April 9^th 2023

South beach, Aqaba, Jordan

And there we are, with the camper on the beach, still digesting the culture shock. After five months with practically no tourists in Iran / Kuwait / Saudi, it's teeming with them again. We don't see women here with headscarves or veils, but swimming in thongs. Well, you could at least wear a normal bikini in the Muslim country. Bare skin everywhere you look, and 5 miles south, all women are veiled. Seems a bit strange at first :-). A minibus pulls up right next to us, unpacks the party tent and diving equipment and some tourists get ready for diving. The head of the diving school quickly persuades us to go diving. Completely spontaneously we soon have bottles on our backs and fins on our feet, receive a 5-minute training session on land and in the water and we're off to the underwater world. In addition to fish and corals, we are particularly impressed by the military tank at a depth of about 20 feet (6m) when gliding weightlessly through the water. All in all, this introductory dive was very worthwhile and a lot of fun.

Now on to another topic: alcohol. Well, not that we need it, but after the last few months we're looking forward to a beer. The information from one of the diving instructors that no alcohol will be sold during Ramadan (2 more weeks) makes our mood sink in the depths. But immediately afterwards he explains to us: "Over there, in the secured hotel-resort complex, you can buy beer, even in Ramadan". So let's go, and indeed, in this luxurious holiday village we can buy beer and wine in the mini market :-).

April 10^th 2023

South beach, Aqaba – Aqaba, Jordan

Miles: 20 (40km)

Miles total: 20’490 (32’990km)

We leave the beach and drive along the coastal road to the city of Aqaba, Jordan's only port city. Unfortunately, a monstrous cruise ship entered the port yesterday, leaving the center swarming with tourists. First of all, we take care of cash and SIM card and, since there are no alternatives (Ramadan), we have lunch at McDonalds. We spend the afternoon visiting the, to be honest, moderately interesting city. There are the sparse ruins of an ancient city, a small beach promenade, a nicely renovated medieval fortress and a small souk where Stefan gets a completely overpriced, but badly needed ;-) hair and beard cut.

Later we go shopping and fill up the water tank in a small water treatment shop. We get a little shock along the way!

Without the protections, the steering bars could have been badly damaged. Fortunately, there is nothing to see except for a few scratches. lucky! Incidentally, as we continue our journey, we see that actually all of these “initial” barriers are badly damaged. We are definitely not the only ones who have overlooked these well camouflaged and "super intelligently" attached iron bars...

April 11^th 2023

Aqaba – Wadi Rum, Jordan

Miles: 60 (90km)

Miles total: 20’550 (33’080km)

We slept well in the parking lot of the secure noble resort-village and we can also use the toilets right away :-). But we'd better move on now before security says anything. We drive towards Wadi Rum, which according to the images we have already seen bears some resemblance to the Hisma Desert in Saudi. Let us surprise.

But now to Wadi Rum. As expected, tour buses line up and hundreds of tourists stroll around the visitor center. Admission with your own vehicle is 27$. We pay this contribution, although a few miles further up you could drive into the desert unnoticed. The many tour wagons and the countless camps in the desert seem a bit absurd to us, because 60 miles (100km) south we had the comparable Hisma desert in Saudi, next to some camel herders, practically to ourselves!

April 12th – 13th 2023

Wadi Rum, Jordan

Miles: 40 (70km)

Miles total: 20’590 (33’150km)

We spend a total of three nights in Wadi Rum. A fascinating desert landscape with high cliffs, enchanting valleys and red sand dunes.

This bizarre area also served as a backdrop for a number of movies (e.g. The Martian) and the famous "Lawrence of Arabia" also lived in Wadi Rum at times. A well and a dilapidated house where "Lawrence" lived are popular tourist magnets.

But of course, we enjoy it either way and are enthusiastic about the beautiful nature. On the third day, we want to go hiking. It goes up 250 meters on an official but rather dangerous hiking trail. This 2.5-hour tour is probably too much for most tourists and does not fit into the tour program, and so we are almost alone. Arrived at the top of the mountain, we are not only rewarded with a spectacular view, but our adrenaline also gets some.

A natural rock bridge high above the endless desert landscape! Nothing for weak nerves. With a width of 5 feet (1.5m) actually not dangerous, but so high above the ground you get a queasy feeling in your stomach :-).

