The Rose-Red City

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After our wonderful bush camp in Wadi Rum, it was a slow departure the morning after-our experience of the desert made all the richer by the experience of Twiga being 'beached' as we attempted to make our way to Wadi Mousa and the delights of Petra. It's comical to imagine what a sight we must have been. I laugh whenever I look at the photos that were taken documenting the whole event, especially the enthusiasm with which members of our group seized the opportunity that called for legitimate use of shovels and a general digging frenzy. The boys in particular were in their element, especially Adam and Andre. It was heart-warming and hilarious all at once. It didn't take long before sufficient holes were dug and the sand tyre mats were in place and we were all standing at the front, pushing with all our might. It took several adjustments to the sand mats to get it right but eventually we were out and on the road again!

It was a full morning's driver before we arrived in Wadi Mousa, 'mousa' translating to Moses in Arabic. This small town is famed to be the site where Moses set forward a flowing spring from a rock. To this day the spring flows still. And so after some time wandering around the town centre, with Trusca laughing continuously at the very random signs adorning shop fronts, we headed to the hotel and then onwards to the site of the famed spring. As we approached the building housing the rock and spring, I already felt a sense of disappointment setting in and this was only intensified as I stood before the spring itself. The building housing this rock and spring was a shack whose walls were completely graffiti ridden and it seemed to be a site of such little significance to the locals themselves. It was wholly disappointing. Fortunately though, it was the only source of disappointment in this area as our whole group was buzzing with anticipation about our day in Petra looming. After eating dinner by the truck, we watched some of Indiana Jones to get us inspired for the day following, not that we needed much inspiration. We could barely contain our excitement as we crawled into our smelly dorm room beds that evening and tried to get a good night's sleep before the day ahead.

The next morning saw a comical moment when our transport arrived. It was an 8 person mover, nowhere near large enough to house all 18 of us with our excitement bubbling. We insisted on squeezing in though, and squeeze we did until we arrived at Petra's entrance and began the 'now, now, now' harried departure from the van. Exuberant and excited to be standing at one of the seven new wonders of the world, I'm not sure there are words to describe the continuous elation I felt as we explored this site. It was truly magnificent. Stupendous. Awesome. I cannot believe the imagination and vision the ancient people of this rock city held-to create the very city they did with such eloquence, such beauty. A thousand photographs could not do this place justice (and a thousand photographs were easily snapped that day!) We spent the better part of eight hours walking Petra's paths, marvelling at the Treasury, the Monastery, the Amphitheatre, the Site of Sacrifice, all the tombs adorning the hill sides and the Roman Promenade with endless wonder. As I write this, I feel completely humbled to have seen such magnificence in my life. It was with huge reluctance that Trusca and I walked from this site to go in search of ingredients to prepare for our next meal as cook group. We both kept stopping and glance back again and again at the treasury as we slowly left the sight. I think everyone that evening was truly speechless and awestruck. It was easily one of the highlights of my life and I'll never ever forget it for all the days of my life to come.

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