Alone at last...

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Hmmm...where to begin. well, i believe I was headed to Wadi Rum, from Petra. After much deliberation, the univrsity students studying Arabic in Syria, Katarina, Jill, and Toby, and I decided to share an early morning cab ride to Wadi Rum, a 270 km square area of protected desert where the Bedouins lived and guided groups. I was sad to leave Wadi Musa, but it was time to move on, as I was ready to be away from the large tour groups. We set out a little after 8am, arriving at Wadi Rum after 11. Let me just say, the landscape is amazing. Lime and sandstone mountains, rock formations, boulders all surrounded by desert sand, white and brick colored hues. It was definitely a welcome change from the small city atmosphere of Wadi Musa, especially during the day. Camping with a group of Bedouin guides was something I've wanted to do since talking to a fellow traveler I met in Vietnam last year.
Because we arrived fairly late in the morning, there was a lot to do and see. The only way to accomplish this was through a 4 x 4 tour of some of Rum's highlights. We spoke with Muhammed, the owner and operator of Sunset Camp. We found out that he was one of 29 siblings, his father having 3 wives. He himself had only 9 children and one wife. His father considered him a city boy in that regard. I chuckled at that comment. For 45 JD (about $70), we would get a 6 hr. jeep tour of some of the sights, plus accomodation, dinner, and breakfast. The group from Syria was only staying one night, so they needed to see things rather quickly. I decided to join them. We were also greeted by Sara, a 19 yr. old Australian who worked for Muhammed. She had visited the camp months ago as a tourist. She decided to stay and work for room and board. It was the same for Abby, a semi-retired officer in the military. She was from Auckland, New Zealand. Because the jeep was already out, Sara hosted the first part of the trip by driving us in the sedan. She took us to an old Nebetean temple outside of the village. Then we went to Lawrence Spring, where Lawrence of Arabia apparently showered. We went back to the village and I purchased the following day's lunch; a liter of water, a can of sardines and a roll. Since, I was going to trek by myself the following day, I needed sustenace for the journey.
Sara took us back to the village to await the jeep's return. We sat and ate what we had for lunch. By then, the 4 x 4 arrived. We were picked up in Muhammed's village by a Bedouin driver, Farris. He had an amiable disposition and a kind air about him. We set off after noon and began our tour by driving to some rock formations with etched carvings and pictures of camels. They were over 2,000 years old and still quite visible. One of my favorite things we did was running (eventually walking) up orange colored sand dunes with an angle of about 45 degrees. Talk about tiring....Many photos were snapped and the descent was even better. I hopped down a hundred feet of dunes, bouncing up and down, one leg after the other. I felt like I was flying, the momentum carrying me down quickly. We didn't see a soul for quite some time, and when we did, it was just in passing, camels and other jeeps alike. We climbed small rock formations, built Jenga like piles of flat sandstone atop rock structures, snapped more photos, laughed, and viewed in awe at the vastness of the area. It was so quiet and still. You could literally have a conversation with someone hundreds of feet away and still hear them clearly. The colors of the sand and structures would change abruptly, from orange, to white, back to orange. I haven't felt like that in a long time....it was as if I was a child again, not having a care in the world. The desert was our playground and we were taking full advantage...taking off shoes and socks and just running, rolling, falling.
At one point, we came upon a small ravine with more etched carvings. There was a point along the walk between structures where we had to climb up to get over. A few of the guys attempted it, including myself. Getting up wasn't the problem. It was getting back down that caused a bit of hardship. There's something about not being able to see a foothold below you because the rock juts out. It didn't help that there was a small pool of water on the right. It took some doing and assistance, but I made it down safely.
We also came a upon a rock bridge, Um Fruth (thanks Mike P. for the suggestion). It was a sight to behold and again, pics won't doit justice. At this point, it was getting close to sunset, so Farris drove us to another remote location to enjoy it. Simply amazing....
