Leaving the noise and traffic of Amman behind, we journeyed south on the Desert Highway (not dark, no cool wind in my hair…) almost as far as the tip of the Red Sea and sandwiched between Israel on the one side and Saudi Arabia on the other. We were headed for Wadi Rum – a protected area of desert famed for its expanses of red sand and amazingly gnarled sandstone edifices.
We transferred from our air-conditioned minibus to three jeeps. Our driver didn’t look a day over 14…
First stop was a local food store to pick up some lunch – bread, hummus, muttabal. We ate in a communal picnic tent with other travellers, and were provided with tea to go with our food.
Then we set off into the wide expanse of desert. We made several stops to climb a dune, explore a gorge (complete with some c12,000 year-old petroglyphs), and photograph the impressive rocky formations of beautifully coloured sandstone. It really was breathtaking.
At around 5:30 we arrived at our camp for the night. Dotted throughout the desert are small encampments specifically designed to accommodate tourists. Not quite the basic, wilderness experience I was hoping for, but that did not detract from the wonderful setting. I was shown to my tent which was a metal framed construction covered in woven cloth, with a sliding window and spectacular views. We regathered as a group and climbed to a nearby vantage point to watch the sunset with a cold beer. Just fabulous.
Dinner was cooked for us in traditional style using the warmth of the ground to slow cook chicken and vegetables. Afterwards, we gathered around a fire pit for dancing, chatting and putting the world to rights as only a group of women can! Perhaps the most special part of the evening was lying on the sand, stargazing into a beautiful clear sky – I don’t think I’ve ever seen the stars in such brilliance before and no photograph can do justice to the wonders that the eyes see for real.
And so to bed… hoping not to need a pee in the night and glad to have packed a head torch just in case… 😊
50shadesofbrave 