Jordan | FindPenguins

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Trip start
September 22, 2017
Jordan Steve Catterall
istanbul
September 22, 2017 in Turkey ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
My holiday started with a flight to Jordan via Istanbul where I had a two hour stopover to change flights.

What I didn't realise is that Turkish Airlines give free tours of Istanbul to any of their customers who have long stopovers - something I will bear in mind if I travel with them again.

The airport itself is massive and can only be likened to being in a gigantic shopping centre.Read more
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Jordan Steve Catterall
Madaba, Jordan
September 23, 2017 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
I used Madaba as a base to visit the "top" of Jordan
I stayed at the mariam hotel - reasonably priced with a pool but the best thing was the owners link to local taxis - so much cheaper than anywhere else - and people were more than willing to share taxis to various sites around the regionRead more
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Jordan Steve Catterall
mount nebo, Bethany & river Jordan
September 24, 2017 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
I genuinely didn't appreciate the religious aspects of visiting Jordan until I took a trip to Mount nebo and Bethany.

My guide for the day took me first to mount nebo, which is only a short journey from Madaba, but at Bethany he had to leave me at the visitor reception as all visitors had to take the site minibus to the various locations within the site.

What did surprise me was the barbed wire and military presence in the region - but then again the river Jordan does form part of the border with Israel and when I went down to the river this was certainly made clear by the presence of the Jordanian soldiers with their 'no photo', stance.Read more
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Jordan Steve Catterall
Jerash
September 25, 2017 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
Tour of jerash
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Jordan Steve Catterall
Qasr Amra, qasr kharana & Azraq
September 26, 2017 in Jordan ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C
This trip to see the desert was along a long road into the dessert which at one point spreads out into a runway for the local police barracks before turning back into the main road link to the iraqi border.

First stop was the qasr kharana which is set off from the main road and literally is the only building for miles!

Next was Azraq which surprised me as it is built from local black basalt. There has been a fortification on the site since roman times but the site is more well known for its links with Lawrence of Arabia who was stationed here during the Arab revolt.

On the way back I stopped at qasr Amra which is more of a watering hole that has a lodge attached to it - it's worth visiting if only to see the guide to the site - he's well worth the entertainment as he explains the colored frescos inside the building.Read more
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Jordan Steve Catterall
dead sea
September 27, 2017 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C
A float in the Dead Sea is almost obligatory and it really is 'float' rather than swim.
I decided against covering myself in the mud that is available as you walk down to the shoreline
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Jordan Steve Catterall
Amman
September 28, 2017 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
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Jordan Steve Catterall
Karak
September 29, 2017 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C
Travel the kings highway to visit karak castle and then on to petra
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Jordan Steve Catterall
Petra
September 30, 2017 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
A visit to Petra is a must, I didn't realise how vast the site is bur it was a great experience to walk back in time through this nabatean world.

The day starts with a gentle stroll to the siq and its true that the sight of the the 'treasury' as you emerge from the narrow confines of the siq is something that will stay with you in your memory.

Nearly as much as the long hike upwards to the monastery! I didn't realise just how difficult it was to reach the top of this some 850 step journey, and all I can say is thank goodness there were traders with small stalls with the lemon and mint drinks.Read more
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Jordan Steve Catterall
Desert camping
October 1, 2017 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
Having visited petra I just had to spend a few days with the bedouin, so camping in wadi rum was an obvious choice.
If I had to do it again I think I would spend more time in a 4x4 rather than my ship of the desert!Read more
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Jordan Steve Catterall
Balloon trip over desert
October 3, 2017 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
An early start today to go for a flight as the sun began to rise
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Jordan Steve Catterall
Aquaba
October 4, 2017 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
After my desert travels I thought I deserved these 3 days by the beach
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Trip end
October 4, 2017