Wadi Rum (Jordan)

Now it's official! When exiting Israel at passport control the young woman who took my passport frowned deeply. Given their fearsome reputation for intense questioning, the pucker factor was quite high. Then she looked up from my passport at me and said "you're prettier than your photo" so let the record reflect henceforth and forevermore that to Israeli border authorities I'm prettier than my photo.

And let the "record" also reflect my wife may have achieved a first: Wadi Rum in high heels. Now to Wadi Rum. Like Arizona's Grand Canyon only from the opposite perspective of being on a vast desert floor looking up, no amount of words will adequately describe it but here's one: spectacular. The red sand, the sand dunes, and other-worldly rock formations are on an absolutely overwhelming scale. The mountain-size formations look like sculptures stretched out as far as I could see. Everything was on such a huge scale that I put my wife's hand in mine and we just stood there, marveling at the complete and utter lack of a single sound. We couldn't see anything alive in any direction (although at one point a herd of goats came running toward us from out of nowhere - Saleh said they were looking for food). Saleh and I had been in touch for months. Saleh is a Bedouin whose family has lived in Wadi Rum for generations. Terry and I took a cab for the hour ride from Aqaba and Saleh welcomed us into his home with the customary glass of sweet hot tea. His wife introduced herself to my wife and the two women engaged in the now-familiar kisses on cheeks (interestingly, the number of kisses varies by country) and asking about each other's children. We met some of his children and saw his camels. Saleh and his wife hosted us for a lunch that included salads and (the ubiquitous) hummus. Then off we went on our off road tour. Saleh showed us his family's camp (there are about 20 such "camps," groups of family tents), where his family has lived since his grandparents' grandparents. Interestingly, USAID provided solar panels. The camps are located in rock indentations for protection against the elements (and probably a defensive posture). Saleh showed us where he sleeps (an outside sand dune) during the summer and where one of his friends lives year-round (in a cave). He showed us petroglyphs from when the Nabateans used the area as a trade route, and Islamic-themed rock carvings dating from the time of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). We also saw where the movies Lawrence of Arabia and The Martian were filmed. We came within 5-10 miles of Saudi Arabia and asked Saleh about the consequences were we to cross over ("not good"). He drove up and down a sand dune where I was instructed to remove my shoes and socks to walk on the pure red sand, which I did, and it was wonderful. The sun and moon were both visible and added to our peaceful afternoon. The time to head to the airport arrived too soon. Aqaba is a beautiful port and resort city at the head of the narrow Gulf of Aqaba, an offshoot of the Red Sea. It is filled with luxurious hotels, overlooking Israel and Egypt at the junction of Saudi Arabia. Our day ended with a late night flight home to Amman where we will spend our final days in beautiful Jordan.