After ten days , we flew to Jordan where the main goal was to visit Petra , which turned out to be much more than the famed Treasury . Walking through a narrow canyon that rose steeply on both sides , we reached a longdeserted Nabataean town .
We explored the Roman ruins at Jerash , watched gladiators in combat , travelled to the traditional site on the Jordan River where Jesus was baptized , climbed up Mount Nebo where tradition says Moses was granted a view of the Promised Land , and covered ourselves with mud before floating in the Dead Sea .
One of our most memorable activities was a 30-minute camel ride through the desert of Wadi Rum — just us and our handler and the serene desert . At sunset we relaxed in the desert and sipped cooled wine as we nibbled appetizers . Wadi Rum is where scenes from Star Wars and The Martian were filmed .
After ten days in Jordan , we flew to Dubai for four days of exploration . It was quite a transformation to go from an Egyptian civilization that was at its height around three thousand years ago to one that is at its peak now . Everything is the newest and the best . We looked out on the city and the desert from the Burj Khalifa and shopped in a giant mall with an inside ski hill and world class aquarium . We careened through the desert in a Jeep , sliding down sand dunes with the promise that they would stop if you had to empty your stomach . Shopping in the gold and spice souks gave us a last opportunity to bring home souvenirs and walk among the local population . It also provided a chance to stretch prior to our nineteen-and-a-halfhour flight back to Edmonton .
During our guided tour , we had excellent accommodations ranging from Martian dome structures in the desert to the hotel where Agatha Christie resided while writing one of her novels . We ate meals of local foods in local restaurants and
desert encampments . We experienced the sights , sounds , and smells of the region with a group of wonderful fellow travellers , which started with thirty in Egypt , dropped to twenty in Jordan , and became the two of us in Dubai . There was never any point in the trip where we felt at risk for our safety , and we were well aware of the measures taken in Egypt to protect tourist sites . We were told by the drivers in Dubai that there was no safer place to be in the world .
If this adventure is one that you have been considering , we give you our wholehearted endorsement to begin your planning now .
Willard Bandola is a retired gentleman of leisure with interests in reading , writing , volunteering , and participating in various sports . Recent trips have included a safari in Southern Africa , a river trip in Portugal , beach time in Mexico , and summers in British Columbia .
The Treasury in Petra , Jordan
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