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Published: September 23rd 2008
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Woke up after a good nights sleep - thank god for the MP3 player and the Sennheiser earphones - without them I'd still be listening to Arabic Soap Operas. All of them are the same, consisting of a guy shouting and slapping a woman about, I know at least one lady who would have something to say about that back in England and if he slapped her he'd be getting a roundhouse kick to his chops!!
Early start 08:30 to Petra - the six of us arrived there before the madding crowds - the start of Petra involves walking down the Siq which is about 1.5 km long - it is about 3 metres wide with sheer walls towering 100 metres up to the sky on both sides. The rock formations are simply stunning, I have never seen anything like this, the strata is an abundance of different colours - very impressive. the Siq narrows just as you are presented with the library which is a huge facade carved into the the rock (those of you who can remember Indiana Jones and the last crusade will remember ).
After that walked to the high place of sacrifice which was
about 100 metres up a sheer cliff which afforded great views of the whole Nabbatean complex which is Petra. The Romans liked it so much that they adopted it and buried their own there.
Walked around loads of tombs that were cut into the mountainside each one was just as impressive. There were lots of overweight Americans who couldn't scale the high place and who had to get on a donkey to do it and I felt really sorry for them ( the donkeys that is). As is my want I became an unofficial tour guide for the six of us and took us around all the sites of Petra, Paul was suffering a bit and got on a donkey himself which I gave him a lot of grief about (stiff upper lip and all that).
Around 16:00 we headed up to the monastery which is around 100 metres up some winding steps - it was around 38 degrees - so not that hot!!! - Paul and Anna were on their donkeys!!!
At the top the monastery again was cut into solid rock and some of the locals were jumping from one part to the other around
100 metres up - show offs.
We were the last ones away from the Monastery and with all the tours leaving we had the whole of Petra to ourselves. At that point there was only the royal tombs left which I had to see but everybody else was flagging so I scaled the 70 metres climb on my own and was really glad cause they were amazing plus as it was late afternoon they took on a salmon colour which was incredible.
After that we then headed back to the siq and the long walk back to the start - Petra is simply incredible and a joy to behold - it is one of the wonders of the world - but after walking solid for 9 hours with no food in nearly 40 degree heat I was a little tender, tired and sunburnt (but not that badly, mum:-)
After a quick shower we all went out to the Arabian nights for tea which was a laugh - there were 4 of us having a veggie meal (I'd been working on them) and they just brought us a plate of rice - we thought that was it so
we started tucking in and half way through they finally brought us the veg - you had to be there!!!! We had soup, salad and a main meal for 4 JDs (approx 3 pounds sterling).
Next day off to the desert and Wadi Rum.
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