Driving a Tacoma around the world

LOVE reading your trip posts. I was able to spend some time backpacking in Africa many years ago, and it is so cool to witness your adventures and experiences. I've swam in Lake Malawi, hiked the Zomba, visited the Mgahinga gorillas, safari'd in the Kenyan parks....The people were fantastic and the scenery is unforgettable. Your posts bring back great memories and crazy stories (some just plain stupid!). I am so jealous. Cheers and continued safe travels to you both!

 

Thank you for the kind words, I’m glad you’re enjoying it. We did not swim in lake Malawi due to the nasty little critters that want to swim up your urethra tube, called bilharzia. Despite at times being very hard, we miss Africa.

 

United Arab Emirates


Dhafeer Fort - Liwa Oasis

The United Arab Emirates continued our fascination with the Arabian Peninsula. Although it did not quite have the extraordinarily beautiful wild camping spots common in Oman, the country offered the intrigue of huge culturally interesting cities and of course, the Dubai bling.

For the first few days we continued to have our son Trevor with us, as we worked our way toward Dubai where he had a return flight home to Oregon.


First desert camp in the UAE, Trevor tucking his tent behind us in a effort to minimize the wind.

The United Arab Emirates is composed of seven emirates (or states). Each state is ruled by a monarchy. The seven states are united into a country ruled by a president elected from the monarchy, usually the ruler of the Abu Dhabi emirate. Only 12% of the population living in the country are actually “Emirati” with the rest being mostly South Asian immigrants who form a vast working class. Most of our contacts and conversations were with these immigrants. The Emirati receive significant government benefits including land, jobs, health care and education. From our perspective, as outsiders, the Emirati were more inclined to keep to themselves.


Our 1100 mile route through the United Arab Emirates

In the last few decades the government has been working on shifting away from complete reliance on oil and gas. The huge investment in the development of Dubai is a strategic effort to promote tourism. As one of our guides put it the president looked around for a place with no gas or oil and said “let’s build a city there for tourists” and so Dubai was born. It seems to be working, the city is alive with visitors from all over the world. Unlike in the neighboring countries of Oman and Saudi Arabia, in much of the UAE, alcohol is sold in stores, bars and restaurants.

Despite the influx of drinking and immodestly dress international travelers into Dubai, the country still holds its conservative Muslim roots. Outside of the cities people are dressed traditionally and women are completely covered. There are separate praying rooms in mosques and even separate beaches for women. Among the Emirati, polygamy is the norm. When Dawn drove in the country, she was very aware that women were only legally given the right to drive in 2018.

We do regret that we did not have the opportunities for deeper conversations and shared understanding with the people of UAE. Dawn would have loved to know more about the local women’s philosophy but we felt that there was an unseen barrier, especially as short term visitors in the country.

Our first real stop in the UAE was a last mountain trip for Trevor - a drive up to Jebel Jais.


Not everyone in our group was obeying the appropriate footwear sign for hiking

Throughout the UAE we could see the continuing growth of the burgeoning tourism industry. Jebel Jais was a prime example with the mountains being developed with the world’s longest zip line, a bobsled track, picnic areas and viewpoints with restaurants. The upper hiking area infrastructure was finished but the lower one was under construction.


But of course Dawn was prepared with appropriate footwear


Hiking trail at the upper end of the park

The mountains and views were spectacular and the the road to the top steep, curvy and brand new.


Making our way to the end of the accessible road - spot the truck?

Camping at Jebel Jais was allowed at pull outs along the road. Some were paved with food trucks and restrooms, others were basic gravel. We opted for a gravel patch with a view, enjoyed the sunset, had dinner and went to bed with one other car across the lot. Over the next few hours until 2am, cars and trucks full of young UAE men pulled in, music at top volume, loaded with picnic supplies and even a big screen which was set up for a soccer game. Our little camp was surrounded by a raucous party. One of our worst night’s sleep ever, oh well.


Hiking at the lower area at Jebel Jais. Area is under development but we skirted around the excavators and found a great trail.

In the morning, not well rested, we made our way to Dubai.


Kite surfing beach in Dubai


Plaza in front of the Burj Khalifa - tallest building in the world (many superlatives in the UAE)


Our Airbnb apartment came with parking - it was a very tight (1/2”) squeeze but we made it

Mall culture is huge in the UAE - as elsewhere on the Arabian Peninsula where the heat prevents people from being outside much of the year. But in Dubai it is on a whole other level. Malls are so big it is common to see people navigating them in golf carts. In addition to stores from brands all over the world, they house world class restaurants, entertainment centers and even in one, a ski resort.


