09.02 The sun is shining in. The fan above us moves around. We are rather tired. Will it be juice for breakfast?

10.33 Today we had bread with seeds on and to drink Pampa orange juice. Quite delicious!

11.57 The time has come. In a short while we will leave the room to head for the Dead Sea. The plan is to go by taxi followed by mini bus and then eventually mini bus again.

12.37 Change of plans, we took a taxi straight to the Dead Sea. We just stopped for petrol. Our driver asked them to fill it up as soon as that is done we will head on. Before we left we were told that we won´t have to change room again. Fact is that we are in the room we were supposed to be in from the start. All this according to our friend in the reception aged 25-30.

The Dead Sea, on the Jordanian shore.

13.26 We went with the taxi towards a town called Suweimeh. There it was supposed to be a place called “Dead Sea Rest house" but I don’t think that´s where we are. One place was closed and after some questioning our taxi has brought us to a place by the Dead Sea. It is just about enough people here. I chatted with the driver on the way here. He spoke about his family, wondered if I know Arabic or perhaps how to sing. He followed this up with singing from the top of his lungs in Arabic. Soon we will have a bath in the saltwater. It is really hot today. Just before arrival we had to show our passports in a security control. The man there smiled and said "Sweden, Welcome".

13.56 I just got out of the water. I managed to scratch my toes on some stones at the bottom of the sea. Salt water in wounds hurts a lot. But it was an amazing feeling to float around in all the salt water. On the far shore is Israel. We are on Amman Tourist Beach and to have a bath here costs 4 dinars ($ 6).

Peter floating around in the salt Dead Sea.

15.08 I went for another swim. I´ve never swimmed in something so salt, 25 %, so warm, for sure above +30° or so low below sea level, 400 metres below. To swim breaststroke was impossible. It felt like falling as the legs floated up above the surface. The sand/ground at the beach is as hot as a stove, a true torture to walk with bare feet from the water and to she showers. We are the only ones here without bathing shoes. Out in the saltwater many languages are spoken, Serbian, Spanish, German and some others. We showered away all the salt on our bodies so now it is time to head home. Our driver has been sitting in the shadow awaiting us.

15.27 On our way home with a view over a dry Jordan valley. Almost everything is brown. Some green spots here and there with small trees and bushes. We have to drive slowly to avoid the car for getting too hot. It is terribly hot here in the Jordan valley.

16.19 We are back in the room. We saw a camel by the side of the road on our way home. Now I will rest and look after all the wounds I have received today. My right foot has some cuts. Last year it was sea urchins (4/8 2004) this year sharp rocks. The guy in the reception, he with high thoughts about the royal family of Sweden, claims that he has been dating our queen before she got married in 1976. Now it is time to have some newly bought juice. Hey, it isn’t orange I have bought it is apricot. Never mind this is tasty as well.

20.37 After resting our bodies and recovering our burned soles of our feet we have returned to Shmeisani and the restaurant Varna Roses. I have ordered Shish Tawouk and Christer decided for Spaghetti Bolognese. One sure is hungry and the tanning by the Dead Sea tares on body and mind.

23.03 After an excellent dinner we went to change money. We saw a lot of changing. Unfortunately it was cars changing lanes. We went to an ATM instead. Now it is time to place the belongings in the backpacks.

Peter during our second dinner at "Varna Roses" in Amman.

Saturday 30th of July

08.23 Today the sun is shining from a clear blue sky. Just another ordinary day in Jordan. Soon we will have breakfast, sponge cake and beverage from Pampa.

10.06 We are sitting down at the bus company JETT:s office. To check out went smoothly and the cost ended up at 30 dinars. As we got out on the street we were offered by a taxi driver to go to Syria. We said thanks but no thanks, can you take us to JETT: s office instead? He made a far from happy face and pointed in direction of the office. Then another man acted and offered us help. He stopped a taxi, told the driver where we were heading and informed us about an expected cost for the trip. A really nice guy.

11.03 On the road again. On a bus again. This time heading south for Aqaba. Some of our fellow passengers have problems to find their seat. The ticket shows the number of the seat with Arabic numbers. The seats have “our” numbers. The ticket might say ٢٥. This means that you are supposed to go to seat 25. This is clear if you understand the numbers. Another thing that’s clear is the weather outside. I hope they will offer us things to drink and air condition on the trip.

