Traveling Dry

Why are we here?  When you’ve traveled a bit, the exotic becomes more so. My mother had spent three years - since our last trip to Egypt - mourning the fact that she did not visit Petra, Jordan. And it did not help that all her friends said, “Oh, Petra was my favorite part of the trip.”  So when a new OAT led trip appeared that included not only Petra but also a day through the Suez Canal (my mother loves canals) she was determined to go.  And we’d like to say here that breast cancer surgery only two weeks before did not deter her in the least.

That is why, for our vacation, we traveled to the desert.

The people in our group had all traveled extensively, many belong to a centurion club -100 countries visited. They were on this trip to add Saudi Arabia to their list.  I thought it would be interesting and great for shock value, but that’s about it.  I was happy to see Petra and thrilled to be returning to Egypt, which I love.

Packing Light

Afraid of losing luggage?

Carry on is the answer.

Buy a good rolling suitcase that fits most airline specifications for carry on.  Make sure the suitcase expands because it will gain check through size as you gain souvenirs. Put an empty bag into your suitcase because on the way home, that suitcase will be your carry on and you will check your original (stuffed) bag.  
Why? Because if your clothes do not reach home the same time you do, it won’t matter, and besides, you’ll be tired of that wardrobe anyway.

Petra

The city of Petra is located much farther down into the valley than I thought. We first hiked down a broad open trail surrounded by low hills and the occasional building carved into the soft sandstone like the Obelisk Tomb. On this part of the trip tourists can hire horses or horse pulled carts to carry them closer to the entrance of the Siq.  Walking isn’t terribly strenuous, save the $30 US.  The Siq, the more or less official entrance to the City is a narrow trail overpowered by towering cliffs of colored striped sandstone, it looks like photos of the caverns in New Mexico with the wind and water carving and shaping the sandstone rocks into sensual shapes.

The declivity opens and suddenly there is the famous facade of the Treasury , perfect and magnificent. After you sigh and have your Indiana Jones moment, check out the cafe and gift store directly across from the famous facade.  I don’t know if I can describe it better than the 19th century poets and explorers before me as they had more opportunities to contemplate the magnificent edifices and I was worried about getting pushed over by donkeys or horse carts.  There are thriving local business of horse rides, horse cart rides, donkey rides all over the base of the city.  As you scan the mountain side to find the Silk Tomb, the Corinthian Tomb or the Palace Tomb, small children and grown men will ply you with offers of  necklaces at one Dinar and postcards for one American dollar and donkey rides, up down all around.  We turned down all.

We are very happy with Petra as Andrew and I could break away from the group and the guide and see the city ourselves armed with only a map and the desire to hike up to the Monastery, or Ed-Deir.  The monastery is located at the end of the city and up back into the mountains again. 950 steps or so were carved up the hill to our destination.  We were very cold at 8:00 AM when we began our tour but once I ascended the slippery sandstone steps and after declaring no, we did not want a donkey ride or a necklace,  a dozen times, I was quite warm. The hike is well worth it.  We were able to contemplate the huge facade of Ed Deir in peace with just the goats and a half dozen other intrepid climbers. Oh and the staff of the restaurant and gift store at the top.
 
How did the Nabataeans create such a city?  The answer is often, they just carved it, you know?  With tools. It was much like the conversation we engaged in with a young woman at the Monastery who sold us a blue camel bone necklace. We asked what it was dyed with, and her answer was “color”.  The camel bone is dyed with color. Of course.
  Much of the City is still underground, imagine unearthing more.