Road Trip Aqaba to Jerash: 18-20 Nov 09

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Overnight at the Olive Grove

We left Aqaba on Wednesday afternoon, heading to a friend's parents' farm house near Jerash, an ancient city which was once part of the Roman Decapolis. Look in my older posts to see some photos of the ruins there.

We drove from Aqaba to Amman and the sky was amazing. We took the King's Highway through the desert. We organised a room at a friend's hotel, the Dove Hotel in Amman. It was a quaint old place with lots of character, and an Irish Pub which had a great feel to it. It is only a two-star hotel, but the bed was comfortable and we were looked after very well. I had a meeting at Princess Sumaya University for Technology, and then we recommenced the road trip.

I took some photos on the way to Jerash, and we went through an old Palestinian refugee camp which has now become a town. Not far from the old camp, we arrived at the farm house with a view stretching to the distant horizon. Our friend's parents looked after us so well! We had an Arabic barbecue on the balcony overlooking the magnificant view. Within yelling distance was a Mosque, the olive grove (with fig trees), and a gum tree. Apparently these things are native here and it is not the first I have seen. Australia doesn't own the monopoly in them after all!

On the trip back we went via the Dead Sea. This was so much quicker as the roadwork on the King's Highway is slowing down the traffic. The desert scene on this route was magnificant, as was the Dead Sea, as always. This was my first time in the area south of the Dead Sea, and the sandstone hills and mountains are amazing. We got back late afternoon on Friday and that was it. But certainly a road trip to remember. To top it off, our friend's mum gave us some green olives and some olive oil (among other things). The olives are slightly 'green' (ie not quite ripe) - and believe me there is no other way to eat them!

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Photos

Gum Tree
Not native just in Australia

Basmah & Heba
Just like old times...