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Published: July 14th 2010
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The Siq and The Treasury
Staying all day was a good idea because the tour buses leave pretty early. And I still didn't get around the whole site. It is not as though Egypt doesn’t have sufficient historical and natural attractions to keep me thoroughly occupied for two weeks but I thought while I was so close to Jordan I would pop across the Gulf of Aqaba for a look.
This wasn’t a country collecting trip; it was actually inspired by quite the reverse. By the realisation that I have missed out on some places that I really want to visit purely because I think I’ll be back in the future. After five trips to Africa, I still haven’t been to Ethiopia, the country I have always wanted to visit the most, because I am saving it for God knows when. Similarly, after all of my trips to Latin America, including living there for fourteen months, the only mainland Latin country that I haven’t been to is the one that I always had the biggest desire to visit; namely Ecuador.
Possibly for the first time amongst my many blogs I will now give a bit of practical travel information. This is because any research I conducted before I left, using the internet and guidebooks, turned out to be inaccurate.
Published information led me to believe that
a two or three day side trip from Egypt to Jordan and back would be nigh on impossible. Obstructions included difficulties in obtaining Egyptian double entry visas, unreliable boat services, expensive, irregular taxi services in Jordan, unsynchronized buses and boats in Egypt, etc, etc. I’m happy to tell you that it is both possible and easy to nip into Jordan for a couple of days, though not cheap.
While in Dahab I had noticed signs everywhere offering day trips to Petra. These trips involve an air conditioned private bus to an air conditioned private fast ferry to another air conditioned private bus to Petra. Consequently it is pricey. Particularly since the 2am journey (midnight if you start in Sharm el Sheik) provides you with only three hours in Petra before returning you at 10pm. The trick is to use the tour to get you there, then abandon it, returning with the same company another day. In the mean time you can do your own thing away from the huge group and at a lower cost.
After the crowds of people at some of Egypt’s attractions, notably the Valley of the Kings (“You should see it in high season!”
said my guide), I was a little apprehensive upon arrival at Petra. Also because in such a famous place, there is the danger of being disappointed. Thankfully my apprehensions were completely unfounded.
All I knew about Petra was the Treasury. It isn’t quite as recognizable as the pyramids, even after being immortalized by Indiana Jones as the home of the holy grail, but it is seen on countless travel shows and in newspaper or magazine articles.
Thinking that Petra is only about the Treasury was doing it a gross injustice. The place is amazing. And huge. The rock formations and natural scenery alone make it worthy of a visit. Combine this with fantastically carved tombs, amphitheatres and temples and you have a very special place.
My group were shepherded back towards the bus at 2pm after their three hour tour and I was left with only the independent travellers. There were still plenty of people, but they were very well dispersed. They too began to depart in the early afternoon and by dusk there were very few of us still knocking around.
You could spend at least two days walking around Petra and that would give
you more time to find a lofty spot to just sit and take it all in; the history, the scenery, the architecture, the all round beauty. I had a bit of time to do this but not really enough.
The next morning was an early start because I had a date with a Bedouin for a trip into Wadi Rum.
Wadi Rum is significant historically as the place where Lawrence of Arabia contributed to the Arab Revolt against the Ottomans in World War One. It should also be more significant aesthetically. Although I’ll admit to being a big fan of deserts, this one could be the most beautiful that I’ve ever visited.
The huge red sand dunes butt up against towering rock formations, themselves often decorated with ancient petroglyphs.
Unlike many deserts, this place is alive. Springs issue from the high mountains providing occasional patches of green and explaining why Wadi Rum has been constantly inhabited for thousands of years.
In summary, the expense of this side trip was definitely worth it. I justified the cost because I was on a two week holiday rather than travelling. More time would have been fantastic, especially in
Al-khazneh, more widely known as the Treasury
You might recognise this from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
Petra. Wadi Rum. But you can’t give everywhere all the time that it warrants or you would be travelling forever. Not a bad idea actually.
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