The Iveco is also often forced again, because there are often sand drifts in the lanes and we nearly get stuck from time to time.

For us was the Hisma desert in Saudi despite all, still a bit more spectacular, because it has more unique rock formations and you have the entire place nearly for yourself .

April 14th 2023

Wadi Rum – Shakaria, Jordan

Miles: 40 (60km)

Miles total: 20’630 (33’210km)

Now it's time to move on. We leave the desert, turn onto the main road to the village of Disah and treat ourselves to something delicious to eat :-). It's already getting dark and we leave the main road in the direction of the desert again, north of Wadi Rum.

April 15^th 2023

Shakaria – Wadi Musa (Petra), Jordan

Miles: 70 (120km)

Miles total: 20’700 (33’330km)

We can't stop it! The satellite image of the desert north of the official nature reserve and the marked highlights look too enticing for us to simply rush past here along the main road. And so, it is that we head once again into the desert.

Even if we already have a few desert trips behind us, the sand and rocky landscapes and the fantastic places to stay fascinate us again and again. We spend another wonderful day discovering the beautiful nature.

The sandy track back to the main road also leads through a mostly dry river bed, but the heavy rains a few days ago have left their mark, so that the descent into the river bed and the ascent are not entirely easy. Of course, the Iveco also mastered this off-road trip easily, probably one of the last on this trip.

Now we set course for the most famous sight of Jordan: the rock city of Petra. Only a few miles later and 1600 feet (500m) higher (at 4800 feet / 1500m) the landscape changes abruptly. The sand and rocks give way to a semi-arid yet verdant hilly landscape where even a few conifers grow in the small villages' front gardens and lush green fields of crops thrive. After all the beige-brown weeks, this green is something special for us too! Via side roads we approach the village of Wadi Musa, the starting point for Petra. But to get there, you first have to descend 1600 feet (500m), the village is built on a steep slope, the streets are narrow, the traffic volume is high. Actually, we wanted to take a hotel here for once, but the affordable hotels don't have proper parking spaces, there is general chaos and so we finally end up at the bottom of the village on the large and very quiet visitor parking lot of Petra in the evening. We park next to Susi and Robert's German truck, whom we met briefly in Wadi Rum.

April 16^th – 18^th 2023

Wadi Musa (Petra), Jordan

And now the time has come, we visit the biggest attraction in the country. Petra, one of the seven wonders of the new world. We're not quite the only ones, as over a million foreign visitors flock here every year :-). Petra, the more than 2100-year-old capital of the Nabateans impresses with its tombs and rooms carved out of the rock. Petra has an incredible 800 registered sights, including around 500 tombs, mostly carved out of the rock. Craziness! (More about Petra here on Wiki). By the way, they are very similar tombs as we saw in Hegra, Saudi. Hegra was the second most important city of the Nabataeans.

Petra was undiscovered by the outside world for centuries and only Bedouins lived here. It was not until 1812 that the Swiss Jean Louis Burckhardt discovered the city. Because of the increasing tourism, the Bedouins finally had to move out of Petra in the 1980s. Many of the Bedouins are now in Petra and offer tourists horses, camels and donkeys to visit Petra. However, they often seem a bit arrogant and rowdy! Individual paths to vantage points are taken over by the men and you should pay 7$ per person to be allowed to walk up the slope for 5 minutes. For one, we understand that they have a privilege to be here since they were relocated from Petra. But on the other hand, there shouldn't be a Wild West vibe at such a sight. Bedouin children are also still on the move, sitting on the donkey instead of at the school desk and chatting to tourists.

But now let's go :-). From the visitor car park (where we stay overnight), we head to the visitor center and embark on a fantastic hike through the narrow, long "Siq" gorge.

Through a narrow gap we see the first corners and edges of the so-called "Treasury". An image that will stay in your memory forever. This 128 feet (39m) high tomb is breathtaking and we almost feel like in the movie "Indiana Jones" which was filmed here ;-). Spectacular!

Impressions upon impressions and our high expectations of Petra are regularly exceeded over the 3 days! Besides countless tombs, it also has temples and churches from the time when the Romans invaded. In addition, the area is scenically fantastic and the rocks have color patterns that we have never seen before.

Incidentally, the terrain of Petra is so extensive that we manage to walk 28 miles (45km) in 3 days!