The sun took with it the warm weather and it became cold and windy extremely fast. I was somehow having second thoughts about sleeping in the cave the following night. We were driven to our camp. It was essentially 3 large tents equipped to sleep 4 apiece, plus 3 smaller single tents. Throw in a fire/partying tent, a small bathroom/shower facility and a small kitchen structure and voila! Instant Bedouin camp. There were 2 other couples there, along with with 2 guys. They didn't seem like they wanted to socialize. maybe it was because their English wasn't fluent. For whatever reason, we talked with Sara and Abby and the other Bedouins the rest of the night. Dinner was great. Chicken, 3 kinds of salad, pitas, and Bedouin whiskey, which of course, was non-alcoholic. It was essentially their own brand of tea. It was sweet and very tasty. After dinner, we sat around the fire under the tent and swapped bad ghost stories and conversed. We did this for a few hours before retiring. I spent some time outside, gazing at the stars above me. Although it was a gibbous moon, the constellations in the sky shined bright. The 4 of us slept in a large tent on top of 2 short and thin mattresses barely able to contain our feet. The wind was blowing hard and there was a definite chill in the air. I was surprised at how cold it was and definitely didn't pack correctly for the evenings.
We woke up the next day before 6am to catch the sunrise. Actually, the others caught the sunrise. I took my time getting organized, since I was about to trek out alone after breakfast. We said our goodbyes and exchanged information. i will definitely stay in touch with those three. I would love to go and see Syria someday. I made sure I had all I needed: lunch, compass, Bedouin scarf, sunscreen, Zune, pen and notebook, map and travel guide, sandwich bag for sand, 2 liters of water, flashlight and jacket (just in case). I set out about 8am. It was warm, but the wind called on the goosepimples to stand at attention. At this point, everyone was gone except the cook, but our ability to communicate was lacking, so I waved goodbye and headed South. Before I left, I snapped photos of the camp and recorded some video to document my adventure. Maybe it wasn't the smartest thing to go unaccompanied, but I have never been accused of being intelligent. Plus, I really wanted to be alone and isolated. I needed some time fore reflection and peace.
I checked my compass every so often, using the mountains ahead as a point of reference. I had to be back in 8-9 hrs, so my trekking would have to be limited. I walked for about 3 hrs before taking my first break. wadi Rum is not the desert you picture when someone says the word. Peaks, valleys, limited flora, and different colored sands and dunes surrounded me. Every so often, I stopped walking, ending the swooshing noises my trekking pants would make, and listened. All I heard was complete and utter....silence. Not even a wisp of wind traveled to my ear drums. I've never, ever experienced something like that before. Even when we're alone, back in "civilization," there's always technology to contend with...a phone ringing, a car whizzing by, someone walking on the floors above, dogs barking. This was completely the opposite. It was unnerving at first, because I wasn't used to it. But slowly, surely, a smile crept over my face. I had achieved what I set out and I was completely satisfied.
My first break was atop of a smooth, sloping rock formation. I scrabled up and picked a smooth spot to relax, half in the sun, half in shade. I drank some water, ate a cucumber, and sat.....just to listen to nothing. When you're alone like that, your mind tends to wander. Mine did the entire time. I don't remember what I was thinking about, but i grounded myself back to the situation at hand, where I was, and how I got here. I put pen to paper and wrote a short story about a man chasing the sunset on the last day of his life. Then, I decided to catch some rays and listen to some tunes. Yep, Iput on the earphones and jammed to some R and B before falling alseep for a half hour or so. I decided to head west. Using the compass, I picked a spot out in the distance and decided that that's where I would eat lunch. I walked for another 2 hrs and found myself in a corner, between small rock structures jutting out from the ground. It was encompassed by a larger rock formation behind it. It looked like a brontosaurus to me, from a distance, so I ate my lunch there. It was the best meal I had up to that point. Something about sardines in a can, and a roll. At that point, it was the perfect meal. With no untensils handy, I used pieces of bread and my fingers to scoop up some fish. Not exactly hygenic I know, but wtf, I didn't care.
