Jordan....

Well, we left Egypt and flew to Jordan. We had a driver, George who is actually a US citizen, pick Louise and I up at the airport. George would be our driver for the next couple of days. Even though he is american he was born in Jordan and had been back in Jordan the last 16 years.

First stop Pertra. What a Magnificent place. We first saw Petra at night. The Siq was lit by only luminaries, small paper bags with candles inside. All the way to The Treasury. So we walked down in darkness except for the candlight. When we got to the treasury, there were all of these candles lighting the area. They served us local tea, and played local bedouin music. It was SURREAL, what a sight. We hiked back up the Siq and to our hotel. Our hotel was maybe a 1 1/2 star! But we had seen one of the new seven wonders of the world, so really what did we expect!

The next morning we returned to the park to see Petra in a different light. Because we had a long hike a few hours before, we decided to ride horses down to the Siq and walk through the Siq to the Treasury. We then rode camels from the Treasury to the end and back to the Treasury, hiked back up the Siq, and rode horses back the park entrance. Well by this time we were exhausted! Louise and I decided to take in a local Turkish Bath. What a treat and experience! We of course had to give up ALL of our clothes...and we given a small "sheet". We were led to a very small steam room and told to stay there as long as we could stand it. The next step was to lay on a big marble slab the was extremely HOT! Shortly thereafter our"handlers" had removed their hattas, head scarves, put us on another big marble slab, and proceded to scrub us from head to toe. We were rinsed, and then given a massage with olive oil. Once we were done it was time for a beer.

George picked us up about a half hour later, it was time to drive Louise and I to the Bedouin Camp where we would stay the night.

We arrived at the Ammarin Bedouin Camp at about 5:30 pm. And checked in to our tent. LOL They were expecting about 29 campers that night. Once we put our things in our tent and familiarized ourselves with the camp, we sat around the fire with some of the bedouin men while the other campers arrived. They served us tea, which is a common custom throughout the middle east. Hospitality......... is what the Bedouin are about. We met many nice people in the camp and sat around the fire and the dinner table talking for quite awhile, including a guy from Rancho Penasquitos, Working in Isreal Go Figure.

And once again the next morning George picked us up. This time our destination was the Marriott at The Dead Sea, an appox. 2 hour drive.

The Dead Sea... Another Amazing Place! We arrived around mid day got checked in and immediately decided to put on our swim suits and go into the Dead Sea, which has so much salt content that there is nothing living in the Dead Sea. The usual process is to go down cover yourself in "dead sea mud" and the get into the water. Due to the salt content you just float! It was quite funny actually! Just across The Dead Sea you can see Jerusalem. It is quite an amazing setting!

After relaxing at the Dead Sea, the next day George picked Louise and I up and drove us 3 hours into Amman, to check into our hotel, meet up with the rest of the team, and prepare to start work the next day. The real work begins!!