See Slide show :-)

But there are also less impressive things in Petra. There are (as probably everywhere where there are many tourists) partly the tourists ripped off. Whether souvenirs, taxis or supermarket. But with one rip-off, even our hair stands on end. On the third day, we want to go to "Little Petra", a few miles away. A taxi would be 20$, but we found out that there is also a free shuttle bus. And so, we go to the official visitor center the night before to find out where and when this bus is leaving. The official Petra employee tells us fairy tales that the bus may not run at all because of maintenance work on the street and that we should take a taxi! And the next morning dawns. We walk across the parking lot and can easily take the free shuttle service to “Little Petra”. Oh well!

But Petra is definitely worth a longer visit! A fantastic, unique and always fascinating sight!

April 19^th 2023

Wadi Musa (Petra) – Wadi Ghuweir, Jordan

Miles: 30 (40km)

Miles total: 20’730 (33’370km)

April 20^th 2023

Wadi Ghuweir – Shobak Castle, Jordan

Miles: 10 (20km)

Miles total: 20’740 (33’390km)

From the sleeping spot we drive the last stretch down the steep road into Wadi Ghuweir. Here, too, the road was buried by last week's rain, of which we didn't notice anything in Aqaba. However, we can get through with the Iveco and can drive to the starting point of the hike. A small river flows in the Wadi, which we follow downstream. The further we walk, the higher the cliffs get until we find ourselves in a narrow but beautiful gorge. The artistic patterns of the rocks are particularly delightful: different colored, fine layers of rock were polished by the water into wonderful works of art of nature. A real feast for the eyes!

Also very beautiful are the isolated palm trees that have settled high up on small rocky outcrops. Although not much water flows through the gorge, there are always places where you either have to climb rather daringly or where you have to put up with wet shoes. Well-prepared tourists come with bathing shoes... we definitely don't belong to that category today ;-). 

We were also surprised at how far you can hike into the gorge. Since we didn't actually expect a day hike, we finally turn back after two hours. With a bit of luck, we are getting back to the car with reasonably dry shoes :-). To our next destination, which is actually only a few miles away, we have to climb 2300 feet (700 meters) in altitude in a very short time. The poor Iveco fights bravely up the steep road :-). Unfortunately, our plan to visit the Shobak Fortress today fails. Due to the festivities beginning today to mark the end of Ramadan, closing time is already at 5:00 p.m. To our astonishment, a whole tour group with a local guide is also standing in front of closed doors... So we postpone the visit until tomorrow and look for a place to sleep nearby. 

April 21^st 2023

Shobak Castle – Dana, Jordan

Miles: 20 (40km)

Miles total: 20’760 (33’430km)

This morning it works out with the visit of the Shobak Fortress. The 900-year-old Crusader fortress is one of several forts east of the Jordan River to control the caravan routes between Syria and Egypt at the time. As is so often the case, this fort is enthroned on a hill so that the enemy can be spotted from afar.

And the journey continues. Next stop, Dana, a stone cottage hamlet on the edge of the 310 km^2 nature reserve of the same name. A 3-hour hike is still possible before evening comes. The view towards Wadi Araba and the Dead Sea is beautiful, but also a bit overcast. Unfortunately, the animal world remained hidden from us, despite the allegedly great diversity of species, but the hike is anyways beautiful and feels good.

Despite the tourist location, children are also a joy here. You get a huge laugh and a "Hello" called into the car :-). A little higher up we find a perfect place to spend the night.

April 22^nd 2023

Dana – Khirbet Al-Dharieh, Jordan

Miles: 40 (60km)

Miles total: 20’800 (33’490km)

We spend a quiet night at our small vantage point, not far from the road, and enjoy the magnificent view of Wadi Dana and the surrounding area during breakfast. Today we want to hike again in the nature reserve, but from a different starting point. Before that, we stock up on fresh flatbread in the nearby village and also get hold of one of the dark, heavy flatbreads that are unknown to us, which are probably only baked at the end of Ramadan. A welcome change from the usual poor selection of bread ;-). And again, it's almost noon and before the hike we strengthen ourselves with a delicious falafel wrap for 60 cents each! Outside of the tourist centers, life is also very cheap in Jordan. However, we also experience a dark side of tourism here, because there are sometimes children who beg us for money. And this in a sometimes not very decent way. And unfortunately, there are still people who just hand the children money, with the result that children are sent to beg instead of to school. After a short drive, we reach the visitor center, pay the entrance fee of 13$ p.p. and start the hike into the reserve.