Enormous aquarium in the Dubai Mall


Fountain inside the Dubai Mall


Taking the boat taxi across one of the many water ways in Dubai


Exploring the old quarter (heavily renovated). Preparing to say “goodbye” to our travel buddy and son, Trevor

And then sadly we sent Trevor on his way back to Oregon, checked out of our Airbnb with clean laundry and returned to camping life.


Camped on the Dubai waterfront


With access to this beautiful canal walk at night


View of the lit up Burj Khalifa from our camper window over dinner

We left the commercial excesses of Dubai to seek out more knowledge about the UAE and its history. Next stop was the neighboring emirate of Sharjah, home to the Museum of Islamic Civilization. More traditional than Dubai, Sharjah was a dry emirate, no alcohol allowed and the atmosphere felt more calm and serious.


Sharjah Waterfront


Throughout the UAE we found beautiful waterfront promenades to walk on - always spotlessly clean and well used by a variety of walkers.


Sharjah Islamic Museum

We learned much more about the Islamic religion in Sharjah, at the Museum of Islamic Civilization which was beautifully laid out and very informative (also free entry if you are over 60 years old!). We keep testing ourselves on the five pillars of Islam to make sure we can remember.


Desert camping outside of Sharjah

And then we stepped back in time at the Mleiha archeological site with its beautiful contemporary museum detailing the history of the migration of people coming from Africa to the Arabian peninsula for the first time.


Mleiha museum - excellent exhibitions about the movement of people from Africa to this region 125,000 years ago


Ancient tomb found in the desert at Mleiha

Then because we always love a wadi, we wound our way to Wadi Shawka for some camping and hiking.

It was a beautiful place but we managed to get ourselves into a stressful situation. After 40 years of hiking together we should have known better. We set off for what we thought was a late afternoon 90 minute walk up the hill, trusting the Gaia app mapped trails to follow a loop back to the truck. The trail back was non-existent and we ended up on a four hour trek back along roads in the dark. We learned that the flashlight app on our phones uses up 8% of battery per hour. We made it, tired but happy in the end.


Beautiful hiking at Wadi Shawka


Wadi Shawka camp

Then we were back to city life and learning about UAE history and culture. Abu Dhabi was a pleasant surprise (those of you who have read other blogs know we are usually grumpy city people). After a year of navigating cities in Africa, we were still amazed with the cities on the Arabian peninsula which all seemed so clean and organized. They featured wide, well lit walking promenades with public art and benches, frequent clean public restrooms, easy parking, and were safe to walk at night, all qualities which we had learned to do without. The cities were designed for both walking and driving and the architecture was varied and beautiful. It was clear what a difference money and planning could make.

But to continue the comparison to Africa a little, we were also feeling a sense of loss related to the warmth and humanity of the people. We missed the big smiles, the laughter, music and camaraderie so common in Africa. We know we are making comparisons in very broad strokes, comparing two enormous and varied regions, but there was something missing. We found ourselves drawn to and having fun with the parking attendants from Kenya (which was our longest conversation in the UAE).


Abu Dhabi Presidential Palace - now a high end hotel


The varied skyline of Abu Dhabi


Art along the coastal promenade


Everywhere a blend of traditional and modern architecture


Old fort downtown, surrounded by skyscrapers

By far the most beautiful architecture we saw was at the Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Well set up for tourists, visitors are taken on a guided tour explaining the history and design of the mosque. This was the only place in the UAE where Dawn wore a head scarf and made sure she was completely covered from head to toe (required to visit). The visit and the tour are free but require an advance online booking.


Open courtyard at Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque, also the burial place of the late president, Sheik Zayed











Our lovely guide at the grand mosque








The largest mosque in the country

Our last visit in Abu Dhabi was the Louvre. Yes, same name, in cooperation with the Louvre in Paris. It was the most historically diverse museum we have ever been to, designed to take visitors through time in displays of art and historic artefacts across the world.


The Louvre in Abu Dhabi, set on the water which is integrated into its design


Ancient Jordanian sculpture


Egyptian sculpture

The museum covered the traditions and cultures of the world through its art. We thought it was one of the best designed museums we have ever been to. There were stunningly beautiful religious sculptures from throughout time.








And then, back to the desert!


Desert camp along the way


Red dunes of Liwa


Visit to Dhafeer Fort in Liwa





More dunes!

And that was it for the UAE for us! Next stop, Saudi Arabia. Thank your for reading and coming along on our adventures with us.

 

That mosque is incredible.

I understand what you mean about the differences in culture. Early in my career I traveled to Taiwan quite a bit, and to a lesser extent Japan. Tokyo was clean and orderly. Taipei and other parts of Taiwan, not so much. I always felt more comfortable with the Taiwanese people, although not uncomfortable in Japan. I just preferred Taiwan.

