At home with the Bedouins!

---

After our antics of the past few day, I for one (and my legs could certainly vouch for this) was ready for a bit of chill out time with minimal driving. Roisin had no qualms with this. She was also up for doing nothing (apart from 15 minutes of driving!!)

We had a leisurely breakfast that consisted of fresh flatbread, Cheese, omelette, cucumber, tomato, jams and preserves, yogurt, za'arta (a herb that is a cross between oregano and marjoram) and olive oil. One Bedouin tradition is to dip the flatbread in the olive oil then in to a dish of za'arta. Very tasty. The other tradition is to mix the preserve in to the yogurt (this tastes more like crème frȇche) and spread this over the flatbread.

We lazed around on the balcony until mid-day, checked out, then headed for our next stop: we are going to spend an actual night under the stars in a genuine Bedouin camp.

The route took us down past the Petra site as we followed the road out of the town. The road started to rise then dip sharply repeatedly as we climbed further into the hills. The landscape looked so bizarre with one side dictated by well eroded sandstone mountains giving it that rugged misshapen appearance whilst to our right, one of rolling hills covered in scrubland desert. We seemed to be driving longer than 15 minutes when as explained, a sign appeared directing us up a cinder track, a very bumpy cinder track to our camp. Their website (WHAT? Bedouins have their own website??!) did explain that the track was a bumpy six minutes drive but I should have been wary when the website also explained that you don't need a four wheel drive. However, it should have added, 'But something at least better than a Nissan Micra!!

The camp was deserted on our arrival. We were met by a very helpful young man who carried our bags to a reception area and immediately offered us sage tea. The tea came in a huge copper tea pot with sugar already added. This is a sure way to attract flies as our empty tea glasses in the photo demonstrates!!!

Flies are abundant here. It is something you have to get used to. It's a way of life. As long as flying things aren't bigger than a housefly and don't bite we both agreed we could cope with this minor unpleasantry without it spoiling this unique accommodation experience.

We asked our host if any more guests were expected today. There were another 22 travellers expected, for that is what we are. It is very rare that people spend more than a night at the Bedouin camp. We are considered to be travellers passing though for which a warm welcome and big Bedouin hospitality is always waiting.

Our hosts asked if we had any plans for this afternoon. We had planned on visiting Little Petra. An archaeological site not on the scale of its twin town Big Petra but still full of carvings. Jane, our host from the Rocky Mountain Hotel said you can walk around the site in 15 minutes.

Although our Bedouin host advised us that Little Petra is only a 20 minute walk he would not recommend walking in this heat. The temperature was 35°C+ and the return journey is up hill. He suggested we drive. We both agreed to put the car keys away and just relax. Who wants to stay for the support act when you've already seen the main attraction!!

At 2pm our tent was ready!! It was a small, simple but comfortable square. Plenty of room to stand up in. On entering our tent, the heat was stifling. The material magnified the sun's rays in the same way as a green house. For this reason we were happy to spend the afternoon in a communal tent.

This experience cuts you off completely from civilisation as there is no electricity in the camp. The generator is switched on at 7pm and is switched off at 11pm. Hot water is also only available between these times. We found a power socket in the tent and an energy saving light bulb but now it made sense as to what the candles and matches on the bed side cabinet were for!!

‘Listen!' I said to Roisin.

‘What?' she said. ‘I can't hear anything.'

‘Exactly!' I replied. ‘What a peaceful existence. Nothing to do and so much time to do it!'

‘Like being at work then!?'

The silence was broken by the clip-clopping of hooves. Then as they grew louder a white stallion entered the encampment, trotted around, went in to the dining area, saw dinner wasn't ready yet, trotted back out and then disappeared through the entrance as swiftly as he arrived.

The Seven Wonders Bedouin Camp is sheltered by the strangely shaped sandstone rock. Being in the middle of nowhere, it was very quiet. It reminded me of being in the centre of a Starwars set in a Galaxy far, far away!! Despite the peace and tranquillity, Roisin and I both hoped that others would come join us. Every time we heard a vehicle we expected other likeminded travellers to come walking through the entrance. Several vehicles approached during the late afternoon. Cars tyres crunched slowly over the gravel and gypsum but none stopped. Must be the Bedouin shepherds knocking off for the night!! At one point we heard what sounded like someone wheeling a bin out and minutes later the distinct sound of a bin wagon approaching was heard. We could not see what was happening due to the high perimeter fence:

‘Must be Blue Bin day!' joked Roisin

Moments later in rolled one of our hosts pushing, yes you guessed it, a blue wheelie bin!!! Even in the desert, we can still make a difference!!

