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Petra Travel Blogs

Background: For most of its history since independence from British administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King HUSSEIN (1953-99). A pragmatic ruler, he successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states, Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population, despite several wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he reinstituted parliamentary elections and gradual political liberalization; in 1994 he signed a formal peace treaty with Israel. King ABDALLAH II - the eldest son of King HUSSEIN and Princess MUNA - assumed the throne following his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his power and undertaken an aggressive economic reform program. Jordan acceded to the World Trade Organization in 2000, and began to participate in the European Free Trade Association in 2001. After a two-year delay, parliamentary and municipal elections took place in the summer of 2003. The Prime Minister and government appointed in April 2005 declared they would build upon the previous government's achievements to respect political and human rights and improve living standards.

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By curly
December 10th 2009

sleeping in a cave and visiting Petra Middle East » Jordan » South » Petra

Little Petra

So last night we cooked food in the house, took everything in the car and drove to the cave in Little Petra. It's allowed to sleep and stay there but the problem is that people not always clean their mess. We found the cave filled with rubbish so we cleaned it, put our mattresses on the floor and made a fire. The next morning we had tea in one of the bedouin tents there and went back to the village. We walked through the village and after a good walk we entered Petra from the back to see some more of [View Full Entry]

By curly
December 9th 2009

breath taking Middle East » Jordan » South » Petra

Wadi Musa

Hello Hello, So after my arrival in Jordan I took the bus the next day to Petra. Normally I was going to stay at someone's place I found through couchsurfing but everything went wrong. I couldn't reach him at all but still I took off to Petra. When I arrived in Wadi Musa, which is the village next to Petra a lot of people asked for a hotel and stuff, but I had my travel guide with me and so I wanted to find a nice hotel by myself. One of the local guides knew the owner and would make a [View Full Entry]

By NicolaasRoos
November 24th 2009

Jordan and Israel in a week part two Middle East » Jordan » South » Petra

So after my opulent dinner I left the next day for Petra. Again bypassing all the taxidrivers for one of those adventurous minivans. Actually, I wanted to take the real bus from Jett, which is supposed to be very comfortable and fast, but I missed that one by 15 minutes. S off I went to the normal busstation. Is cheaper as well and more authentic. The Jordanians do it like this as well. In the bus I met another German guy, named Volker who was also on his way to Petra. In Petra I took the Valentine Inn, which was a [View Full Entry]

By SayLittle
October 19th 2009

Jordan Middle East » Jordan » South » Petra

Coffee Shop in Jordan

Jordan was amazing not only for the history but also for the landscape. The first stop in Jordan was Wadi Rum, which is an old caravan route and is mostly famous for Lawrence of Arabia. We spent about four hours in the desert climbing hill, sand dunes and exploring the terrain. That night we bushed camped in the middle of the desert and passed the time by making pyramids and doing other stupid tricks, it was a very fun night. After Wadi Rum we continued onto Wadi Musa, which a small town where Petra is located. The group spent the evening [View Full Entry]

By Nathan1986
October 17th 2009

Call me Haysum Middle East » Jordan » South » Petra

Walking threw the Siq

I left Amman in the afternoon as i considered the day travelling to Petra a dead day. I left after lunch and just rocked up to the bus station as it now seems a task finding out what time buses leave. The taxi driver was kind enough to drive me into the station and drop me off at the exact terminal for my bus. This was a nice gesture as he could have left me at the front to walk through all the touts who hassle you into a cab. Though it didnt take long for touts to spot me. They [View Full Entry]

By stu dowell
October 15th 2009

Petra the jewel in Jordans crown Middle East » Jordan » South » Petra

Mansour tries it for size

Journal Entry: Monday, October 12, 2009 Time: 10:01 PM Started the day with a very nice large leisurely breakfast, then went for a walk, didn't get lost but found myself at the gates of prince Hussein's residence on the Israeli border (its that close )the checkpoint phoned the gaffer and he invited me in for drinks as he likes England ! The captain was a very nice fellow and we had Arabian coffee, was almost clear and none to sure of the flavour and a glass of orange juice. Returned to the hotel via the market again, little else to do, [View Full Entry]

By India_Stoughton
September 23rd 2009

Petra By Night - The Illegal Way Middle East » Jordan » South » Petra

Petra at Sunset

Our second day in Jordan was equally as eventful, if such a thing is possible, although the morning began rather badly, with our fancy three star hotel informing us we had to leave as they were fully booked, which we had a sneaking suspicion was not strictly (or at all) true. We took turns in the cold shower and then went down to reception where I asked if we could use the internet while we waited for Everitte to arrive from Amman to which the manager replied ‘It costs 3JD per half an hour’, which was not only not an answer [View Full Entry]

By jenniferroyal
September 22nd 2009

Petra Middle East » Jordan » South » Petra

The High Altar of Sacrifice

For anyone wondering how we managed to get pictures of Petra sans the teeming masses, the trick is a combination of a very early start, having longer legs than the average Japanese tourist, and skirting the obvious (and easily accessible) for the off-the-beaten track (i.e. the High Place of Sacrifice, the Monastery, and Wadi Araba) . The pictures, however, do not do justice to the experience of having a UNESCO World Heritage Site virtually to ourselves, and of getting through the Siq before the donkeys. The hikes were incredible, the views breathtaking, and the heat, well, the less said the b [View Full Entry]

By India_Stoughton
September 22nd 2009

Befriending the Bedouins Middle East » Jordan » South » Petra

The Red Desert

My first impression of Wadi Musa, the town nearest to the ancient Nabatean city of Petra, was of a town built for tourists, with the slightly depressed feeling one gets in British seaside towns in winter, when the main reason for the existence of the town is in short supply. Becka, Emlyn and I set off from Damascus on Monday morning and did the 6 hour bus trip across the Jordanian border to Amman, followed by the three hour bus ride to Petra in one long, long day. We arrived in Wadi Musa at around 7 in the evening after our [View Full Entry]

By jenniferroyal
September 21st 2009

The Desert Road,,,courtesy of Avis Car Rental Middle East » Jordan » South » Petra

the car

Traveling during Eid has turned out to be more of a challenge than either of us anticipated. Sure, we can eat when we like and I haven’t been stoned (yet) for showing my elbows, but arranging the logistics has been a bit of a challenge. For instance, when we arrived at the car rental place in Amman at 9am this morning (with a reservation made months in advance!) there were only two vehicles still available- an aging Peugot with a cracked windshield, and a newer model Chevrolet with ‘a loose key’, a phrase which Amil interpreted as referring to a bad [View Full Entry]

Travel Blog » Middle East » Jordan » South » Petra