The trek first takes us to a rock face with caves said to have been a religious retreat or hermitage. Continue through steppe-like meadows with blooming spring flowers and to various vantage points with a wonderful view of the bumpy sandstone landscape. An extraordinary experience is also the large group of about 25 birds of prey circling above us in the sky and which we can observe very well with the binoculars.

The way back leads over a steep road exposed to the scorching sun, but luckily the entrance fee includes a shuttle bus that takes us back to the Iveco :-). We spontaneously decide to cover a little more distance today. Before dark we find a place to sleep near beehives and an old temple ruin, where three men visit us around 9:30 p.m., who probably saw our light and want to make sure that we are not bee thieves.

April 23^rd 2023

Khirbet Al-Dharieh – Rakin, Jordan

Miles: 40 (70km)

Miles total: 20’840 (33’560km)

And again, we visit a ruin. If it wasn't used as a place to stay overnight, we would certainly have passed it. It is also not in the travel guide, we discovered it on Google Maps. We go in, and our hardly existing expectations are exceeded :-). The 2100-year-old Nabataean Temple isn't that bad ;-) and we have the whole area to ourselves.

And off we go, to Karak. Before we plunge into the tourist crowds, we go to a “local” snack bar a few hundred meters from the mostly overpriced tourist restaurants. For just under 5$ for both of us there is something delicious between the teeth and since we want dessert there is a plate with the freshest baklava right next door for 2$.

Now let's go, we weave our way between the tightly parked tourist buses and enter the landmark of Karak. A crusader fortress like Shobak, which we visited the day before yesterday. Shobak was one of the first of these forts in the region, Karak was built a few decades later (early 1140s). Based on the tourists, you might think you are in France and not in Jordan :-). The fortress is really impressive with its huge underground passages and thick walls. 

But the time has come for some rest. We don't feel like staying in the city and decide to look for a place to sleep outside. Not always that easy! Not this time either! Incidentally, here in Jordan the roads rarely seem to be flat. It's always steep downhill or uphill! So, we drive up one side of the valley. Steep! And with the help of Google Satellite, we look for places that may be suitable. I, Stefan, am slowly getting in a bad mood because we must have been looking for a nice and quiet place for 20 minutes. And we turn around somewhere in a side street and drive even further up. 

April 24^th 2023

Rakin – Dead Sea, Jordan

Miles: 40 (60km)

Miles total: 20’880 33’620km)

But now we want to see the Dead Sea up close! From our overnight place in the highlands of Jordan we descend 4600 feet (1,400m) until we are at the lowest point in the world; at 1345 feet (410m) below sea level! The Dead Sea (actually a lake) itself has a depth of 1280 feet (390m)! We reach the dead sea at the southern end, not exactly the most attractive part, because here potash (potassium carbonate) is extracted from the lake water in large evaporation basins. The potash deposits in this area are the second largest in the world. It is Jordan's most important export product and is used in fertilizer production. Unfortunately, this extraction process, due to the high water consumption for evaporation, is partly responsible for the drastic drop in the lake level by up to 3 feet (1m) per year!! The main reason for this, however, is the ever-decreasing inflow from the Jordan River, whose water is diverted for drinking water supply and agricultural use. We turn north and take the coastal road that runs directly along the lake.

The shore areas are rugged and covered with a salt crust and the water shimmers in different shades of blue. We are looking for a place to swim and, for lack of alternatives, are heading for a beach site that has been recorded on iOverlander. And it's really great! All alone, a bit away from the road and hidden behind a pile of rubble, we find a flat spot near the shore with a great view. In contrast to the highlands, the temperatures have also risen quite a bit, so that we prefer to stay in the shade for the time being. Towards evening we climb down the steep slope to the water. Here you can clearly see that the level of the lake used to be much higher, because there are salt deposits with sharp edges everywhere on the slope. The shore itself is also mostly covered with a thick layer of salt, some of which forms wonderful shapes and reminds us a little of the sinter terraces in Pamukkale/Turkey. Unfortunately, a lot of rubbish was also washed up on this bank, including countless shoes that someone neatly lined up. Since you should definitely wear shoes in the water because of the sharp salt edges, we choose two slippers from the large collection of old shoes, and can thus protect our own shoes :-). Now off to the salty water! Slightly skeptical and completely at ease, we carefully get into the water and slide into the water on our backs.

