whY go to Jordan?

[klm597]

The next day began relatively early as we were doing the Monastery hike into Petra (which I believe is what most call the "back" entrance). We started off at 'Little Petra' which has a breathtaking well-preserved fresco ceiling which was a huge highlight to this area for me.



The Monastery hike began at the entrance to 'Little Petra' and was supposed to be closed for maintenance. We however, we had special permission to use it (big plus for Intrepid for doing this). There were maybe two other very small groups we saw on the path but other than that we had it to ourselves (other than a few local Bedouins). It was an absolutely spectacular hike and definitely the best one of the trip. After a few hours we got the first glimpse of the urn on top of the Monastery which was where we met the rest of the crowds.









After a quick lunch we powered on through the main area to get to the very, very top of the Treasury. From the Tombs this hike took 30 minutes each way which was less than we were expecting but well worth it. A Bedouin was selling cold drinks at the top of which two of us indulged. Just before we left the top we were ushered down a ramp into an even better viewing area of the Treasury which made the price of the drink very well worth it.



Afterwards we still had some time left in the day so me and one other did the High Place of Sacrifice hike. This took only 20 minutes each way and really put the area into perspective with views of the site of Petra, the adjacent tourist town (Wadi Musa) and the nearby Bedouin village (Uum Sayhoun). Also well worth it.



That night we were guests for dinner at a local's household just outside Wadi Musa. We spent a few hours talking to various members of the family with our guide working as a translator. We were served Mansaf (with chicken) for dinner and got to watch the very kind cook 'flip' the dish out of the cooking pot and into the serving dish. It was delicious and a very efficient way to feed a lot of people! We all agreed after that this experience was fascinating despite a few very probing questions from a few of us regarding the roles of the woman in the household. They also had a 6 month old infant which just too adorable.

 

[RooFlyer]

Just caught up - nice TR, nice style. Will keep up now!

 

[klm597]

The next day I woke up at 5:30am and after a quick cab ride I was at the Petra visitor centre at 6am ready for opening. A few others on the tour were keen for a morning visit but didn't end up showing so it was just me.

There were perhaps 5 other tourists with me power-walking down to the Treasury right after opening at 6am and we all made it to the Treasury by 6:25am. Although the early morning light was very similar to the afternoon light in the Treasury, having the place to yourself (almost) was incredible. The lack of horses and camels loudy roaming everywhere also helped significantly to the feel of the space. I walked up to the mid-height viewing platform of the Treasury for a few obligatory selfies (not attached).







I then hiked back up to the High Place of Sacrifice which was truly magical as I had the entire area to myself. By 7:30 I was back at the Treasury and it was busier then I had seen in the days prior! As I walked back up the Siq many more huge tour groups were making there way in.





As such, my recommendation would be to get there at 6am (and no later) or in the afternoon, as by the time I got to the visitor centre there were huge queues at security and the ticket counter. Our guide did say this was close to high season however.

A few parting words regarding Petra and the surrounding area. As part of the relocation deal with the local Bedouin people and the Jordanian government in 1985 when they were relocated from the caves of Petra to nearby village, the locals can still make money off the site. As such there are stalls everywhere selling generic Jordan memorabilia and offers for camel and horse rides throughout the site. There are many children who work in Petra selling items and rides as well rather than going to school. It is a difficult situation for all parties involved but we avoided giving anything to the children as to not support the behaviour. This did detract from the overall experience and hopefully someone smarter than me can come up with a solution.

Also be prepared for A LOT of walking and stairs if you want to cover the entire site (unless you want to support the horse and camel riding). As stated by others 2 days minimum to see everything. Petra is absolutely magical and I am so, so glad I have visited.

 

[pagingjoan]

Brilliant report. And I’m so glad you got to have the magical experience of having the site virtually to yourself. It’s an absolute privilege.

 

[klm597]

I made it back to the hotel for a quick breakfast before we all departed at 10am. The Amra Palace International Hotel was very European with beautiful surroundings. Whilst the room was a little small everything else was perfectly fine and the jacuzzi was well used by our group. The 5 minute drive from the visitor centre was never a problem as taxis are plentiful and cheap.



After a 2 hour drive we made it to Wadi Rum Villiage where we transferred to land cruiser type vehicles for the off-road drive to our desert camp (with a few sightseeing stops along the way). I'll let the photos do the talking but this area was stunning and it really did feel like you were on Mars. First made famous from the classic film Laurence of Arabia, Wadi Rum was relatively unknown until 2008 when it got slapped with a UNESCO heritage stamp and the tourist infrastructure started to grow.









There are many desert camps around the huge area and they all looked identical to ours. We had solar electricity and hot water which surprisingly worked morning and night. I never saw any indication of a large battery and never heard a generator so how the set-up works I have no idea. The bed and pillow were a little hard but we all survived.



That night we were all treated to a fantastic sunset and then a transitional roast burried below the sand. The chicken was amazing but the charcoal flavour was perhaps a bit too strong in the vegetables.

 

[JohnM]

I'm glad you did the full monty - and then some - in Petra - told you it would be good .

