Petra

Booked a private tour to Petra & Wadi Rum which turned out to be an excellent decision. The Jordanian Mario Andretti 😂 picked us up right by the ship and whisked us through the countryside to Petra. Beautiful arid landscapes and our first roaming camel sightings!

Our guide at Petra worked on several of the archeology digs there so he was super knowledgeable. Great walk down through the Siq (meaning: gorge, crack, canyon)—such amazing colors and formations, the photos don’t do them justice! Mind blown by the aqueducts lining both sides of the canyon, which brought fresh water to the city from a spring 6 miles away.

If the canyon looks different from that scene in Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade, it’s because the movie prompted further excavations which revealed the aqueducts and an ancient road under ~3-6’ of sand. At least that’s what our guide said.

Hoofed it back up the visitor center (good workout!) for a quick buffet lunch (meh) before heading to Wadi Rum.Read more