Wadi Rum
Yesterday we made our way from Petra to Wadi Rum. Wadi Rum is a desert preserve at the southern tip of Jordan. Southern Jordan is where the Bedouins live. Camels live here, too. Our bus driver had to stop a few times to let them cross the road, and we got to see baby camels, too! One young camel was really spry and playful, and seemed like he was really irritating his sister. I'm saying brother and sister because they remind me of our dogs, Cody and Rey, and Rey (5 year-old sister) is constantly annoyed by her baby (1 year-old) brother. Can you tell which is the playful one of these camels?
We arrived at our camp in Wadi Rum in the early afternoon, and immediately went to the dining shelter. There we enjoyed another fantastic buffet lunch before our afternoon activity.
The afternoon activity was 4-wheel driving for nearly four hours, through the sand dunes between the rock formations in Wadi Rum. This is where several movies were filmed, including Lawrence of Arabia, Star Wars, and The Martian. Today it is very popular with tourists, who ride camels, sleep in simple shelters, and see stars with no light pollution.
The afternoon activity was 4-wheel driving for nearly four hours, through the sand dunes between the rock formations in Wadi Rum. This is where several movies were filmed, including Lawrence of Arabia, Star Wars, and The Martian. Today it is very popular with tourists, who ride camels, sleep in simple shelters, and see stars with no light pollution.
This is a group of tourists enjoying a camel caravan.
One stop on our ride through the desert was a community shelter tent, where we were treated to some tea. The atmosphere was really pleasant, and the weather couldn't have been more comfortable.
Here's what the accommodations looked like at our camp. We had electricity, hot water, and WiFi!
The late evening activity was the highlight of the day for us. I was hesitant to go, because I had to get up early for a 6am sunrise camel ride, so I thought I might go to sleep early. Fortunately, mom is game for every adventure, and if she could do it, I should, too. We walked into the desert, away from the lights of our camp, and enjoyed stories from a Bedouin guide, Abu Abdullah. He made a fire from twigs he collected on the way, which we didn't even see. He explained that when most people think of firewood they think of big trees that drop branches, but in the desert there are many plants with deep roots. Somehow he was able to see the roots, even without seeing a plant above the sand. He'd bend down and pick up a twig, then dig the sand away with his hands to reveal a root system he could pull up and break apart. By the time we were a few hundred yards from camp we had a relatively large pile of sticks!
Once we were about 15 minutes from camp we sat in the sand, and Abu Abdullah made a fire. He had a large kettle, in which he poured some water and placed it on the fire. While the water was heating he talked about the merging of his two worlds -- the Bedouin world and the modern world. He said that he needs to live the Bedouin life, because people should be connected to nature. He sometimes goes out in the desert by himself, just to make a fire and communicate with nature. But he has children, and he wants them to attend school, because a good future depends on a good education. So his life is split between these two drastically different worlds. When one member of our group asked how he feels about tourists in Wadi Rum he chuckled and then chose his words deliberately. "In some ways, it's good." We understood by the initial chuckle that this wasn't his first thought when he was asked how he felt about tourists. He went on. "Tourism supports us, and it allows us to live our way of life. And here you are with me, and I get to spend time with you, so that's good! But twenty-five years ago there were no tourist camps, and now there are camps all over Wadi Rum, and it changes things." He told us that if he could sleep anywhere, it would be on a mat on the sand under the stars. This desert is his home, and it is here that he is most comfortable.
While he was talking I snapped many photos, until I took this photo, at which point I stopped taking photos altogether, because there would never be a better photo of our evening.
When we headed back to camp we asked if we could carry any of his things back to his truck. He replied, "No, you go. I'm going to stay here and pray." So we walked back to camp and left him with the last embers of his fire in the dark desert.
The next morning started another adventure -- a sunrise camel ride through the desert. I've never ridden a camel before, so I wanted to go. Mom has ridden one before, so she opted out this time. Three of us decided to do the ride.
Here's my camel.
One stop on our ride through the desert was a community shelter tent, where we were treated to some tea. The atmosphere was really pleasant, and the weather couldn't have been more comfortable.
Sunrise was a bit obscured by clouds, but it was still a really beautiful morning!
Taking a selfie in front of camels, because I can!
This is Adam, our camel driver.
Right now we're on the bus heading to Aqaba, the port city at the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba. Then to the Dead Sea, where we'll stay at a resort tonight.