That was pretty cool coming into the monastery from the back.

 

[klm597]

I'm glad you did the full monty - and then some - in Petra - told you it would be good .

That was pretty cool coming into the monastery from the back.

Yes thank you for the recommendations. I was very glad to have maximised my time to the max whilst in Petra.

 

[klm597]

The next morning was another hike at only 15km, but with much of the time spent walking on soft sand it was a little slow. Scenery was spectacular and we had lunch on the "road" cooked by the guys running the camp. Lamb meatballs with white yoghurt sauce, it was definitely one of the best meals of the week.







That afternoon we had free. We had the option to have quick trip to Aqaba but after much debate we all decided we wouldn't have that much time there (compared to the drive). I think we were all happy with a relaxed afternoon in the camp. Some of us hiked up around the huge limestone rock formation behind the camp which sucked up many hours. We never made it to the top (too risky in areas) but we made it to the two adjacent peaks which was enough for me. Another spectacular sunrise and we soon realised the trip was nearly coming to an end.





The camp only had non-alcoholic beer available, as did Wadi Rum Village, so we were all kicking ourselves for not bringing anything for the evenings. Somehow we all coped with just the campfire, the stargazing and the non-alcoholic beer .

 

[klm597]

The next day we had a quick 1.5 hour hike through a canyon followed by the long drive back North. We left the area at 10am and after the vehicle swap back to the bus and a few other stops we made it to Mariam Hotel in Madaba just before 3pm. It was nice to be back in phone reception and thanks to the Christian influence in Madaba we were surrounded by liquor again (hallelujah).



That afternoon we strolled around the centre of Madaba ticking off Saint George's Church and the Burnt Palace. Saint George's was very busy with a lot of Greek orthodox tourists (it's a Greek Orthodox Church after all) but the floor mosaic map was good to see. The mosaic is the oldest remaining map of the holy land. The modern church was built on top of the mosaic (as was the case with many old houses in Madaba).







Only a two minute walk from the church was the remains of the Burnt Palace with even more mosaics. As we were all there quite late in the day one of the guides in the site gave us a personalised tour which was very nice. Again, the shear quantity of the mosaics around the area was amazing. I wasn't expecting so many to still exist when they are all well over 1200 years old.





That night was the farewell dinner. We went to a local restaurant very close to the Burnt Palace which put on a nice set menu (chicken, fish or mixed grill) with appetizers for 13JOD. It was also a 50th birthday for one of the woman on the tour so cake and a few drinks were also consumed. Afterwards we all headed back to the bar at the hotel for a few more drinks. We tried another Jordanian red wine and were reasonably impressed considering it was only 15JOD for a bottle, much better the stuff we had earlier in the trip.



Didn't end up going to bed until after midnight, it was a very nice way to end the trip and say goodbye to those leaving early the next morning. I was surprised at how well we all bonded in just 7 days.

 

[JohnM]

You didn't miss much by not going to Aqaba, IMO.

 

[klm597]

As expected the next morning started quite hazy after the antics of the previous night. One final goodbye to those in the group still at the hotel during a long breakfast and then I did a quick bit of shopping spending my last Dinar on tea before making my way to the airport.

The Mariam hotel in Madaba was quite nice with helpful desk staff and a good breakfast buffet. It was only a 10 minute walk to the centre of Madaba. My only comments would be a slightly hard bed (didn't bother me though) and a shower that was a bit too small.

The taxi to the airport was eventful (driver spoke no English and didn't understand "airport") but I got there in the end. Ended up waiting 15 minutes at check-in due to a slow moving business queue but immigration was quick and the Petra Lounge was easily found and right next to the departure gate for Etihad.

The Petra Lounge had a 'living room' feel with tonnes of natural light and a nice dining room. Buffet was very decent with multiple meat and vegetable options. Jordanian beer, wine and a few limited spirits were also available but I did not indulge. No issues getting into the lounge either as a VA Gold in Y.





The priority boarding queue was nearly as long as the regular queue and just as slow. The flight was close to 100% full but we departed and arrived on-time. I had a personal greeting and thank you for being Gold again, unlike the flight to Amman, which was nice to see. Meal was another snack wrap but that was enough for me on the 2.5 hour flight after lunch in the lounge.



I was sad to say goodbye to Jordan after only 9 days. I had come to really appreciate the country, the locals and my travelling companions.

 

[klm597]

You didn't miss much by not going to Aqaba, IMO.

Thanks JohnM, that's good to know. We were intrigued by the possibility of snorkeling on the Red Sea near Aqaba around the reefs, especially as I'd never heard of any coral reefs existing in the area. I think we made the right decision to stick in Wadi Rum. There is always next time, however .

 

[JohnM]

The reefs weren't much at all in that area and the water was very turbid when I was there. I wouldn't bother going there at all.

 

[klm597]

The reefs weren't much at all in that area and the water was very turbid when I was there. I wouldn't bother going there at all.

Okay we definitely made the right decision then! I'll stick to what's on offer in Queensland .

