deParting the Red Sea; Petra

The infamous ferry between Nuweiba, Egypt and Aqaba, Jordan lived up to much of its dread. At a ridiculous cost, officials manage to turn a 1 hour puddle skip into an all day ordeal. Even the always for show X-ray machine at the port was quite comicial--you put your bag in an enclosed black box and I am pretty sure a little man in the box opened your bag looked inside and then pushed it out the other end. Once sailing things weren't bad. Luckily, the 2nd Class compartment was in need of an entertainment director and I was able to pass a little time by showing an audience of 20 Jordinians/Egyptians how to play Solitaire. Something is not quite right playing a loner's game like Solitiare with that many people looking over your shoulder.

Arrived at the port in Jordan to a mob of money-hungry taxi drivers, who tried to convince our recently put together group of 5 travelers into one compact car for the 2 hour trip to Wadi Musa/Petra. Arrived late in the night and crashed hard.

Woke early in the morning and toured Petra, the Nabatean ruins cut into the desert hills, made famous by Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and its new placement as one of the new 7 Wonders of the World. Including the honorary Wonder the Giza Pyrmaids, I am halfway on track to seeing all of these. If you count Party Cove at the Lake, I am over half.

Was undecided about what to do next until I met a Dutch couple who are traveling through with their own car. They have made up my mind by offering me a lift to Wadi Rum--famous for its picturesque desert surroundings. Planning on riding some camels, camping with the Beduoins, and digging for water.

Following the sun,

B. Quarnstrom of Arabia