Journey to Egypt and Jordan

The flight from Johannesburg to Cairo on Egypt Air was on the new Airbus complemented with good food and service. The new terminal at Cairo Airport is impressive and efficient. We were met and transferred to Shepherds Hotel. The hotel is well situated and overlooks the Nile, and is within easy walking distance of the Egyptian Museum, and the city centre. The rooms are not modern but big and comfortable. The breakfast is generous and the staff very pleasant. Although this was my third visit to Egypt, I still enjoy going to the Khali Kali Bazaar, which has grown since I was last there. I just love walking in the city centre and experiencing the sights and smells of the place. A day tour to Memphis Sakkara just outside Cairo is well worth the time as is dinner on a floating restaurant on the Nile, also a short and safe stroll from the hotel.

The next day we flew to Amman. This was my first visit to Jordan and I was impressed with the modern airport and service at customs and passport control. We were met and transferred to our hotel, the Amman Century. Amman is rich in historical interest and one needs to allow at least two to three full days to see the sights such as the Citadel, the restored Roman Theatre, the Roman Forum, the Nymphaeum and the Grand Husseini Mosque. The following day we left Amman on a private tour of Jordan. En-route to the Dead Sea we visited the Desert Castles at Qasr Amra, Azrag and Kharaneh. These castles were built in the desert as overnight accommodation for ancient traveller’s en-route to and from the Dead Sea. We stayed at a hotel on the western bank of the Dead Sea. A swim in the Dead Sea is the most amazing experience and is highly recommended. The water is salty but not unpleasant; one is not allowed to stay in the water for longer than 20 minutes as one’s blood pressure can drop. From the Dead Sea we travelled via Madaba (the City of Mosaics,) Mount Nebo (the site of a monastery commemorating Moses) to Kerak through Wadi Mujib, a deep valley with breathtaking views, to Petra. A visit to the Kerak Castle is a must with its diverse history dating from the Byzantine era. One can start the tour of Petra by horse back or take a nice walk down. We took the horse back option!!! At the end of a walk between overhanging cliffs the first vision of Petra is amazing, a sight never to be forgotten. For the reasonably fit a climb up 800 steps to the monastery is well worth the effort. We stayed in unique accommodation in Petra: The Petra Taybet Zaman was an old Bedouin village converted in to a hotel...it was really something special. The food was excellent, the meat dishes really different but very enjoyable. We then made our way to Wadi Rum, Jordan’s largest desert and where Lawrence of Arabia had his headquarters. A tour into the desert by 4x4 is reasonably inexpensive and well worth it. The beautiful seaside resort of Aqaba is the play ground of the rich. The Aqaba Movenpick Resort has its own private beach with every possible amenity and on a clear day one can see Israel. Jordan as country has amazing sites to visit, the people are friendly and helpful, the standard of hotels high, it is safe and well worth a visit.