13.12 The journey takes us through a dry and sterile landscape. The bus hostess that earlier brought us coffee is now bringing us two bottles of Pepsi. They have offered us things to drink and there is nothing wrong with the air condition.

14.02 After going downhill for a while it´s now flat again. The offered beverages weren’t for free. It cost us 0.6 dinars ($ 0.9) each.

14.29 Here we go again. We have just shown our passports again. All went well. The heat is rushing in through the open door. The control might have something to do with that we just entered a special free trade area that surrounds Aqaba, or it´s just another roadblock. They seem to like those here in the Middle East.

Peter in our room at Al-Zatari Hotel in Aqaba.

15.25 Just entered room 401 at ”Al Zatari Hotel” in King Talal Street. From our window we can see; Jordan!, The Red Sea, Israel and far away parts of Egypt. We got here in a taxi from the bus station. After some attempts to pronounce the name right we finally got it right. Here it is hot, the warmest place so far on the trip, close to +40°

17.53 We are debating about the budget. When shall we pay for the stay? How much money will we need? Are we counting right? When will it be food? Does the Chinese restaurant our guidebook mentions exist, exist for real?

View from our hotel room in Aqaba. Eilat in Israel can be seen not too far away.

18.34 Existed a Chinese restaurant is the right word! It seems to be closed. The only place with a Chinese name was some kind of massage place. Instead we have walked to Al-Shami in Raghadan Street. Here we ordered mixed grill and kebab. The restaurant is situated upstairs and is really cosy.

20.26 Once again ever so delicious food here in Jordan. To the food they served a bitter vegetable mix and afterwards tea with mint. This feast with tips included cost us 3 dinarer ($ 4.40) each. On our way home we saw some men gather for prayer on a small square. After this we went shopping. Inside the store it was time for a classic happening. Power failure! Everyone stood in the dark and waited. Now we just got home, placed what we bought in the fridge and prepare to relax in front of the TV

22.33 Unfortunately we can´t check the temperature outside. We haven’t managed to open the window. We have to sleep on it, the problem that is, not the window.

Our home in Aqaba, Al-Zatari Hotel.

Sunday 31st of July

07.56 Today it feels hard to start. Sure, everything went fine as the alarm rang but to really wake up feels hard. I just began to write in the book II bought in Turkey. All the pages in the “old” journal are written on.

09.44 We just had breakfast. Today we were offered, bread, butter, soft cheese, cherry marmalade and coffee or tea. After breakfast we went and paid for three nights here. The man in the reception wondered if we had a program for our time here. The answer was that today we would head for Petra. Aha, the man said and sowed us a program for activities in the Red Sea. We tried again and asked about Petra, no particular reaction from the man. We asked if the buses there leave from the bus station opposite the hotel. The answer was, yes! Next question to the man was, when are they leaving? Maybe now? was the answer. Now we are ready to go by mini bus to Petra.

10.20 There is a bus for Petra, but we won´t be on it. It is already fully booked. The next one leaves at 12.00 and the last bus from Petra leaves at 15.00. This would have given us little or no time for sightseeing. Instead we booked a taxi at 08.30 tomorrow. Today’s task will be to find the Egyptian consulate in town to get a visa for Egypt, something we didn't have time for in Sweden due to slow working Belorussians who had our passports. We also plan to study and perhaps visit the beach, visit the post office to send the postcards and probably something else.

Town view in Aqaba. It is hot here! +40 C. Beyond the mountains Saudi Arabia!

11.52 After a visit to the post office (where some French ladies absolutely wanted to pay with euro) to buy some stamps we have reached the Egyptian consulate to get a visa. We went in through the gate, proceeded to the main building, had to turn back to get registered in a small house, went to the main building and now waits our turn in a cool room. It is pretty hot today. I am glad we bought something to drink.

12.10 I filled in the application. I think I wrote everything that was necessary. I didn't fill in the information about friends of relatives in Egypt. That is what it said but I believe it meant something else. According to the guidebook it does take 1-2 hours to get a visa at a cost of 12 dinares.

