Jordanian Rocky Mountain High

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A different rythm and pace has settled over the last piece of my journey. No longer part of a group but travelling solo with my buddy Brooke means a fresh perspective. Independence suits both of us! We are similar in the sense of knowing exactly how and what we want to experience. Remote nature, village life, and culture - with some history for good measure.

As soon as Brooke met me in Cairo we have set a cracking pace. We've decided we can sleep when we get home 😊. A revisit to the pyramids and a mooch around the main bazaar set the tone of the first day. Now just over 24 hours in Jordan we have crammed in alot but we feel peaceful and free. We agreed immediately that having a driver was the way to go. We can stop where we want and visit all the out of the way places inaccessible by local transport. It feels very decadent.

Our first afternoon took us to the Dead Sea where we doused ourselves in therapeutic black minerals and floated belly up in the saltiest water on earth. Followed by sunset from the highest mountain pass we could find. Later we ate the best dinner either of us can remember inside an old mud brick home. The restaurant was from another world with a fireside possie in the freezing town of Madaba.

Jordan is 90% desert and rock so the barren mountainous landscape has lulled us through peaks and gorges of an idyllic Bedouin landscape. Sheep and campsites being the only life beside the highway at times as we head along the ultra windy road.

Today we have found the ultimate and less visited Dana Nature Reserve. A seven family rock hewn village perched atop a ginormous gorge. There is nothing in this village to do but watch the light change and hike. We like it.

The hotel we are in is a government funded ecotourism project to support the local Bedouin school. The earthy homes cling to a precipice surrounded by sandstone cliffs towering up to 2,000 metres above us.

Tomorrow we are hiking for half a day through the canyon and heading further south with Ahmed our super helpful driver to Petra. Overall Jordan has greeted us with ease and an unhassled first impression. Surprisingly different to Egypt next door. It's great to be making all the choices again and mixing a little more directly with the locals.

It's absolute freezing up here and Im floored that internet even exists let alone electricity. We are wearing EVERYTHING we bought as summer has yet to arrive and sandals and socks is an unavoidable fashion crime 😊.

Brooke has twisted my rubber arm and the warming citrus vodka made a sunset appearance to no avail. Early to bed may be the only way to heat up.

My room tonight is 1500 years old (but with a roof) and super earthy! Lovin it. Sending happiness from a high stone heaven.

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