 

Qatar & Bahrain


Al Zubara fort, Qatar

Qatar and Bahrain are similar in that they are both two small Arabian Gulf countries with economies based on oil and gas. For both of them, their main connection to the rest of Arabia is through Saudi Arabia. Qatar is a small peninsula land locked by Saudi Arabia. Bahrain is an archipelago of islands off the coast with the main island connected by a bridge to Saudi Arabia. But despite their similarities they still each have unique personalities.


Our route through Qatar and Bahrain, accessing each through Saudi Arabia

Qatar
Qatar’s capital city and cultural and financial hub is Doha, home to 80% of the nation’s 2.7 million people. The city was great to explore. Similar to other Arabian Peninsula cities it was clean, well laid out, easy to navigate by car yet also very walkable.


Traditional boats (now used more for tourist sightseeing than fishing) in front of the modern Doha skyline


Waterfront sculpture of a oyster with a pearl

The oil and gas boom of the 1960’s led to economic prosperity for the Qataris. The Qatari citizens make up only about 11% of the total population while the remaining 2.3 million people are immigrants living on work visas.

The tiny gas rich emirate has focused on economic independence and investment in infrastructure. Tourists are welcomed and appreciated. Alcohol is not illegal as it is in nearby Saudi Arabia, but is only available at licensed restaurants and bars for a premium price. (Beers run $6-$8, a cheap brand glass of wine $8-$10, we opted to go dry while we were there.) The country is run by a monarchy and the current Emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is the 8th Emir to rule from the same royal family. The country’s leadership has taken a strong role in peace keeping between the Middle East and the West and the largest US military base in the Middle East is in Qatar. The country felt friendly, safe and prosperous.


View of the skyline of Doha, Qatar

We were still adjusting to the absolute safety we were experiencing on the Arabian Peninsula. We were able to let go of the idea that the truck had to be in “secure” parking if we left it. Walking after dark was not only safe but the cultural norm - children and families were out walking way into the night. The trade off to the strong authoritarian governments which removed some personal freedom was a strict adherence to rules, and crime was almost non existent. There were no pick pockets and no people asking for money. We were switching currencies frequently and shop keepers would politely correct us when we accidentally tried to overpay. The vast majority of the country’s people are working immigrants who need their jobs and know that any transgression would result in being sent home so they obey the rules. We did have some heightened awareness of the possibility of terrorist attacks, especially as US citizens, but we never felt threatened. Everywhere we went people seemed glad that we were visiting. There was a police and military presence throughout the peninsula, but check points were very brief and not frequent.


Museum of Islamic Art on the waterfront in Qatar

In addition to the massive rebuild of the modern city of Doha, Qatar has invested in cultural infrastructure and art.


Large golden thumb sculpture in Souq Waqif, representing a national soccer victory in 2019

Despite a modern architectural feel, the country retains its traditional Muslim roots with Islam as the primary religion. Most of the Qataris are traditionally dressed and the call to prayer sounds five times a day. Souq Waqif in the downtown area blends elements of the traditional souq with contemporary cafes and restaurants and is a pleasant place to walk and people watch.


Visiting the falcon souq - where birds are trained for the traditional art of hunting in addition to being bought and sold and cared for in a dedicated hospital


Our favorite shop in Souq Waqif - amazing baclava


Pedestrian traffic in the souq

Wild camping was a little more difficult in Qatar, it did not have the same huge empty landscapes as its neighboring countries. Much of the sandy peninsula was fenced off for the oil and gas industry. We spent one challenging night camped in a beach parking lot, not realizing how close we were to the minaret speakers for the nearby mosque. The 4:30am call to prayer vibrating the canvas sides of our pop up camper was a bit of a shock.


Beach camping spot close to a mosque


We appreciated the regional focus and re-shaping of this old family favorite


Visit to Al Zubara fort

Al Zubara fort, Qatar’s Unesco site was a beautifully restored shell. But our favorite part of the visit was learning about the pearl diving industry and seeing the ruins of the nearby ancient village. Exhibits and the on site tour guide brought to life the reality of the divers jumping into the water with heavy weights to plummet them to the bottom, baskets around their necks, retrieving thousands of oysters a day with likely only one pearl to be found per 5,000. It was a difficult life but the mainstay of the local economy until the 1960’s when gas was found.


Spiral stair case inside the fort


Remains of ancient fishing village, slowly being restored


Maintenance time - Andy changing the oil

And then our last night in Qater, we found a remote desert spot by the coast - our favorite.


The sun goes down on our time in Qatar

Bahrain
Bahrain is slightly less prosperous than Qatar and also more socially relaxed. It has half the population of Qatar with 50% of its residents living in the capital of Manama. Although not as shiny and new as Doha, Manama had a charm of its own. The country is really a collection of islands with those surrounding Manama connected by modern bridges.