It was well past one and time for me to head back before sunset ant 5:45. I retraced my past East toward my first place of rest. The walk ahead seemed longer than the walk there, but I really had no choice, since noone else was around to give me a lift. Before actually getting to my sunbathing spot, I looked North and recognized the structures and different colored sand from where I came. I decided to forego backtracking completely and take the shortcut toward camp. it was still a good 3 hrs. away, so i wanted to make sure I hit camp before sundown and cold temps. I finally reached the orange sand and mountains and headed toward what I thought was camp. Where I thought the tents were supposed to be...well, they weren't. I knew thatI had to look for a mountain structure called the 7 Pillars of Wisdom. It was located just West of camp, a seemigly stone's throw away. Well, I didn't see it. Somewhat confused, I headed further East, since I took the shotcut and stopped short of my destination. I walked around and behind other, smaller mountains and formations before seeing the 7 Pillars up ahead. The view was blocked by the formations to my West, so I had to walk around them for it to be visible. I breathed a sigh of relief and headed further North. Okay, so where I though camp would be, well, it wasn't there. I stopped, looked at my photos and camcorder footage I took in the morning and knew I was near. I just wasn't sure which direction. After about an hour and a half of being "disoriented," I finally came upon a Bedouin camp. But, it wasn't my own. No one was around, but at least I knew there was haven there if I needed it. After some more walking, I came upon anotehr camp and some people. I recognized a little boy I saw the day before at Mohammed's village. I asked him where the camp of Mohammed Sabbah was. He pointed and his friend said, "see da two peoples? There." Breathing another sigh of relief, I walked 20 min. to my own camp. A word of advice, never take the shortcut. Better yet, never trek alone in unfamiliar territory....duh.
I took a short nap and awoke to meet Frederico, a fellow tourist from Venezuela, but based out of Texas. He was in the oil and gas business, very sociable and eager to talk. He seemed kind and introduced himself to me and the other Bedouins that arrived later. We talked about our travel experiences, history, and professions. There were no other camp visitors besided Frederico and myself that night. There was a group of 5 Lithuanian backpackers, but they were staying in the cave below, and didn't come up to camp besides to use the restroom and fetch water. Dinner was the same as the day before, with smaller portions, since it was only Frederico and I eating. We sat and ate with 3 guides, conversing in small doses to our lack of linguistic Arabic and their broken English. Surprisingly though, we were able to communicate failry easily. Farris showed up with some music and anothe Bedouin couple. It was party and dance time, so we were told. 8 men and 1 woman dancing around a fire pit under a tent while listening to Arabic pop is surely a scene. I wasn't completely comfortable with the idea at first, but decided that it would be slightly offensive, rude, and narrowminded. Frederico and I joined in the party and danced, sometimes hand in hand with the others in a big circle. It was fun to let loose and see how they blew off steam. It was actually better that there was just the two of us. We were witness to an unabashed viewing of modern Bedouin culture. They weren't putting on a show for the tourists, they were just having fun. So were we.
After a few hours of dancing, laughing, and listening to one of the Bedouins play a guitar like instrument. It was time to retire. I couldn't sleep in the cave that night because Sara wasn't there to guide me or translate. I decided to pull out the two flimsy mattresses and a couple of blankets from the tent and sleep out under the stars. The night wasn't cold at first, but it would quickly turn windy and frigid.
I didn't care. I was shivering, but I didn't care. The moon gazed over me protectively, while the stars sung me a lullaby. I fell asleep after the revelry was over, but woke to frigid winds. I opened my eyes and realized the moon had set. I hadn't seen the sky like this in years, not since my trip toTrinidad in 2001. i refused to go in, though the wind was blowing directly into my blanket. If I had been smart enough, I would have shifted the mattress 90 degrees. A combination of laziness and foolishness prevented this from happening, so I woke up 5 or 6 times throughout the night because of it. Every single time though, I peered up at the sky and realized why I was out there.
