What is it about a country that gets you hooked? Is it the people, the history, the landscapes, the food – or something else that you just can’t put your finger on?
Jordan is on an ancient trade route connecting Egypt, to the south-west, with Damascus in Syria to the north. Beyond Jordan’s towns and cities, the country’s wild and rugged landscapes seem unchanged since the times when it lay at the cultural intersection of Roman emperors, Nabataean kings and Christian Crusaders.
The main road into the town of Aqaba.
Jordan surprised us around every turn, the Bedouin hospitality made each day special, and everything simply radiated with an intoxicating atmosphere – it has that elusive X-factor that hooks you quickly, and for good.
It’s also a very organised country, offering tourists a thing called a “Jordan Pass”. We bought this online beforehand: It covered our visa fees, plus access to a set number of tourist attractions, including three days in Petra which is the highlight of a visit to the country.
We had three weeks to complete a circular route from Aqaba in the south, up to Petra, Amman, the Dead Sea, and finally the desert landscape of Wadi Rum.
Yamaniya Beach Promenade, in Aqaba.
This story is from the February/March 2022 edition of go! - South Africa.
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This story is from the February/March 2022 edition of go! - South Africa.
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