Visiting the National Museum of Bahrain

Like most of the cultural attractions in both Qatar and Bahrain, the National Museum was free to enter and interesting to wander around. The museum blended historical exhibits about the country with contemporary art shows featuring some of the most renowned artists. Dawn had fun with the art and Andy had fun with the history.


“Father and Son” by artist Nader AlAbbasi


“untitled” by Bahrain artist Balqees Fakhro

After a comprehensive morning at the museum food was in order so we made our way to local institution Haji’s Cafe and filled up on traditional machboos (savory chicken and rice), dining on the street.


Lunch time at Haji’s


And wandered the souq - more modern than many other we had been to, the souq in Manama was comprehensive - selling everything from luggage to clothing to food

We find traditional Islamic architecture to be beautiful and enjoyed wandering the street of Manama to see what we could find.





Gorgeous mosaic work

We especially enjoyed exploring the old quarter on Muharraq Island. Splendid doors, intricately carved facades and quiet streets, it was a peaceful ramble.














And random public art along the way


We found this beautiful wood working studio highlighting the art of boat building

Our final stop outside of Manama was the old fort, Qal’at al-Bahrain. Originally the site of the capital of the ancient city of Dilmun, the Portuguese built a fort on the site which still contains layers of archeological remains from it’s first occupation in 2300 BC.


Ongoing excavations of the ancient capital of Dilmun


Restored 16th century Portuguese fort


Two more countries and cultures to explore! We know it was a surface level visit, but we still came away feeling like we learned something new. On our way to Saudi Arabia now, a much vaster place to explore. As always, thank you for reading and coming along with us

 

Fascinating as always!

Good plan on not driving through Iraq as others have. Too risky.

God that first day in Saudi Arabia was a nightmare for Dawn and you. Be safe!

 

Very happy to have avoided Iraq! Now we are hearing that some towns in Iraq are not allowing Americans, British or other Europeans to go through. We've also heard that Turkey is considering military operations along their border with Iraq in the same area that we would have crossed.

Things were definitely slowed down because none of us spoke a common language. But who knows what I would have done if I would have found out what he tried to do while they were still there. Might have decked him, probably would have gotten messy

 

That would have been a bad spot to be in had you done that. Good thing the whole issue passed without any more harm.

But I get it, I am not the turn the other cheek guy. Unfortunately for me, my fight or flight too often ends up being fight. Still trying to learn and improve that side of things. Not a good way to be in parts of the world.

 

For sure! I am trying to mellow myself as well, sometimes not very well at times.

 

Saudi Arabia




Wild camping at “Judah’s Thumb”

Saudi Arabia is enormous, with vast rocky and desert flat stretches. There were areas of exquisite beauty, and also a lot of empty space to cover. It was not our favorite Arabian Peninsula country. The culture felt less welcoming to us, and the main cities did not have the sparkling charm and cultural attractions that we found in UAE or Qatar.

The country is a stricter Muslim country than some of its neighbors, women and men seemed to live more separate lives. Cafes and wilderness spots are filled with groups of men enjoying camaraderie and social time but the women are more out of sight. Saudi Arabian women commonly wore both the abaya (floor length black robe) hijab (head covering) and the niqab (the veil which covers all of her face but the eyes). The men wore mostly white robes with an arafat artistically wrapped on their heads.

Saudi Arabia only officially opened to tourism in 2019, fairly recently. Under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the country is pursuing economic diversity which includes hopes for tourism revenue. Alcohol is currently completely forbidden (although the first store allowed to sell only to non-Muslims will open in Riyadh this year). Similar to the rest of the peninsula much of the population is foreign workers but in Saudi Arabia it is lower at 41% non-Saudis. The strict society meant that we always felt safe even as non-Muslims. We never worried about leaving the truck or walking after dark. We dressed conservatively, Dawn in long dresses and long sleeves and Andy in pants. But we felt on edge while we were there.


Our 2400 mile route through Saudi Arabia

Our time in the country was probably colored by an uncomfortable situation the first night in the country. We have often said that it only takes one incident to affect our whole experience in a country and this was definitely the case in Saudi Arabia. After crossing the border, we set up for the night in an empty public beach in the eastern town of Al Batha. Two off duty Naval Captains stopped by and all seemed friendly, they offered us fresh fish and we made them coffee. But over the course of a couple of hours it got weird, one of them cornered Dawn in the camper when Andy was outside and started asking inappropriate questions - all through Google translate in Arabic which adds another strange layer. He was asking “why aren’t you wearing shorts? do you have any pictures of yourself wearing shorts? “-as we were passing phones back and forth to translate he even started looking through her pictures. There was a lot more awkwardness and when she realized it was definitely crossing the line from friendly curiosity to inappropriate (he asked for a kiss) she called out to Andy outside and he backed off. She asked him to leave and he did. The guys continued to drive back and forth for a bit but eventually left.