12.54 The visa cost ended up at 8 dinars. We are ready to return to the town centre.

13.11 We didn't get that far. We just sat down on a bench to get some rest. The temperature is measured to +40°.

Remains after the ancient Roman-Arabic town Ayla in Aqaba.

13.39 It is time for lunch. Lunch consisting of cooked food this time. We are sitting at ”Captain’s Restaurant” and ordered Kafta Pita Pie and Spaghetti Bolognese. To drink we have chosen Mr Pembertons brew, Coca Cola. A small observation, here and there in town is, menus and other stuff is in Hungarian! Why this language side by side with world languages likes English, Arabic, German and French?

14.32 We returned to the room. The drapes are covering the window and it is full speed on the air conditioner. It is time to fill up with fluids and cool down. The food, meat in dough was delicious.

15.44 We are watching Dubai Sport on our TV. They are reporting about Swedish track and fields and Swedish athletes. Everyone in the interviews speaks Swedish. It feels strange to sit in Jordan, watch Dubai-based TV and hear people speak Swedish.

16.29 Watch sport or go swim in the Red Sea? Well we´ve got sport at home. Time for a swim!

Near the beach in Aqaba.

17.53 We are sitting by the sea. Here it is plenty of cafes and stuff. I am not that keen on swimming here and share space with crater ships. In other words, there will be no swimming! Some ladies in veils said something that sounded like ”… you think Aqaba is very beautiful”? Should I comment it or just smile? I choose the latter.

18.24 On our way back from the beach area. We just took a short break. We need a rest. The friendly, saluting, waving local people passed us dressed in long sleeves and pants. It can’t be the heat that makes us weak? A man must take an evening temperature of +36° or?

Aqaba. Here you can see among other things one of the towns mosques.

21.13 Back at the restaurant "Al-Shami" to eat.....?, well we´ll soon know!

22.36 We went for Shish kebab for me and meat with tomatoes and onion for Christer. There is a new man in the reception. A helpful man that did all his good to assist us. He meant that Petra must be visited at 6 in the morning and visited during the whole day. There is so much to see there. He had worked there for 10 years and still hadn’t seen everything. We decided to keep our starting time. In here it´s cool and we are drinking fridge-cold Coca Cola. Outside it is amazing +35°. We have managed to find a window that we can open, a window in the corridor outside the room.

Monday 1st of August

06.50 Half awake with the knowledge that today will be the second attempt to reach Petra. First a shower before I check that everything that is needed has been packed down.

08.13 I just swallowed the breakfast. The part that wasn’t swallowed was left on the table or brushed away. In fifteen minutes the taxi will be here. Well not in the room but below and outside.

08.28 Not one taxi, but two came. The drivers argued between them. One of them said, ”Come, come” to us and the other one is the man we booked with yesterday. Now we are travelling with him out of Aqaba on our way to Petra.

09.24 We left the highway and turned into ”King’s Way”. A more beautiful road according to our driver. It heads upwards, winding. We just passed some dromedaries and goats and right now donkeys.

A beautiful desert view somewhere between Aqaba and Petra.

09.37 We just had a short stop to gaze at a breathtaking view. We looked down among cliff formations, hills and valleys. It is for sure a more beautiful way. The man behind the wheel has spoken about his “brother” the late King Hussein that had a house in the area. We assume that people here in Jordan talk about people they like as their “brother”. Our driver doesn’t look that royal.

Desert break. Our driver thought that we should look at the wonderful view.

10.08 After we drove through the town of Wadi Musa and got information about how to get back, we have been let out, paid for us and reached the area in Petra. We also bought water and tickets. Here begins the walk towards and through the siq. The narrow cliff passage that leads to Petra is called a siq.

10.17 The dusty road narrows. The cliffs rise higher. A man just said, horse? 40 dinars!! Was they for rent or was he selling them?

10.36 I just say such a siq! It is an amazing crack in the rock forged by an earthquake. Some of the walls are 80 metres high.

The old water furrow in the "siq", the passage into Petra.

The end of the "siq", approaching the treasury.

The treasury in Petra, the most famous part of the area.

11.05 I am stunned. This is more amazing then I ever could have imagined. To walk through the siq and first presentiment and then see the so-called Treasury, it is actually a tomb.

