Jordan cont ... Wadi Rum

Our final destination in Jordan was the wild desert of Wadi Rum, or so we thought. Tourism has somewhat blighted the experience of travelling in this area. Unlike the Egyptian experiance, the camps are permanent and this permanency somewhat ruins the experience. Having said this, the sights that unfolded on our trip were breathing taking in their sheer scope and majesty.

To reach this vantage point a friend and I climbed for twenty minutes looking for the elusive pond that fed the wildlife in the foreground. Small enough to step across the sight from above was worth it all the same. Below Lawrence of Arabia, T.E. Lawrence, has carved into the rock leaving a permanent reminder for those that follow and a moment of excitement for the two history buffs in the group.

Though it is hard to tell, this shot is taken down a steep sand dune, one of the few that has piled up against the rocks.

Our one sunset in the desert somewhat spoiled by the overcast conditions that continued well into evening. Mount Doom in the top left anyone?

After one night in the desert we find ourselves speeding out on a trusty steed, the four by four.

Jordan cont ... Amman

Even though the distances of Jordan pale in comparison to the miles we were to cover in Egypt, we decided to stay the night in Amman before our return south. Though there is very little to do in Jordan's capital, it was worth the visit. Nestled in a small valley the city exudes an energy that gives it a noticeable charm as we wandered around taking in the new and the old. At this point in the journey I was taken by a need to capture people in their everyday life. Not always subtle, my best photos captured people when they were unaware of me and spared me the indecision of taking a photo when they were looking

Our walk that morning took in many little shops among which my favourite was the spice shops and its exotic wares.

One of the largest most chaotic markets I have ever seen crowded into narrow spaces vibrant with colour and the bustle of people going about their day.

The final Roman temple of this leg of the journey overlooks Amman from the hilltops from where the occupyingv Roman army controlled the area.

Jordan

The journey continued as two good friends from the UK joined me for almost three weeks of travel starting in Jordan. Though we had planned to return to Egypt via Jerusalem events in Gaza led to a change that encompassed Petra, Amman, Ajlun, Jerash and a return to Egypt via Wadi Rum. The scope of our journey took in the fantastic Nabataen culture of Petra before heading to see the equally immense Roman remains of Jerash. Moving foward in time we visited Ajlun, a fort, created to protect against the threatening Christian nations. We finally ended our journey in Wadi Rum, simliar to the White and Black desert in its mountainous scope, this place was once home to Lawrence of Arabia and the desert warriors fighting the Ottoman Empire.

The Treasury at Petra

The Monastery at Petra

Atop the highest peak in the inmmediate vicinty the Jordanian flag succumbs to the winds that blow through this arid land.

The columns of Jerash number over a hundred in what remains of an immense city.