And it's amazing! As if by magic, the water carries us on the surface and we float weightlessly! We never expected that the buoyancy would be so strong and that you would float on the water like on an air mattress! When you swim on your stomach, you're actually struggling to get your legs back on the ground! A unique experience! Luckily, we don't have any open wounds because with a salinity of over 30% this could be painful! It is also exciting that you can actually see the salt in the water. After about 10 minutes we got out of the water again, because supposedly you shouldn't stay in it too long for health reasons. Incidentally, another vehicle joined us in the course of the afternoon: Marietta and Martin from Zurich, who have been on the road for 10 months with a large MAN truck. And we hired them as photographers right away :-). But now quickly back to the camper for a shower, because the water feels uncomfortably slippery on the skin and when we arrive at the camper, a clearly visible layer of salt has already dried on our skin.

April 25^th 2023

Dead Sea – Dead Sea, Jordan

Miles: 20 (30km)

Miles total: 20’900 (33’650km)

After a short drive, we reach the visitor center of Wadi Mujib, where we want to hike through the riverbed today. But first we are a little shocked, because the parking lot is packed and the entrance area is teeming with tourists. We didn't expect that there would be such a rush here. And also the entrance fee of 28$ p.p. we find it rather high. But it appeals to us, because the hike leads through a water-bearing river bed and a little action is also promised. Let's go! We put on clothes and shoes that can get wet, and since we don't want to pay the rent for a wet bag as well, we pack our camera in two Tupperware :-). We still have to wait because only a certain number of people will be allowed in. After half an hour it's our turn, we're equipped with life jackets and the adventure begins! It starts quite harmlessly, you wade upstream through an ankle-high, sometimes waist-high river, there are always sandbanks, and we think that the life jackets are a bit exaggerated... ;-).

The oncoming people look a bit confused at our backpack and they think that we should probably leave it somewhere, because you really have to swim further back. Well, he's definitely exaggerating, and of course we have a backpack with us that can get wet, provided the Tupperware holds up. But of course, the nice man is right ;-). The gorge gets narrower, the water deeper, first we swim short distances, soon we swing through the water on fixed ropes and fight the current, then climb over rocks and ladders until we reach the end point after two hours, where there is a beautiful waterfall and a huge stone cube wedged between the rock walls.

Unfortunately, the temperatures in the shady gorge and the soaking wet clothes do not invite you to linger for long, so we soon start our way back. Of course, despite limited admission, there is a bit of traffic jams at the difficult sections and you have time to observe what is happening. People are pulled up over the rocks in life jackets, slide uncontrollably down rock slides or fight their way up and down the ropes with oh and nosh. It's very clear that some people underestimated the hike a bit. We too were surprised at how demanding some spots are. But fortunately, we made it back down safely without scratches and found that the hike was definitely worth it, despite the high entrance fee. The gorge itself was also very impressive with beautiful, rounded rocks and layers of rock.

April 26^th 2023

Dead Sea – Ma’in, Jordan

Miles: 20 (30km)

Miles total: 20’920 (33’680km)

At the northern end of the Dead Sea there are almost only luxury resorts. And so, we have our lunch (28$) next to an endless pool and soon drive on. Oh yes, we lost our front license plate a few days ago and this is probably why the police are now stopping us at a checkpoint. The policeman asks for the Car papers, but in the end, when he sees the rear license plate, he doesn't want to check them anymore :-). We drive up about 3300 feet (1000m) from the lowest point on earth and are still only at an altitude of 2000 feet (600m) :-).

Next to a very quiet side street, we find a wonderful place to stay with a great view of the Dead Sea and the suburbs of Jerusalem on the other side of the lake.

April 27^th 2023

Ma’in, Jordan

We like the place to stay so much that we decide to stay another day. With a beautiful view of the Dead Sea, we don't do much more than write reports and drink a glass of red wine :-).

April 28^th 2023

Ma’in – Madaba, Jordan

Miles: 20 (40km)

Miles total: 20’940 (33’720km)

We tackle the short route to Madaba. Madaba is also served by most tourist buses and there are also a number of rental cars around the visitor center. Madaba is known as the Mosaic City. Between the 5th and 7th centuries, a number of absolutely impressive mosaics were created on the floors of churches and private houses. A particularly important mosaic is a map of Palestine that adorns the floor of a church.

