On The Road (Again)

As much as I have come to love Amman and the life I lead here, the daily grind in Jordan’s capital, with its polluted air, seemingly never ending traffic jams and lack of greenery can begin to take its toll on even the most ardent city lover. One of the greatest aspects of my time here has been the opportunity to escape city life and travel around this comparably small but incomparably beautiful country. So when presented with a four day weekend we wasted no time in whipping out our guidebook to begin planning our road trip.

Stop one; The King’s Highway 

A seemingly grandiose name for a winding and potholed former trading route, the 280km long  King’s Highway stretches from Amman in the North to Aqaba in the South. Despite Moses being refused permission to travel along this road by the King of Edom, it still has history etched in its tarmac having hosted the Nabateans (the Arab people responsible for the creation of Petra) the Crusaders and, on one Thursday afternoon in October 2018, six Brits and one Austrian speeding down its winding tracks, singing along to Elton John, attempting to make it to a renowned viewpoint for sunset. Said viewpoint did not disappoint. Nestled between the town of Dhiban and Wadi Mujib, a group of enterprising Bedouins have set up a little coffee shop with the most spectacular views over Mujib valley. Having accidentally timed our journey to absolute perfection we ended up sipping our drinks and eating our classic Jordanian dinner of hummus, labneh and bread while admiring the ever changing hues of the setting sun. 

Stop 2; Aqaba 

The relaxed feel of seaside Aqaba offers a stark contrast from the hectic streets of Amman. We spent our morning cruising around the strip of Red Sea that separates Jordan from Eilat, Israel, occasionally stopping to snorkel and have a look at a sunken Israeli tank or a patch of coral. The real snorkelling highlight though was our afternoon spent chasing Lion, Blue Tang and Pufferfish around the expansive coral reefs found a short drive south of Aqaba.  

Stop 3; Wadi Rum 

Think Star Wars, think Lawrence of Arabia, think The Martian. Even having watched some of the many movies shot in Wadi Rum doesn’t stop it taking your breath away. The extraterrestrial landscape scattered with sand dunes, rocky outcrops and Bedouin camps offered us everything we expected from our desert trip; from the quintessential camel ride to the classic tourist running down sand dune photoshoot. For me though, nothing could top the experience of sleeping outside under the stars. Having hauled blankets and pillows away from the camp, we settled down for a chilly but unforgettable couple of hours of sleep before waking up for some morning yoga, backdropped by the rising sun. 

Whilst I’m struggling to believe my time in Jordan is already coming to a close, I am so grateful for the friends I’ve made and the experiences we’ve shared together and I can’t wait for the next instalment of this year abroad adventure. 

By Ruth Wynn