Breakfast was earlier than normal, because I had to catch the bus to Aquaba, where I would take the ferry over to Egypt. Frederico was already awake. I finished packing my things and we shared breakfast, while the Bedouins slept. I was getting a bit worried that I wouldn' make my bus in time. I didn't. It took a while for us to leave camp. By the time we arrived, the bus left. I was left with 2 options. Get a ride to the main road and catch a bus, or hitch. After paying and exchanging pleasantries with Mohammed back in the village, Frederico offered to give me a lift to the main highway. It was a distance off and would normally cost me a decent sum. But he was headed that way anyway. The night before, he put me in touch with an Egyptian friend of his family's. He called him and let him know that I was coming into town. Frederico asked Sharif to help me out and he seemed very eager and pleased to do so. I lucked out. Frederic and I exchanged info. and parted ways. I waited on the side of the main highway for a bus. About 15 min. later, i saw a minivan flashing its headlights, indicating to me whether I wantd a ride or not. I flagged him down and asked him how much. He said 3 JD and i agreed. It was about 45 km toAqaba, another 10 to the port. I asked him to dricve me to port for an extra 2, he wanted 5. Not wanting the hassle, I agreed to 8 total. He dropped me off at a port and pointed me toward the direction I should go. After speaking with police, I realized I was at the wrong port. Son of a bitch! He knew he had dropped me off at the wrong place, but since it was closer and more convenient, he swindled me. Karma would get him, I thought. It was another 10km or so to the correct port, so I flagged down a taxi. He told me 4 JD. When I got off, I didn't pay right away. I confirmed that I was at the correct location first. I handed him a 5 note and he stared at me, wondering what I was waiting for. I told him he said 4. He replied "yes 4," while holding out 5 fingers. He proceeded to count aloud and with fingers, "1,2,3,4,5...Ahh, sorry, 5, 5." Are all taxi drivers dishonest? It was only 1.5 US, but it was more the principle.
At port, I needed to pay a departure tax, purchase a ticket, obtain proper stamps. I ran into Kiyoshi, a Japanese computer engineering student I had met in Petra days before. We recognized each other and greeted accordingly. He was also headed to Egypt and coincidentally, to Cairo as well. He had to fly out Tues., so essentailly, he had only 1 full day in Cairo. We decided to travel together. The guidebook stated the final buses to Cairo ended at 3pm. Our ferry didn't leave until 4PM and it was, at that time, 9am. We had to wait 7 hrs at port, when the guidebook stated the ferry left at 11AM. Oh well, what else could we do but wait? So we did, 7 long, excruciating hours. We ate many falafel and egg sandwiches, talked about ourselves, sat in silence, watched Arabic television in front of the food stand, smoked cigareetes to pass the time. 4PM came and went. We met 3 other tourists, Richard and Jessica, an English couple beginning their year long trip around the world, and a German. We were all in the same boat, so to speak. It wasn't until 7PM that we actually boarded the fast ferry. 10 hrs. later, we finally were able to sit down in comfort. Even gettinmg on the ship took some time. People were transporting furniture, huge boxes, their essential crap. It was all being loaded at the same entrance the passengers were. No wonder it took so damn long. We were rushed into the hull before realizing they wouldn't allow us upstairs until we left our packs. We were hesitant at first, but decided it was safer and more comfortable to stay with passengers rather than piles of heavy boxes and luggage.
We found the passenger area nad sat down at a booth-like section with a table in the middle. It was quite comfortable. You'd think we were sitting in a fancy cafeteria. We were all so relieved to be able to sit down and relax. A waiter came by and asked for our order. We all ordereed the standard fare: cheeseburgers, drink and schips for about 5 dollars. At this point, we just didn't care.
It was an hour and twenty before we docked. However, we had to stay on the ship for another 30 min. so they could work on passport and visa issues. So much for fast ferry. I also had to collect my passport and obtain my Visa, since I hadn't arranged prior to my trip. After much red tape at the port in Nuweiba, Egypt, Kiyoshi and I said our goodbyes to richard, Jessica, and the German. We had a 7 hr. ride into Cairo, so rest would be the only option on the bus. It was 9pm at this point. We sat on the bus until midnight before actually departing. It was a long bus ride and quite cold outside and inside. I had on the jacket Lee lent me and thin hiking pants. We were both shivering the entire evening, filling the time with periods of sleep. We finally arrived at the bus depot at 7am. We met Marsha, an American social worker from