The whole incident was an eye opener for us in terms of how we may appear to the local culture, how women are treated, and where we might be vulnerable. For Dawn, she felt somehow sullied, hard to describe but definitely disrespected. Very different from the automatic “hello mami” she experienced in Africa which always felt like a positive recognition of her as a woman and a mother figure.


First night in Saudi Arabia, empty beach parking area


Andy adding catalytic cleaner fluid


A typical driving vista in Saudi Arabia


Despite being mostly desert, free clean water was always easy to find in the Arabian Peninsula, we always ran it through our filter anyway just in case


Another beach camping spot. It was typical for military or police patrols on duty to stop by in even remote beach locations, after that first night always very professional, asking to see our passports and saying it was fine to spend the night.


Another coastal spot, usually only joined by local families having a picnic

After a few days in to Saudi Arabia, Andy was feeling sick, Dawn had been sick a few days before in Bahrain. We headed into the desert for him to sleep us off. Thankfully, we had COVID test kits in our first aid bag and decided to test him. He was positive so we quarantined ourselves.


Driving across the desert to Juda’s Thumb to stay away from people


Andy’s position in the camper for a few days

Then once we were recovered and safe to be around people we headed to the capital, Riyadh.


Masmak Fort, built 1865 as the main base to defend Riyadh


And on the other end of the architectural spectrum, Skybridge, the modern landmark on the Riyadh skyline

We hit a few tourist highlights, but mostly spent our time in the city re-supplying after our desert quarantine. Riyadh was difficult to navigate and we were learning about the peculiarities of Saudi Arabian road design. We came to know the country as U-turn central. Roads were divided with concrete meridians and the most common way of changing direction was by making U-turns. On the one hand, opportunities for U-turns were frequent and sign posted. On the other hand, everyone had to make U-turns to get to their destination, from motorbikes to semi trucks so U-turn lanes backed up and impeded traffic flow. Freeways were lined with parallel side roads and you had to time your exits onto these side roads so that you could make your turn, otherwise, you were forced into making a U-turn on the main freeway. We have never seen so many U-Turn signs. Google and Open Street Maps had the worst navigation interfaces in Saudi Arabian cities of anywhere we had ever been.

We wouldn’t necessarily say people were unfriendly, just less warm than other places although this is a generalization. We also had people driving up and offering us water when we were parked by the side of the road. Several times when we were wild camped someone would stop by to see who we were, but language was always a barrier. We always got a thumbs up in the end and we assumed it was local villagers seeing who we were. The Bedouin people would wave and continue on their way, riding and herding camels and sheep. Their tents became a familiar site in the distance and we always made sure we did not camp in sight of their camps to give everyone space.

We also felt that we could not be as friendly as usual which may have affected how people reacted to us. Andy did not feel that he could smile and greet women and Dawn felt the same for men. Dawn does most of the shopping and errands and quickly found that things went better if she approached only women in shops. Several times she was actively ignored by men as clerks in stores or kiosks, or treated rudely. We realize that we do not understand all the cultural mores and did our best to be respectful but it felt hard sometimes, not free flowing and natural.


Exploring “The Edge of the World” outside Riyadh

Our journey to “the Edge of the World” was one of our favorite experiences in Saudi Arabia- dramatic cliffs, panoramic views and the ability to camp wherever you were brave enough to.








Also some great hiking!






We enjoyed the setting, the sunset, the hiking and, initially our camp. But we made the rookie mistake of setting up too close to the cliff’s edge and by 10pm our camper was rocking in 30mph winds. We have learned that the short term pain of popping down and moving camp is usually the better option over the slow agony of a sleepless night. So we moved inland, tucked behind a dune and had blissful quiet. Sometimes we learn our lessons over time.

The next stop for us was the 15th century Unesco site At-Turaif, also outside of Riyadh. The capital of the first Saudi dynasty, we received a fantastic history lesson about the early rulers from the house of Saud and toured their palaces, mosques and ancient streets. Impressively, like many of the historic attractions, admission and even the tour was free.


Palace at At-Turaif





Exploring the ruins of At-Turaif


Typical Saudi Arabian male headwear, beautifully wrapped


We left At-Turait filled with new knowledge and headed west to see what else we could find to explore.


