Nearly Slipped into Iraq

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Geo: 34.548, 38.2787

We decided to head directly into Damascus to the market in the old city section… This I knew was going to be fun, the drivers in Jordan are very Egyptian in style and quite a few blast of the Shorty's horn was heard!!

We found a parking spot in a back street near the old city and headed out on foot. The really interesting thing is Syrians are really nice people despite the fact they live between Israel and Iran!! We were wondering along the tiny streets within the walled city and realised we had no idea where we were going.. A couple of chaps happy lead us in the direction we wanted and parted, we then headed into a small shop where we struck up a conversation with the shop owners who promptly arranged for some tea to arrive and humus for breakfast. We probably chatted for 1 hour then parted.

After purchasing some local sweets which included plenty of free samples we bounced back to the car on a sugar high ready to head out to Palmyra in the western Jordan desert. Interestingly whilst the car was parked presumably kids attempted to remove the winch rope from the Shorty, this was the first time the vehicle has been tampered with thus far on the trip.

It was a long drive to Palmyra and it was dark when we arrived, the hotels offered no security for the car so we opted to head out into the Roman ruins to find a camp. Whilst looking we were stopped by a couple of chaps who I though were police men, luckily they had seen us in town and knew what we were looking for… Need a place to camp one chap said… Fuck Yeah I replied.. follow me. Well bugger me if he did not lead us to an olive grove right next to the Roman temple within the ruins.. Need a shower … Fuck Yeah.. Wow this place was not even listed in the Lonely Planet (which is not really a surprise) and it rocks, even has a washing machine… Thank God Lisa needs some clean clothes, I was alright being a fella… smell… what smell, must be the camels.

It turns out this place is a Bedouin Camp, when we arrived we jumped out to set up … no said the chap we must have a cup of tea first.. Okay.. thus we sat in the Bedouin tent and chatted whilst drinking the tea then asked if we could now please be excused set up the tent.. All was good I jumped straight into the shower leaving Lisa to cook us a meal.. Awesome.

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Photos

Gate
Jimbo, ya recon ya can build one of these little puppies

Columns
Nice

Poser
Lisa does not have the same happy feeling as i get when we walk through piles of fallen rocks! Looks nice

Half round thingo
I like it however i do not know what it is or was.

Street Sign
Well bugger me, the one sign in English and Adabic. Mum do not view this one. We eagerly looked for a left turn.

Lisa is cold but happy
Well happy maybe not. .. Darren do we have to stop at another pile of old rocks.. Yep

Us
Sorry for the camera angle

Palmyra street view
little lane that went no where

Comments

[David]

Hey guys, where's the update? Since my journey is over, I have to live vicariously, so get on with it and update daily!

[Jimmy Prickles]

Dude you have got to get me one of those hats...sic!