11.20 Resting near some facades (houses?) cut from the sand stone rocks. A little earlier we heard a man cry Taxi?? He offered a donkey ride. We are filling up with fluids. We will remain here for a while before we travel on. There are plenty of tourists here, Dutch, French, Americans, Russians, German, Spaniards and several more.

11.30 There are different animals with different sounds. A dromedary sounds strange, like something dull coming out of a pipe.

A bored dromedary having a siesta.

Peter resting in Petra. Houses, stores and tombs from the third century wherever you look.

The amphitheatre in Petra. Capacity: 8000. Age: About the same as Jesus Christ.

12.11 It is time for a new break. We have walked along a stone-paved road to the place we sit at now. A road partly aligned with pillars, remains from the Roman time in Petra. Around us pass tourists and goats. Some shepherds have also passed.

12.55 We are looking at an amazing natural wall painting. Assorted colours running like waves over the wall.

13.37 On our way back. We are pausing on a bench in the siq. Here it is cool and quite quiet. One and another insect and passing people and animals. Here passes horse drown carriages. Every carriage has a number. As we here a horse approach we try to guess the number. After a while we did end up with this pointless game and began to walk to the exit. We are running out of water!

Suddenly a shepherd passed with goats and a dog.

The souvenir stands by the Treasury in Petra.

Leaving Petra. Amazing to walk through this 1,5km long siq.

14.42 We got back to the entrance. Here we looked for and found an exchange office. Unfortunately it was closed. We also bought a Fanta each and awaited the bus. It starts here, if we are lucky.

15.03 No bus came and we took a taxi, at a high cost, to the bus station. Now we are sitting by the side of the road awaiting the bus to leave. I am not sure but it seems that the flags are on half-mast here in the town called Wadi Musa. I was asked by a young woman to guard her backpack.

The visitors centre in Petra. The wall is covered with pictures of the kings Hussein and Abdullah.

15.28 We are onboard, front row, at the mini bus back to Aqaba. Our journey begins at..., well who knows.

15.42 We are leaving! I am looking forward to get back to the hotel. I want to shower, wash the clothes and rest.

15.47 We didn't go far until we stopped again. The driver asked two kids something and out of a house came a lady with a bag and a white haired man suddenly stepped in from the street.

15.50 The white-haired man just went with us for a little while and we returned to the bus station. More people have embarked. As in so many towns before in this part of the world the buses are driving around in town to gather passengers. They need to fill up before they can leave.

16.02 OK, I hope this start means we are going home.

17.22 On the main road, going south. The police have stopped us. Our driver is showing them the card from the tachograph. He just got back. Everything seems OK.

18.33 We got back home at around 18.00. Some things happened before we got home. We had a short stop for beverages in a small kiosk by the road. Some of the guys on the bus were interested in our origin, Swedish girls and origin of the young woman whose backpack I guarded. She told them that she was from Switzerland. Are they poor there? one of the guys asked me. –She looks poor.... I told them that Switzerland seldom is seen as a poor country. The bus host and the driver did their best to find a radio channel that didn't send reading from the Quran. They found a channel that didn't send any of it but soon realised they found an Israeli channel and went back to the Quran reading. Before we reached the bus station one of the guys let us know that the king of Saudi Arabia, king Fahd, had passed away today. That was why the flags were on half-mast. On each and every TV channel are programs dedicated to the dead king. This was the reason for all the Quran reciting on the radio. "We Arabs mourn together” the guys told us. From our hotel we can see a large Jordan flag on half-mast.

20.50 We decided to return to Captain’s Restaurant. Christer has ordered Mixed Grill and I decided for Captain’s Chicken Shish touqh.

21.21 Delicious meal for me and Christer seems pleased as well. With my food came a carved out tomato with a little candle in it. Christer didn't get a candle but some bread looking like a bed sheet, or is it bed sheet looking like bread?

22.33 Whatever it was, bread or sheet it was OK to eat. Speaking of sheet, Christer has bought an Arabic head cloth. The big question now is,,,,, how to fold it and place it to look proper. Speaking of look, I just looked at the thermometer it said, although the sunset was at 20.00, +34° warm.

22.44 We, like the magician are about to get the trick. The cloth is folding right. It looks Ok now. Next question how to fit the ring that is supposed to hold the cloth?

Christer posing as an Arab