Wild camp in the rocky desert (hiding behind a hill to escape the wind)


So much vast empty space

Our next urban stop was Jeddah, the second largest city in Saudi Arabia. A port city on the Red Sea, it feels industrial and commercial but also has a charming old quarter. We tried to visit the waterfront but unfortunately arrived a couple of weeks before the Formula One race so the whole area was blocked off and under massive construction. Jeddah is also a major gateway to pilgrims visiting Mecca (Makkah) and Medina. The holy city of Mecca, birthplace to Islam is not open to non-Muslims, there is even a separate highway skirting the city for non-Muslims. Throughout our time in the area we could see the infrastructure in place for the annual Hajj (Arabic word for the pilgrimage) when close to a million people make the journey to Mecca. Making this pilgrimage at least once in a lifetime is one of the five pillars of Islam required for faithful Muslims.


Wandering the cobbled streets of the old city in Jeddah


We were fascinated by the beautiful “mashrabiya” or wooden screened boxes, designed for a way for women to be able to view activity on the street without being seen by outsiders.


And we always love the old doors


And then we were on our way again - more beach and desert camping!








We learned to keep an eye out for these guys - mostly they hid under rocks

Next we visited Al Ula, an ancient oasis city in the desert and the surrounding desert with its unique and gorgeous rock formations, canyons and panoramas. It was an area with a lot to explore and another one of our favorites.


Ruins of ancient Al Ula


View over the top of ancient Al Ula








Renovated area of Al Ula with shops and cafes


After roaming the town for a day, we headed into the desert to find a camping spot.


Elephant Rock

We saw a ledge with a keyhole arch above Elephant Rock and found our way up there to a private camp with an extraordinary view.


Camp in view of Elephant Rock


Hiking around camp





Leaving camp the next day

Our final stop in Saudi Arabia was Hegra (or Mada'in Saleh). Known as the “second Petra", Hegra was also built by the Nabataean kingdom and was a thriving international trading hub in its day. The 1st century BC tombs carved into the rock cliffs throughout the valley are an incredible sight. Well organized and informative tours with guides and buses take you through to key sites, self driving or walking is not allowed. We could have spent a lot more time there, but our 2 hour tour was still a highlight of our time in Saudi Arabia.


2,000 year old tomb facades, intricately carved, stairs at the top replicate the stairway to heaven. (Maybe Robert Plant visited here in the past?)








The largest facade at Hegra


Dawn posing with “Face Rock”


Our last few days in Saudi Arabia were a collage of more desert camping and exploring enjoying rock formations along the way. We were appreciating the temperate weather, open spaces and the occasional camel.








Picnic lunch stop in the desert


Our last Saudi Arabian wild camp, before crossing the border into Jordan.

As always we admit that our less favorable impressions of the country could be due to a series of unfortunate incidents - the creepy guys the first night, sickness, driving frustrations and constant u-turns . . . But in the end we are certainly glad to have had the experience and seen what we did. Thank you for reading and coming along with us!

 

Jordan


“The Monastery” at Petra

Jordan quickly became one of our top travel destinations. Exploring beautiful deserts, wadis, and majestic ruins of ancient civilizations made for a delightful blend of experiences.

For us, being from the western United States, entering Jordan also brought a welcome sense of relaxation and comfort. The strict cultural mores of Saudi Arabia that we had been highly aware of and affected our interactions with people, evaporated. Still a Muslim country, Jordan wrote religious freedom into their constitution in 1952. This plus a long standing pursuit of international tourism made the country feel more relaxed for non-Muslim visitors. We had not realized how much background stress we had been carrying in Saudi Arabia until it disappeared. There was a mix in how people dressed, some women in traditional abayas, others in jeans. We kept to our modest dress code and felt completely comfortable.


Our two week, 700 mile route through Jordan and into Israel

As with other countries in the Middle East, we felt safe and basic necessities were easy to find. People embrace, understand and welcome the desire to be outdoors and camp. Tourism was down when we were there, visitors were avoiding the area because of the war with Israel and Hamas. This meant we stuck out, but were warmly greeted with teenagers running up to us on the street asking where we were from and looking for opportunities to practice English.


View from our hotel window out on Aqaba as the sun goes down

We entered at the border near Aqaba, an attractive coastal city on the Red Sea known as a scuba diving and beach vacation destination. The border crossing was uncomplicated. We had opted to purchase the Jordan Pass, an all inclusive ticket for Jordan’s natural parks and cultural attractions and which also waived the visa fee. (We purchased the least expensive passes at $100 which included one day’s admission to Petra.) Our only costs at the border were purchasing required national auto insurance (expensive at $140) and $28 for bringing our own vehicle in (or road tax? we were not quite sure). Arriving in Aqaba, we opted for a hotel night and set out to walk the city.


Ruins of Ayla, the first Islamic City built off the edge of the Arabian Peninsula, dating back to 650 AD


Beautiful Sharif Hussein Bin Ali Mosque


Sunset over the minarets and palm trees. In Jordan we continued to appreciate and admire the traditional Islamic architecture.


