Blogs from Middle East - page 23

Google maps has been invaluable at helping us find our way between destinations and also providing some ‘enrichment’ in the routes chosen. Today's adventure started off well with another delicious breakfast in the courtyard, but things went somewhat downhill from there. First descent was when child #1 noticed in an absolute panic that she had left her favourite toy in the bed at the hotel, precisely 3 seconds after we had entered the freeway system. Tried to navigate our way out of it, only to head 20 mins in the exact wrong direction with no exit in sight. Finally made it back to the hotel to collect the attempted escapee. Exactly one hour behind schedule and we headed to Pamukkale for some restorative soaking. It was a long trip, mostly on freeway (where we experienced an ... read more

Waking up around 4 am, we indeed did have an early morning in order to get to the Tel Aviv airport at 5. There was a shocking number of people in the airport, and we had to wait in three different lines. We took a 50-minute flight to Amman, Jordan where we had a five-hour layover and then a half hour delay before our flight to Aqaba, Jordan. Once there, we took a shuttle to our hotel where we took showers and ate at the buffet. I was on my own for most of the following day. My family was going snorkeling and diving, and these days, those sorts of activities are simply not for me. I passed time by working on college stuff since I am now 17 and a rising senior in high school. ... read more

This summer my dad, stepmom, sister and I went to Israel and Jordan. We were supposed to take this trip in the summer of 2020, but something else got in the way... We started in Tel Aviv, where upon arrival we settled into the hotel before my dad, sister and I walked to the Carmel Market. Along the way sat a beautiful beach where the sea breeze made the hot sun a little bit more tolerable. At the market we journeyed through spice, fruit, and sweets stalls, the latter of which got my business for my love of anything rugelach and baklava; the man at the stand we went to even gave us two free baklavas. We walked back to the hotel where I then spoke on the phone to my significant other that I would ... read more

Travelling in the post pandemic world is full of stress and uncertainty- cancellations, staff shortages, queues. It is, then, a miracle to behold that two travelling parties, their origins on two separate continents can agree to meet on a third continent and arrive within 30 people in the passport queue. Particularly when one of those parties can answer with genuine ignorance when he’s asked upon boarding his flight from Tanzania what his onward travelling arrangements from Turkey are. So, we have arrived in Istanbul, pleasantly stress-free compared to the last trip, but not lacking in vomit. After settling in to our apartment and admiring the view, we had a wander around Sultanahmet, refuelled the tanks, rekindled our love for Efes and enjoyed some warmth. A Turkish feast in a beautiful garden before the whinging about fatigue ... read more

Here we are, the last blog of our little two weeks gorgeous Middle East trip. This is my third visit to Petra, but only the first one for Tanya. In the span of 20 hours in Petra, we actually visited 3 times the site! The drive from Wadi Rum to Petra is a pretty cool one. Some roads are super narrow and in the "hills"...so if you keep a good driving speed...just stay pretty aware of your surroundings. There are for me two options (actually three) to stay in Petra. We could have stay at the small Marriott....I hold top level with them, but the rate was a little steep for June. They also have two Movenpick hotels. I have stay in both on my last two stay. The Movenpick Petra has the perfect location, at ... read more