Jordan here I come

Up early, had a restless night, changed my mind about the bag I was taking, so got up at 3.00am and re paccked everything. Got less than 5 hours sleep. especially after the previous nights fire alarms going off as well, not sure how I managed to get up and get to the meeting point by 5.15 am. I had choesen to stay at this hotel due to its proximity to the meeting point. It was less than a 3 minute walk.

But as things do happen often in situations such as this, the coach did not arrive on time due to an accident on the road. but we were entertained by a lightning show. I recorded it just for Colin. You would have enjoyd it. There was 7 of us at the Telaviv meeting point. 3 from Australia, 3 from the States. Finaly the coach came and we were on our way. Picked up another 14 from Jerusalem. Afther the Bein Harem tours that we had used to go to Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Dead Sea etc this was totally unorgainsed and the driver did not know what he was doing, some of the group people didn'nt know which what was happening, so wasted quite a lot of time getting people organised. Everyone was there but they did'nt seem to communicate with each other. While there it was poured with rain. Just buketed down. Cooled the place down a bit. Anyhow we were now off to Jordan. Well talk about s stuff up at the boarder crossing. Leaving Israel, you have to get out of your coach, then go pay the fees at a counter, then go to te customes officer. The place where you pay your fees won't accept israel currency even though its Israel boarder petrol, what ever you pay it is accounted in US $'s then it takes the lady a month of sundays to convert that. Finally into Duty Free. Mr James got you Blue Berry and Vodka soft centred choclates for you. Now if it so happens that it is so hot, I need to eat it so it does;nt go to waste, remember I bought it originally thinking of you. :)

After that you have to take your luggage out of the coach as the Israeli driver does not cross over. So we have to get in to a lareg bus along with every other Dick Tom and Harry and cross over to Jordan. Which is all of a 5 minute drive or so. Then of we get off, and there is a person with a tour group board, but it does not say "Petra from Israel", Which is the name of our tour group. instead the board that is being held by the guide says Jordan Tours. So 18 of us trapse through to the passport control and your not allowed to take your luggage in. We are all going around like head less chooks wondering where is the guide for our group, what are we to do now. So I went off to speak to the guide who was yet at the bus stand to make sure he was not our guide and he says No he is waiting for a different group. Then we ring the tour company and it wa this stupid moronic person. Not sure what plantet he was living on, that is a mystery. But as it so happens he is not reallay bad. Has a sense of humor and he is trying to earn a living, and he is very proud of his home land and the Royal Family, especialy the crown prince who got married on the 1st June this year.

So after a lot of sorting out because there were people in our group, some who was staying 1 night in Jordan, then there were others who were staying 2 nights in Jordan, and still more of us staying 3 nights in Jordan. So we got moving. First we went to Jerash. This is an ancient Roman City. On the way there wer went though very mountainous country. We were travelling north and climbing all the time. much of the country is a desert but the towns were full of homes and shops and people. The roads were very bad compared to Israel, and the towns and the places were not maintained that well etc. Jerash once again was like Masada. Jaw droppingly awsome, how did these get built, and how are they yet standing. Some of the place is destroyed due to Earth Quakes, but the ruins are yet standing, not sure about what is built today,
dont think there are going to be around 2000 years later.

Lunch was picked up from a shop and we had it at Jerash in a restaurant that caters to that, then after wondering around Jerash we went on to see one of the oldest Mosaic Floors in a Greek Orthodox Church Madaba. After that we were taken to a Jordanian sweet shop for sampling and purchasing of same, Quickly scooted into a church that I psssed on the way of the Virgin Mary too which had mossaic work on the walls. Then to Mossaic workshop set up by the late King Hussaine's wife for young disabled people. I really and truly liked a mossaic artwork there, but it was over NZ $ 2000. Could not justify paying that, have a photo of the mosaic artwork will put it up on my photos. they also make camel haired carpets and bamboo carpets, but as I learnt today 1 Jordan Dinar is worth just over NZ$ 2.00. So when they say something is 1300.00 then bring it down by bargaining to 850 Dinar its yet close to NZ $2000.

After that we dropped off the 4 people not going of to do Petra tomorrow and we arrived at our digs. I paid for a single room and have got a suit, the quantity is there but not the quality. the water was warm and clean the sheets a clean, Our group has gelled together, we had dinner together and there was lots of laughter and fun. so all in all a great day.En savoir plus