In Jordan, we also had some of our favorite MIddle Eastern food. Aqaba was full of contemporary, inexpensive, local food cafes. Pictured here, delicious Manakeesh, local flat bread served with a variety of toppings, reminiscent of designer pizza.


Exploring Mamluk rebuilt by the Mamluk dynasty in the 1500s. It was pivotal in the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire in 1917.


And then, always a highlight for us we spent a day scuba diving in the Red Sea. The previous king of Jordan, King Abdullah II had been a diver and made sure that several multiple wrecks were sunk off the coast. This made for interesting diving, not only the wrecks themselves but the habitat they create for wildlife. We did the best known dive in the area, Cedar Pride, a freighter which had been sunk in 1985. The wreck dives in the marine reserve were shore dives which made it easy.


Andy heading in for a dive, photo bomb courtesy of a fellow diver from Qatar.


Our excellent divemaster, former navy diver Abdusalam

After diving we stocked up on supplies in the city and prepared to set off on the road.


Fresh pita bread off the assembly line - amazing, our favorite with the local hummus, also nothing like what you buy in the US.


Stocking up at the Carrefour - French supermarket chain found throughout the Arabian Peninsula - we would seek them out when we really wanted a baguette (yes we loved the local pita bread but sometimes we just wanted a baguette).

We took care of business, filling up with groceries, gas and water and headed out to the beach for a night of camping in the Aqaba area.


The two busloads of kids who arrived at 11pm to join our solitary beach camp

It was one of our surreal camping experiences (similar to Jebel Jais in the United Arab Emirates when we were joined by a huge gathering of men at midnight). This time, we were set up alone on the beach and preparing dinner when three trucks full of poles and canvas drove up. We watched as about 10 men set about erecting a huge tent over the course of two hours. They finished about 10 pm, and we assumed there was an event happening in the next few days. We should have known better. At 11pm two huge buses pulled up and unloaded singing youths carrying their bedrolls to the tents accompanied by marching drummers. We had learned not to try to tough it through situations like this so popped down, left the happy young beach campers behind and moved ourselves down the beach to quiet. We were guessing they were a school group on vacation or on their way to Mecca.

Maybe not our most restful night, but you take what you can get when you are camping for free on public land. The next morning we were off to one of our favorite places in Jordan - Wadi Rum.


Exploring the cliffs at Wadi Rum

Wadi Rum Reserve encompasses 280 square miles of colorful, varied and fascinating desert landscapes. With rock formations, narrow gorges, sand dunes it was a natural wonderland to explore. And of course, in a country so steeped in ancient human history, it also had cultural sites.

One of our first stops was the “Lawrence of Arabia” house used by TE Lawrence as a hideout when he was fighting alongside Arabians in their war with the Ottomans in 1917. The site itself predates Lawrence’s stay with evidence of 2000 years of occupation.

The whole Lawrence of Arabia story was a fascinating study in how ethnocentric our education can be. Our hazy memory of him was that we was a famous and heroic fighter. In fact he was a British archeologist who became enamored of all things Arabian and was instrumental in introducing the culture to the British world through his writing. He fought alongside Arab forces in the Arab Revolt. But your average Jordanian has never heard of him, he did not figure at all in their hero stories of the war.


Stopped by Lawrence of Arabia’s hideout





Camped against the cliffs at Wadi Rum


Roads were inaccurately mapped and rough, but that made the adventure even better. We saw few other people but were surprised by the number of empty camps set up Bedouin style for tourists. We guessed that when it is busy the area is hopping with people coming to experience the desert Bedouin style.


Beautiful valleys to explore - all off road driving


Exploring narrow canyons with rock carvings


Then from Wadi Rum, we made our way to Petra, an iconic bucket list place for us to visit. We pulled into the free parking lot adjacent to the visitor center and set our alarm to get up at the crack of dawn for an early entry.


Popped up and camping outside the Petra visitor center

Petra is one of the most amazing archeological sites in the world. The whole experience was magical. With our one day of admission, we made the most of it, walking 12 miles, climbing 1000 steps up to and back down from The Monastery and wending our way among and over cliffs to find “hidden” carvings (with the lack of people we had the incredible experience of being the only ones at many of the more remote sites).


Entry road to Petra at 6am


The first rock carving you come to as you enter Petra “Obelisk Tomb”

Built by the Nabataeans, an ancient Arabian people, most of the carvings in the rock faces date back to the 1st century AD and were intended as decoration for tombs for their kings.


Entrance to Petra is a 1.2 km narrow canyon walk (called the Siq)


Our first peek through the canyon of one of the most famous carvings “The Treasury”


“The Treasury” carved out of the rock cliff

Not being early morning people, the 6am start was a push for us. But standing before the glory of these monuments as one of few visitors made it all worthwhile. There were more staff than visitors when we were there. It was a difficult time for tourism in Jordan and small business owners were suffering. We had empathy for them but were also enormously grateful to be at Petra at a time no one else was.


