Day 6: Crossing from Jordan to Israel

Today we had to say goodbye to our superb Guide, Maha, and Driver, Jamal, who together gave us a truly amazing welcome to Jordan. As we readied to enter The Promised Land that we had looked out on from Mount Nebo on our first day, it was good to think we would see them again, driving us on our last day again, from the Northern Border crossing 

It was overcast and cool early morning with the mist over the Petra Mountains lifting as we stopped to view the places we had visited in the valleys below, where we had walked and ridden - the monastery, the  village of Bedouins living within Petra when the Jordanian Government  and Unesco Heritage listing led to their re-settlement. Mount Hor, where Moses' brother Aaron died was glimpsed as the cloud lifted. 

All day it was easy to remember the Children of Israel moving forward with the pillar of cloud before them by day, and the pillar of fire by night.We drove through Bedouin lands and routes along the King's Highway. All the while Maha told us of ways and traditions, their communicating  of routes with stones, painted; the role of women, in shepherding flocks as well as teaching and caring for children; use of plants, for health, washing and foods.

Our adventure before crossing the border, was at Wadi Rum, scene of Lawrence of Arabia's triumph. Here we took some dilapidated 4WD vehicles into the desert for about 2 hours, and saw Lawrence's "7 pillars of wisdom" mountain. The railway which he blew up went alongside this area of desert.

Next we continued down to Aqaba before crossing over the checkpoint into Israel. Here there were no glitches and we were met by our new guide, Usama, a Christian Palestinian, who has just finished a PhD in Wales. Subject:"How to keep Christians living in the Holy Land".
Usama told us that there is a joint Jordanian/Israeli project to pipe water from the Red sea into the Dead sea, because the Dead sea which is 400m below sea level, is losing depth at the rate of 90cm per year.

We are now settling into the Hotel Daniel after a great buffet meal.

Photos: View over Petra Mountains; We set off for Wadi Rum; Walking up the sand dunes; ladies on the dunes; "Lawrence of Arabia"; our intrepid rock climbers; our guide Maha shows how the Bedouin made soap; Goodbye to Wadi Rum and off to Israel crossing - no photos allowed at the border.