 

[klm597]

We arrived at a jetbridge in AUH and I used the business transfer security check no problems which saved a fair bit of time. Made a bee-line for the Al Reem Lounge which worked out well as I got one of the last seats available. Quick light dinner and a couple of herbal teas were very satisfactory. I ended up leaving the lounge early as the place was so busy and just found a nice quiet (ish) place in the terminal to wait.



Boarding started on-time and priority boarding onto the business bus worked again. The plane was parked at quite literally the furthest possible area from the terminal but I didn't mind as I was just plane watching. Despite the on-time boarding an hour before the scheduled departure time we took off half an hour late and didn't make up that time getting into Hong Kong

The seat map was showing nearly 100% full but I somehow lucked out with a spare middle seat next to me. No greeting or message for being Gold on this flight. The crew didn't seem as good as other Etihad crews on this trip. Dinner was a bit larger than previous flights and was the typical economy fare. Ended up getting maybe 2-3 hours of sleep and I didn't wake up until top of decent so I missed the pre-arrival snack.



Priority bags didn't work but the wait wasn't too long and I was on my way to Central on the airport express. Dropped my bag at in-town check-in with Virgin Australia (using the HK Airlines' counter) which worked as intended, bag checked through to Brisbane and received both boarding passes. Quick stop at Tim Ho Wan for some BBQ pork buns to use the last of my HKD before walking around Soho and up to Man Mo Temple to get some sunlight and exercise in for the day.

 

[klm597]

Jumped back on the airport express and I was back at the airport at 2pm. The same day return fare of 110HKD on Octopus card worked as intended in this situation.

Went straight to the Club Autus lounge for a very nice shower (possibly the nicest I've had all week) followed by some hot Korean noodles cooked to order. In the 4 hours I spent at the lounge it never got very busy and the food choice was exceptional. There isn't a huge emphasis on alcohol in the lounge but all the basics are readily available (the Prosecco was perfectly fine). Very nice tea as well.





Boarding started on-time and priority boarding worked well and was enforced. Very nice greeting as I settled in by the CSM and I was incredibly greatful I had decided to bid for an upgrade. $660 UpgradeMe bid was accepted around 3 days out as a VA Gold. Business went out full which was good to see. 3 days prior to departure economy looked about 75% full as well although I didn't check onboard. Loads are never an indication of profit but at least VA seem to be able to fill their aircraft despite the troubles in HK.

 

[klm597]

There was a half hour departure delay due to storms to the South of HK but we made up the time for an on-time arrival into Melbourne.



Service started very well with a G&T and perfectly warmed nuts just after departure. Meal orders were taken at the same time. The garlic bread was good and the butter was actually soft! I had the tomato salad to start and the braised beef noodles for the main pared with a Shiraz Cabernet from Barossa Valley. Finished off with some strawberry ice cream that was rock hard unfortunately (didn't take long to soften however).









Both the salad and the beef noodles were delicious and perfectly portioned for me. I was consistently offered wine top-ups but declined as I already had drunk enough in the lounge. Meal service was finished in just under 1.5 hours. Turn down service was done as I was changing into the PJs.

After not sleeping much the night prior on the Etihad flight I slept for a solid 6+ hours and woke up 1.5 hours before arrival as the cabin lights were turned on. The mattress pad and blanket made for a very comfy bed and I had no problems with the footwell size (although I'm not particularly tall).

5 minutes after waking up my breakfast was served on a tray as per what I ticked on the card departing HK. No complaints with the breakfast, the eggs were fluffy and the corn fritter delicious. Coffee was fine as well and there were no problems with asking for a tea only 40 minutes before arrival.





We had a beautiful, smooth approach into MEL and were at the gate 10 minutes early. Very sincere goodbye and thank you from the CSM. I couldn't really have asked more from the crew, they were very nice and very Virgin.

 

[klm597]

We pulled into the gate closest to immigration which took all of two seconds. Unfortunately there was some fault with the baggage unloading equipment so there was a 30 minutes wait at the carousel. This seemed to affect a few other flights as well so I'm not really sure I can blame Virgin on this one. My bag did come through in the first wave so at least that aspect worked.

No issues with customs despite stating I had been in rural areas and I was into the VA domestic lounge 5 minutes later. This would probably be my favourite lounge in the network with great apron views and the far side of the lounge had always been very quiet when I've visited. A little second breakfast went down well and I spent the two hours in the lounge finishing and uploading this trip report.



Boarding for the flight to BNE started mostly on-time with priority boarding strictly enforced. Rain had rolled into MEL but we were up in the air only 15 minutes after scheduled departure. Perfectly on-time arrival into Brisbane but again there was a delay with the bags, mine came out about midway through.

 

[klm597]

And that's it! I've just made it home. Thank you all for your suggestions and coming along with me for the ride.

Tune in just after Christmas for a trip on the Indian Pacific from Perth to Sydney over New Year's .

 

[OZDUCK]

Thanks for the TR. Some great photos of desolate yet beautiful landscape and fabulous historical sights. You certainly looked like you had a good time.