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Jordan 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 WillW
September 5th 2009

One Last Week to Cram Middle East » Jordan » North » Amman

I will be heading over to Amman Jordan next week for three weeks of intensive Arabic instruction at the Ali Baba International Center in Amman. I am scheduled for 20 hours of one on one lessons for three weeks, but found out today that with Ramadan my schedule will probably change a bit. So it looks like I will be doing four hours of MSA and then one hour of colloguial Arabic every day. Not looking forward to the long flight and seven hour layover in Frankfurt, but am ready to immerse myself in the language and culture. [View Full Entry]

By Worboys Family
September 4th 2009

Adventures in Jordan Part 3 Middle East » Jordan

Treasury again

The next day I was keen to go back to Petra so that I could leave with happy thoughts and show Joe and the kids how amazing it is! We had good fun clambering over the tombs and exploring the central "city" part. We had a camel ride and a horse and carriage along the Siq (making use of every animal mode of transport!) In the afternoon we drove to the Wadi Rum for our night in the desert. Saleem our Bedouin host told me I was a beautiful Bedouine and offered Joe 10 camels for me! (it changed to 1 [View Full Entry]

By RTW adventure 09 to 13
September 4th 2009

Road To Petra Middle East » Jordan » South » Petra

Postcard Window

Stopping At Mars On The Way Leaving Aqaba and the Red Sea behind, we turned back into the desert for an off planet experience. Wadi Rum is almost like visiting Mars, so much so that nearly all the movies that need to depict Mars uses it for their set. Movies like Mission To Mars and Red Planet have been filmed on site, not to mention Transformers 2 and the countless Lawrence Of Arabia films and documentaries. T.E. Lawrence (AKA Lawrence of Arabia) lived in the area with the Bedouins as an archaeologist before the Arabic Revolt when he took [View Full Entry]

By ArianneW
September 4th 2009

Who needs running water, anyways? Middle East » Jordan » North » Amman

shower curtain success!

The past 2 weeks have certainly been interesting! Ramadan began, although it has been a lot easier than last year - not going through culture shock at the same time really helps! I also started back at school, it's been good to have a schedule again. The classes are challenging, and I'm enjoying them, for the most part. I have to study a lot more, but I'm finally beginning to understand classical grammar. And being a 3rd semester student, I only have school 4 days a week - I have a proper weekend again! Bethany and I are getting along very [View Full Entry]

By crumblybum21
September 4th 2009

I can't get over this Middle East » Jordan » North » Amman

The Dead Sea
My first view of Israel and Palestine.

I think the reality of being in the Middle East has finally sunk in. It wasn't too much of a hassle to get here. About 17 hours total, including layovers, and God knows I couldn't keep my eyes open. I think it had to do with the farewell party I had... But I'm here! "You'rehereyou'rehereyou'rehere," as our program director Allison said so enthusiastically at our orientation at the Dead Sea. And yes, bus drivers just inch into traffic as they turn, University of Jordan students shout "Ahlan wa sahlan!," and every building here seems to be sandstone. But so far we [View Full Entry]

By RTW adventure 09 to 13
September 3rd 2009

Thou Shalt Not... Middle East » Jordan » South » Aqaba

Sinai Landscapes

Sinai And Across The Gulf First thing in the morning I joined up with the other Gecko's tour group and we piled into the bus and left Cairo for the last time. Apart from the history and the wondrous sights, Cairo will leave the impression that it's a city on the verge of getting out of the third world, if only it could pull the population along with it. A massive metropolis with dirty streets and hagglers in all the markets, but also a thriving business district for fashion and electronics as well as all the resources it needs to be [View Full Entry]

By Worboys Family
August 30th 2009

Adventures in Jordan - Part 2 Middle East » Jordan » South » Petra

The Treasury from the Siq entrance

It was 2:30pm by the time I agreed to go to Petra on my own. I finally found the Visitors Centre and arranged a short tour of the Siq (the narrow canyon that leads to the entrance) and the Treasury (the first building). There were not many other tourists (economic downturn?). I learnt a lot on the way about how the Nabbateans built the city in 100BC, and about how it was "rediscovered" by the West in 1812, about the water channels they carved, the symbols and lots more. My first sight of the Treasury was pretty cool - you just [View Full Entry]

By Worboys Family
August 29th 2009

Adventures in Jordan Part 1 Middle East » Jordan

Mount Nebo

With hindsight we could have seen that our entry into Jordan would be an indication that all wasn't going to go as smoothly as planned!! Plane was delayed, there were long queues for entry visas, and the rep meeting us with our rental car wasn't hugely organised. All of which meant that instead of being nicely tucked up in our hotel at about 10pm, we had the kids still bouncing off the walls gone midnight! The next day we had to head into Amman as Joe had somehow decided to pack BOTH camera chargers into the pickup so we had no [View Full Entry]

By ArianneW
August 20th 2009

New Semester, New Adventures Middle East » Jordan » North » Amman

at the dead sea marriot

By now, you have read about many of my adventures in Jordan. Between broken washing machines and getting locked in taxis, I've certainly had my fair share. My mum came out to visit me for 10 days during my spring break, and those 10 days were packed with all sorts of interesting events. We visited the Dead Sea, rappelled down a waterfall in Wadi Mujib, had a backyard barbecue, drove a rinky-dinky car down to Petra for a candlelit tour, rode donkeys up to the monestary, saw a beautiful sunset in Wadi Rum, rode camels through the desert, and spent a [View Full Entry]

By Drinkthewater
August 19th 2009

A red-rose city blah blah Middle East » Jordan » South » Petra

Petra - Siq again
Another shot of the Siq, this time as I was leaving, when the lighting was better (Again, this photo is out of order because TravelBlog doesn't give me a way to put a photo other than the first photo... [more]

Since I’m still way behind with my blogs I thought I’d pump out another one. This one will be short, because I didn’t do much of anything interesting, but I thought my habit of sticking to a blog entry for approximately each week was working out pretty well (except for the previous two entries obviously). So this relates to the period July 20-26. After the archaeology survey I had planned to head up to Jerash, a well-restored massive Roman city, where retired Jordanian soldiers re-enact chariot races in the amphitheatre, or even up to Umm Qais, another Roman site where [View Full Entry]

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