In the evening, all the coaches move on and the car park security guard lets us spend the night in the locked area and even brings us a pot of tea :-).

April 29^th – May 1^st 2023

Madaba – Amman, Amman, Jordan

Miles: 30 (40km)

Miles total: 20’970 (33’760km)

Today we are forced to be on the road early because we have to clear our parking lot for the countless tourist coaches before 8 a.m. After a short drive, we arrive in the capital Amman, and head for the long-awaited self-service laundry. As strange as it sounds, we are really happy to finally be able to do our laundry ourselves again :-). And we're not the only travelers using this service. Soon a large Mercedes Vario drives into the parking lot and we get to know Ellie and Sebastian from Germany. Exchanging travel experiences is a great way to bridge the waiting time in the laundromat :-). Since the public car park at the laundromat seems relatively quiet to us, we decide to stay the night here and take a taxi into town, especially since the taxi rides are very cheap. In the two and a half days in the city we visit some of the main sights (Roman ruins, Jordan Museum), take part in a varied street art tour, spend a fun evening with delicious food with Ellie and Sebastian and admire modern art in a historic building.

Today the city of Amman stretches over nineteen hills and this is noticeable during the tour, because we climb up and down dozens of stairs. In general, we liked the city: the lively city center with its markets and shops, the quiet neighborhoods with cozy cafés, or the modern neighborhoods with good restaurants and creative shops.

Nevertheless, we have to admit that the city is not necessarily one of our favourites. Now for an unpleasant topic. In the souk we happen to come across a very sad picture: pets such as puppies, cats, rabbits and turtles in small dirty cages, all of them not really looking healthy and waiting for a new home. Young colored chickens are also on offer, for what purpose we do not know. Of course, there are massive abuses not only in the breeding of domestic animals, but also in livestock husbandry. The animals are often severely mistreated, which is unfortunately still the case in many countries around the world. You'll definitely lose your appetite for meat!

May 2^nd 2023

Amman – Dibeen Forest Park, Jordan

Miles: 30 (50km)

Miles total: 21’000 (33’810km)

The first thing we need today is a new license plate.

Before we leave the capital, we need water. There is a water tower nearby where you can fill up with water for free. We get the giant hose from the man in charge and start to fill it. A scent like in a swimming pool penetrates our noses!! We never got such chlorinated water on the entire trip! And so, we stop after about 5 gallons (20L), say goodbye and go a few hundred meters further to a drinking water shop. We fill in another 52 gallons (200L) of freshly filtered drinking water, but have to pay a steep price of 35$ for it! New record on the trip. Well… Now change money and go shopping. And not in any supermarket, but in one that sells Swiss cheese :-). We take our lunch in a Malaysian restaurant and enjoy the food we are familiar with, because we were on the first trip in Malaysia for 2.5 months.

Let's get going, finally out of the capital and into the forest. Oh yes, by the way, we're just wondering when was the last time we saw a real forest? It must have been half a year ago! We find a wonderful spot in the middle of the forest and get installed. And now something happens that we didn't come close to experiencing on the entire trip! A young man and a boy, about 10 years old, come to the camper and want to sell fruit. We feel sorry for the guys and buy something from them. They have strawberries, a kind of yellow plum and little green fruits that we didn't know about. 2 JD per box (Jordan Dinar 1JD = 1.40$). So, we take 2 boxes (strawberries and plums) and give 4JD. The man really wants us to buy another box of green fruit. We buckle and take the green fruit. We don't have small change and give a 10JD bill. So, a total of 14JD. He takes the bill and wants to give us more fruit, which we vehemently refuse. And we're starting to realize that he just doesn't want to give us any change back! After some discussion, he sends the boy away and we continue to discuss using Google Translate. After much back and forth he gives us back 2JD. We tell him he's a thief, we're extremely disappointed, and we've never seen anything so bad! But we don't want it to escalate, because we're spending the night alone in the woods, so we let him go with the money he stole! It's not about the money (6JD) itself, but simply about the fact that we were insidiously robbed. Whether he needs money urgently for something important or is just a crook, we'll never know!

.

