Slept outside again last night (same as last night). It’s so still and pleasantly warm with a huge full moon watching over. It feels like you’re in a big dome, a bit like The Truman Show.

I’m not a crazy breakfast person unless it’s a green juice or fruit, but the breakfasts in the Wadi are great……thyme duka, hummus, oil, hava and egg. Everyone was getting a jeep back to Rum Village, but I HAD TO have another go on a camel. I rode it all by myself this time and even got a few trots out of it! I think I may give up the horses and take up camels. I love them. They’re really even tempered and fun to deal with. So with a camel under me, my guide singing arabic songs in hushed tones behind and the Wadi Rum spread out all around, I was in heaven.

Next it was off to Aqaba, passing through very arid, treeless, hilly terrain. We also passed a big truck depot with lots of oil tankers from Saudi and Iraq. Aqaba is a pleasant little seaside town in a somewhat unusual location. It’s on the northern point of The Red Sea and shares the scrap of shoreline with Israel and Jordan. Eilat in Israel is so close that it almost merges into Aqaba. Taba in Egypt isn’t too far around from that, its buildings clearly visible. If you go the other way, you’ll run into the Saudi border just 20km up the road. Aqaba is the most important city in the south of Jordan and is really being groomed for the tourists. Although I think it might have a little way to go to attract your run-of-the-mill tourist, there are some very big and expensive hotels going up including The Saraya, which is costing a cool USD2.5B (yes…that’s a “B”, not an “M”!) Aqaba’s history includes a showing from King Solomon who supposedly put a navy together here. Today there are some not so attractive ports with massive container ships from as far away as Panama.

We jumped on a little glass bottom boat to have a look at some coral. It was a little tedious but there were a few interesting things like coral that looked like lavender and some that even looked like brains. A few tyres, drink cans and even a yogurt container could also be viewed. Jordan’s rubbish issue doesn’t seem to end at the coastline. There was also a big old container that was basically an artificial reef and also an old tank which King Abdullah had pushed into the sea (I don’t know why either). Weird to see something like that at the bottom go the sea though. I think I may introduce a Clean Up Jordan Day….or even the concept of an “eco-friendly shopping bag”. Where’s Ian Kiernan when you need him? (That’s the question of the day, btw). I think a lot of the littering comes down to arrogance. That and laziness, just watching the attitude of some people as they just toss a plastic water bottle into the street though surrounded by bins. You know, that insecurity that says, “Look at me! I’m so big and tough, I can litter!” Weirdos. Anyway…back to the story…….I jumped in for a swim but it only really lasted 5 minutes. Having seen all the weird creatures, coral and other things in there, it was really just to jump in and say I’d swum in the Red Sea, quickly before a shark came and took me away!!

The afternoon was spent wandering around the town, which really seems to be divided between poor and not so poor. Stalls sell everything from nuts to cheap but obviously mass produced (from the number that are around!) valour, man-made fibre blankets. Mmmmmm. You can also get McDonalds, Burger King, KFC and Popyes. Oh dear. The fruit and vegetable souk left a little to be desired, but at least I could get a few bits. I also had a fruit smoothie. Why is it that Jordanians can’t leave good food well alone? They have to ruin it with some sort of pollutant, usually of the sugar variety. What could have been a great drink made with fresh fruit then has sickly man-made strawberry syrup poured all down the inside edges. I had to quickly drink it before it mixed in with the drink!! I went into a perfume shop to get directions. They had all the “best” brands such as Lecosta, XY by Hogo Boss, Ioop! and Frerari (whose symbol was a black horse with just one foot off the ground instead of two!). I was about to walk out when I thought he was going to inject me with some big syringe full of sent. Next thing I was completely sprayed with the vile stuff! Coughing and with eyes burning from the “pepper spray” equivalent, I left with my deepest thanks. If nothing else, there’s a brilliant bookshop! In there I met an American couple who had been living in Petra for the last three years. They actually live in Marguerite’s village and know her. They’re begrudgingly moving back Stateside though as their daughter is university age. It was interesting to talk to them about their experiences here. After about a 3hr wander in 42C heat, it was back to the hotel to do some “admin”.

XXX