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This is a report of a trip to Egypt and Jordan, undertaken during May 1992 by myself (from Luxembourg) and my best friend, Marc (from Belgium).

Jordan

Pierre.Flener
2004-04-03 18:35:25

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Once in Aqaba Port, we are among the first ones to be whisked off the ship. We retrieve our backpacks, and head for the immigration office, in order to get our passports. Marc's and my visa cost only 2JD each, a tremendous bargain over the 16JD the Jordanian Embassy in Brussels wanted to charge us. The visa for US-citizens is free (because of US-aid? or because Queen Noor is US-ian? or both?), the Kiwi and Canadian pay 3JD, while the poor Brit has to pay 10JD (a revenge for the Sykes-Picot Agreement?). At customs, nobody bothers again to look at our luggage. Exchanging traveler's cheques is pretty steep in Jordanian banks: the commission is 3JD per cheque, which amounts to 22% of a $20 cheque. So you'd better keep some strong foreign cash handy.
Like in every port of arrival to any country, transportation to the next town (Aqaba is 10km away) is organized by cut-throats. The taxi-drivers want 1JD each, which would normally cover the five-fold distance. And they know they have the monopoly, as the last bus is long gone. We eventually bargain them down to 0.7JD each, but should rather have hitchhiked. But this was already to be our last complaint about Jordan. The Brit leaves us, as he wants to catch up with his travel group. Aqaba turns out to be a very lively city at night. Hot gushes of desert air stream through the city. The Jordanians, if not indifferent to travelers (this is paradise), display their legendary friendliness in case you do need assistance (paradise again). A man actually temporarily leaves his cup of tea at a bar to show us the way to the Jerusalem Hotel. Once set up there, we head out to the Mohandis Cafeteria for a very filling falafel and shish kebab dinner.

Day 23: Aqaba - Wadi Musa - Petra - Wadi Musa
By now completely accustomed to the Arab way of life, we get up at 5:30am to catch the first service taxi to Wadi Musa. As we head north, the road gains elevation. Most of the Jordanian and Iraqi ...