May 3^rd 2023

Dibeen Forest Park – Souf, Jordan

Miles: 20 (30km)

Miles total: 21’020 (33’840km)

After a few miles, we reach the city of Jerash, where one of the main sights of Jordan is located.

In the afternoon, with hundreds of other tourists, we visit the ancient Roman city of Gerasa, which reached its heyday about 2000 years ago. And although we have already seen quite some Roman sites, we are very impressed by the very well-preserved buildings, some of which have been extensively restored and spread over a large area. Most memorable is the column-lined oval Forum (Market Square) which opens into a 2300 feet (700m) long avenue lined with 260 columns.

Both streets are paved with the original stone slabs and we try to imagine the busy life on this street. In any case, the thousands of wagon wheels have left their mark on the stone slabs. The other buildings, such as the two Roman theaters, various temples, gates, fountains, cathedrals, etc. are also worth seeing.

Since we don't want to spend the night in the city because of the heat, we move on. In the hilly north, we are soon in higher climes, but we don't immediately find a suitable place to stay because we're still in a fairly populated area. We finally turn onto an unpaved side road, which unexpectedly becomes narrow and impassable, and end up in a beautiful, idyllic wine-growing region, where we finally find a nice, quiet place.

May 4^th 2023

Souf – Al-Hawi, Jordan

Miles: 20 (40km)

Miles total: 21’040 (33’880km)

Still on the road on real back roads! We are glad that we are able to get through everywhere :-). On the way, we have to hit the brakes hard because a chameleon is trotting around on the tar. Luckily it didn't change color from green to street gray ;-). In this area of Jordan, it is extremely green and we are amazed at how quickly the landscape can change drastically in this country.

 In the afternoon, the search for a place to sleep begins again. We'll find it quicker this time. And it's a lovely spot with a view of the surrounding green hills. We deserved that as a degree in Jordan :-).

May 5^th 2023

Al-Hawi, Jordan

Write reports and enjoy the view while I (Stefan) have a cold and a headache.

May 6^th 2023

Al-Hawi, Jordan – HaGilbo’a Reserve, Israel

Miles: 40 (70km)

Miles total: 21’080 (33’950km)

Today comes the day that we move one country further. Not just any border crossing is imminent, but a crossing into another world. From the Muslim Arab world to a modern western society called Israel. A transition from a cherished, pleasant world into a matter-of-fact, reserved world. We are aware of this and enjoy the last moments in the small Jordanian town of Der Abi Saeed. And everything fits. For lunch, there is a falafel sandwich in the small snack bar and the locals immediately chat with us and offer us their chairs to sit down. A teenager wants to keep in touch on Facebook and the falafel chef, who wanted to invite us into his house, and the guests wave to us as we leave the restaurant :-).

The seller at the vegetable stand, where we stock up on healthy food, is also happy and offers us a garlic and the strawberry seller smiles at us. With these last experiences, we wistfully continue towards the border. Yes, it's hard to believe, but in the two years that we've been on the road, we've spent a whole year in Muslim countries and have always felt warmly welcome, very safe and almost exclusively had good and beautiful experiences.

Well, the border is getting close to us. We pass through two checkpoints where they take a quick look inside the vehicle before we even get to the actual border. On the Jordanian side, we are searched again for 5 minutes. What strikes us here are the piles of Jordanian license plates in a customs office and we soon see where they come from. The few Israelis (mostly Palestinians) who go to Jordan have to mount a Jordanian number plate at the border and they can give it back on the return journey. A pure security measure, since Israeli license plates are not popular with everyone in the Arab neighboring country (to put it nicely)! On the Israeli side, it is easier than expected. When we traveled from Egypt to Israel in the Landrover 9 years ago, we had to completely empty the entire vehicle and scan everything! This time the search lasted 5 minutes! And the questions at passport control are also limited and we are not interrogated like criminals (like 9 years ago). The only thing that goes wrong is the car insurance! We only notice here that our green insurance card (valid for 5 years) expired at the end of 2022! Unfortunately, we are now forced to take out insurance for 20 days for 200$!, although we would be insured from Switzerland! Aggravating. And after a total of 3.5 hours we entered Israel. Everything looks tidier, cleaner and neater. People walk around dressed similarly to ours and we feel as if we flew back home on a plane. We have to get used to it first. On a chain of hills, we find a quiet place to stay the night with a beautiful view over to Jordan and the West Bank.

.End