I dare to admit, I have become a tourist

For the first time in 10 years I must admit that I have become a tourist. Why you might ask?
Well Jordan is, how can I say... touristic?? We drove from Amman to Wadi Musa in one day and have met more tourist groups then in one week Syria. The first roadrestaurant shops with camels occur and busses full of middle aged people are on their way to the point where mozes looked over the holy land.

Jordan is beautiful. Although in Syria the inhabitants and arabian culture make the scene, in Jordan it is the landscapes. Canyons, dry raw dessert and rocky red mountains. The road down to Petra is the most perfect way to reach the old city. From Mount Nebo you normally see Jericho and the holy land but like most days the day we visited the air was filled with dust and low hanging clouds. Nontheless the view was great. When going further down to Petra the landscape becomes more impressive each minute. We entered Petra by foot on 6.45 in the morning and walked/ climbed the whole day. 850 steps up to the monestary, 650 to the high places of sacrifice and finally the regular walk in the old city itself and to the treasury. Nobody ever said a word to many about Petra. It is unbelievable.

The wadi rum dessert is just as fine. We did not enter deep into to it but did get a good idea of the beauty. We slept in a dessert camp (and indeed with toillet and small beds ?!) and as a surprise got rainfall at 18.00 in the afternoon. Always a weird experience in the dessert.

Today I am sitting behind a computer in Aqaba. A coastal town which has not yet prospered of tourism, but is rather nice and quiet. I like it that way. A lot of locals, hanging out because it is tax free and old shabby beachside restaurants. We will stay here for 2 days before heading home. Reading books and resting from the trip.