “Lawrence of Arabia.” Basically it is desert. I found little luck in the travel shops. It appeared that groups of persons travelling to such areas make their plans from far away in their home countries through well known agencies. My hopes in picking up a last minute tour where diminishing.
Then I met Muhammad, dare I say an elderly businessman. Muhammad has a fleet of taxis. It seems no one retires here. Muhammad and his more elderly brother and his even older brother-in-law are enjoying a fine evening smoking and sitting in chairs on the sidewalk in front of Muhammad’s taxi office. This is not at all unusual. The pace is much less hurried here regardless of what the impatient car horns have to say.
I seaw that Muhammad has signs indicating trips to Petra, Amman (the capital), and Wadi Rumm among other destinations posted in his windows. I passed by, paused, then turned to speak with Muhammad. Once it seemed we might be able to do business Muhammad invited me to sit in the one remaining empty chair, introduced himself to me, and ordered tea to be brought to me. That’s when I learn the identities of his companions. All three of them were neatly groomed as are all Arab men which explains why there are so many barber shops everywhere. They were wearing the traditional floor length robe. Muhammad himself has 26 brothers and sisters. Most of them living in Aqaba. His father had four wives which helps to explain the fruitful nature of the family. He is very proud of his large family lineage. He himself enjoys one wife, three sons and one daughter.
The conversation was polite to be sure. Business is business. Then Muhammad invited me into his office where he was more than proud to show me every photo taken with he and the late King Hussein, and one taken of he with King Abdullah, father and son Kings of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Muhammad described them as upstanding, kind, and generous men. He counted himself among their friends and business associates.
Muhammad had one of his workers call a driver and have him commit to me for a trip to Petra. In short order a taxi, a Landrover, driven by a distinguished gentleman pulled to the curb. Another chair was brought and we succeeded in blocking the entire sidewalk. Pedestrians stepped into the street to pass. I was introduced to Radwan, the driver. Yes, he was available and would be pleased to escort me to Petra the next day. We negotiated a price, finished tea, and Radwan drove me to my hotel in order to secure the meeting point for the morrow’s adventure. On the way to the hotel Radwan convinced me that we should leave an hour earlier at 7:00 am and include a stop at Wadi Rumm at the end of the day. “The sunset” he said, “should be experienced by all.”
posted by Philip | 1:16 p.m.
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