California. She was on the bus with us, but we didn't speak then. She was a Peace Corps volunteer in Jordan for a year, but was in the region to visit friends and family. Luckily enough, she spoke Arabic. She asked us where we were staying. We invited her along on our trip to the hostel. I chose a locatuion in my guidebook, haggled for a cab ride, and we were off. We arrived at Leiali Hostel, smack dab in the center of Cairo. Unable to check in until noon, we decided to grab breakfast and head to the Egyptian Museum, one of the best museums for Egyptiam artifacts in the world. It was smaller than I expected, but the well preserved statues, jewelry, and other displays were amazing. Since cameras weren't allowed, I was unable to snap photos.
After 2 hrs., we headed back to the hostel and secured a triple for about $7. At this point, it had been days since I showered. I felt extremely dirty, so the shower was a welcome occurence. I met a charming young British medical student. Her name was Nicola. She decided to tag along to our trip to the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, since she was headed there herself.
We hailed a taxi and paid less than $1 apiece for the 45 min. ride to Giza. It was hard to believe their was desert and immense structures just outside the hustle and bustle of Cairo, a city littered with apartment buildings and retail stores. Cairo was a surprising metropolis spanning as far as the eyes could see. We spotted the pyramids in the distance and our excitement grew. We arrived in Giza and gazed upon the 3 large pyramids from the entrance. Again, words can't describe what we saw. The area itself was small, but the structures immense. I couldn't imagine what it looked like after first being erected. The only negative about the site was the amount of hawkers trying to get our money for trinkets, postcards, camel and horse rides. Tourists do have a taget on our backs in the shape of a dollar sign. There must be many gullible and loaded tourists. These hawkers were slick and tried every which way to get our dollars. It cost extra to actually enter the pyramids themselves. we all decided not to enter, as the quarters would have been cramped. After many photos and walking, we all decided to grab a late lunch. It was about 4pm by this point. After our meal, we headed back to the hostel where I began this blog. I had been planning on celebrating St. Patty's Day, so I gathered the crew, plus an older, 81 yr. old backpacker and retired lawyer from Hawaii that Kiyoshi met earlier on his travels. We headed to a cheap local fast food joint, ate dinner, and found our way to a rooftop bar nearby. Kiyoshi had to leave at 1am to catch his flight back to Japan. We had a few drinks at the rooftop bar overlooking Cairo. After 11pm, we headed back to the hostel. Nicola and I decided to stay up with Kiyoshi until he left for the airport. Kiyoshi and I walked down the street, purchased a small bottle of whiskey and Coke, and headed back to the hostel to have a couple more drinks with Nicola and a few other hostelers we met earlier. We drank, toasted, and spoke about the world's political situation, the problem with America, and our place in history. Kiyoshi departed about 1am. I was sad to see him leave, as he became somewhat of a younger brother to me. Although our ability to communicate was somewhat limited, we definitely made a fraternal connection. When i am in Japan, I will definitely let him know.
It's morning now and I am finishing up this blog for today. I'm headed to the large market in town, off to buy souvenirs and meander through Islamic Cairo and the great mosques located there. Tongith, I plan to take a sleeper train to Aswan, a 13 hr. ride South. i will spend one night there before heading to Luxor for a night or two. I'm meeting up with Nicola. She left for Aswan this morning. It will be nice to head to a quieter location for the night, on a nice, comfortable ride with meals included. Its pricey, about $60, but I am looking forward to it. I am in Egypt, after all.

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Photos

Wadi Rum
Nebetean Temple and carvings

Wadi Rum
Inside the Nebetean Temple

Wadi Rum
Village

Wadi Rum
Farris and I in the desert

Wadi Rum
After the scramble up the dune

Wadi Rum
Atop the dune

Wadi Rum
Jill, Katarina, Toby

Wadi Rum
Um Fruth Rock Bridge

Wadi Rum
Atop Um Fruth

Wadi Rum
Sunset

Wadi Rum Camp
saying goodbye

Wadi Rum
7 Pillars of Wisdom

Wadi Rum
Sunbathing alone

Wadi Rum
This could be me if i don't get back in time

Wadi Rum Camp
Party at the Palace

Wadi Rum Camp
Sleeping quarters

Wadi Rum
Frederico and I

Aqaba, Jordan to Nuweiba, Egtpt
On the ferry at last!!!!!

Cairo
View from the Nile

Cairo
Egyptian Museum

Giza
Massive Pyramid

Giza
the Sphinx