During the afternoon, we counted 18 cats: ginger, tabby, kittens, mammy cats, a real mixed variety all seemingly getting on together; darting from one hole in the canvas, across the courtyard in to a nearby thicket.

Finally about 6:30pm we heard the noise from not one but two cars pull up outside the camp. This was an American family of 6. They had hired a driver and arrived from the Israeli Border crossing near Aqaba today. From what we could gather, one of them worked in Tel Aviv. Two of their party did not travel to the camp with them preferring to slum it in a 5 star hotel back in Wadi Musa!!

They disappeared in to their tent only to reappear several minutes later.

‘I would like to change tent as it smells like a family of cats have been inside.' Look around pal, a family of cats probably have been inside!!!

When they finally made an appearance for a second time, they preferred to keep to themselves and sat on the other side of the communal ‘ring'.

Roisin and I were happy to sit and watch all the local activity as the Bedouins prepared for dinner. One of our hosts brought in to the central hearth a rather large log. When I say log it was more like half a tree!! With some tinder and a trusty box of matches he soon had a healthy glow coming from the ensuing fire.

At about 7:30pm, just as the sun dipped below the horizon, a click and then ‘WOW!'; the whole of the rocks overlooking the camp lit up with a thousand lights (all energy efficient, of course!). Another memory we will cherish for a very long time. The camp now had a very atmospheric feel. They were certainly getting their money's worth from the few hours they had with the electricity generator!!

Dinner was a feast. With a variety of traditional salads and vegetables, plenty of shrak bread, a type of chipati and a main dish of Maglouba, a meat or fish and vegetable stew served with rice (in our case chicken) mixed with yoghurt but to the relief of the diners minus the sheep's head that usually sits on top!!. 5 minutes after we had sat down to dinner a coach arrived with 18 more guests. These all came straight in to dinner. A few Hellos and that is all. Desert consisted of either sliced melon or baklava, a dessert originating in the Middle East made of filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and soaked in honey.

The American party were the first to leave the table. One of them said, ‘Goodbye, enjoy your day tomorrow' and with that they all retired to their tents. The time was 9:00pm. This was not as abrupt as it sounds as they were being picked up by their driver tomorrow at 6am and as they had youngish children with them, they thought they'd have an early night.

Roisin and I retired to the communal circle once again hoping to be joined by other guests. The fire had well taken a hold and was burning brightly. 2 musicians arrived, one of which carried an ‘oud'. This is one of the most popular instruments in Arabic music. Its name derives from the Arabic for a thin strip of wood, and this refers to the strips of wood used to make its rounded body. It has a similar appearance to a medieval lute however, unlike a lute, the neck of the oud has no frets and this contributes to its unique sound. It also allows playing notes in any intonation, which makes it ideal for performing the distinctive Arabic music.

The second musician, carried a tablah, a small hand drum. Together they serenaded us with some of the traditional folk songs. Both were talented and as a duo provided a very pleasant evening entertainment. All this whist sitting around drinking sweet tea. Ah yes, tea! All afternoon and in to the evening; before dinner and after, we were asked every 5 minutes if we wanted ‘more' tea. All the Bedouins seem to do is sit around drinking tea all day. They are almost as bad as British Civil Servants!

Only 4 of the party of 18 opted to sit around the communal circle and again, on the opposite side to where we sat.

Whilst our experience of 24 hours as a Bedouin was a pleasant one, we were both disappointed of the effort made by our fellow travellers to ‘join in'. Maybe, they had been travelling many hours and just wanted a bed for the night and some hot food inside them.

We retired at about 10:45. Surprisingly the inside of the tent had cooled down and was a pleasant temperature ensuring a comfortable and undisturbed night's sleep.

At 08:45am we strolled in to a breakfast area devoid of people eating breakfast! Except for 3 or 4 of our hosts the camp was once more deserted. In a few moments the camp will be completely devoid of people and the cycle will start all over again as the Bedouin's prepare for the next influx of guests who have decided to experience being part of a nomadic tribe for a day.

---