Poking in and out of tombs along the way


Making our way along the “Street of Facades”


Carvings in the rock everywhere we looked


Camels available for hire for tired walkers


“The Theatre”





“The Palace Tomb”



We are probably including too many pictures, but we could just not stop gasping at the wonder of it all. Photos may be worth a 1000 words, but we still felt like even the photos cannot capture the scale and artistry of Petra. It was also extraordinary to be able to explore freely, climbing up to examine the carvings, being able to see the actual chisel marks and even the hand holds made for the talented climbers to get to the top to complete their work. We felt strangely honored and respected for the trust put in us not to harm or damage any of these ancient monuments (which of course we would never do).


Mosaic floor of a Byzantine Church


Intricate carvings everywhere you looked


The Great Temple of Petra



So little is known about these ancient Nabataean Arabian people, but that allows for your imagination to go wild as you wander their ancient city.


Climbing the 1000 steps to the Monastery

As the day wore on we did see more visitors. It was a little disconcerting to pop out at the top by the Monastery and see van loads of tourists. There is a secondary entrance at this side of Petra and you can opt to enter here and walk your way down the steps, through the valley and out past the Treasury to the visitor’s center. This is a great option if you do not want to end your day completely worn out and exhausted as we did (but we were also happy and satiated).

After leaving the Monastery we returned on one last trail which took us off on our own again and felt mystical. The Wadi Farasah Trail winds you among intricately carved cliffs and eventually up to the HIgh Place of Sacrifice.





Inside one of the smaller tombs


Petra is not flat!


Garden Temple along the Wadi Farasah Trail


Its 4pm now, getting a little slower on the steps


View from the “High Place of Sacrifice” a name which heightens curiosity and imagination


Dawn taking a break, refusing to walk for 10 minutes

There are many ways to tackle Petra, in retrospect, maybe we should have taken a taxi to the entrance by the Monastery and walked one way back through the whole valley to the main entrance. Or we could have purchased the two day pass and split up sections. But in the end we were thrilled with our long and tiring day and loved all our side ventures on trails that led out of the main valley floor. Somehow taking it all in at once made the experience huger and even more impressive. We left feeling awestruck and not sure what else Jordan could offer up to compare. But of course the dramatic scenery and history continued.


Wild camp along the way at Wadi Ghwayr

Similar to surrounding countries, Jordan had abundant scenic wild camping, we could always find a remote and beautiful spot.


Learned to watch out for these guys hiding under rocks, venomous but not deadly (at least almost never).

Continuing our cultural exploration, our next stop was Shobak Castle, a crusader castle built in 1115. It was a fascinating ruin, but there was very little information to give us cultural context so we wandered around ignorantly for a bit then continued on our journey.











We learned to find and appreciate architectural details like this Arabic writing on the tower at Shobat Castle

The scenery was spectacular in Jordan, even when we were not expecting it we would turn a corner, and see great beauty.


Looking down on Dana Biosphere. Israel in the far distance


Stopping for a ramble around the old village of Dana


More sheep than people

Exploring wadis continued to be one of our favorite experiences and we found this next one on our way to the Dead Sea. There was a Bedouin camp near the entrance so we decided to see if we could camp inside the canyon, away from people. After investigating on foot and checking the weather report for the whole watershed, (wadi camping is not recommended if rain is expected due to flash floods) we decided to venture in.


Pre-walking Wadi Numeira to see if we can drive in to camp


Driving the truck in, definitely not sleeping under that overhanging rock


Beautiful camp and Andy taking advantage of natural rock formations to wash the solar panels on top

Our next castle visit, Kerak Castle, was much more extensive and impressive than Shobak, but also more visited. Another crusader castle, Kerak fell to Saladin and his Muslim armies in 1188 and later was taken over by the Ottomans - a varied and storied history.


Drawbridge to Kerak Castle


Intricately carved stone


View over the vast Kerak Castle and surrounding city


Endless underground tunnels

And then, finally the Dead Sea! Another bucket list moment.


Posting the truck at our first view of the Dead Sea


Beautiful colors and patterns along the coast

Beach access along the Dead Sea can be difficult - a lot of it is privately held so we opted to make it easy on ourselves and stay in a hotel which guaranteed access to a private beach.


In our years of travels we are always deeply grateful for resources provided in English. However, there have also been moments of hilarity as translations can sometimes go wrong. We did not use this hotel laundry service but were glad to know that if we did our clothes would be returned clean and with a dry sense of humor.


Bobbing like corks, feet up in the Dead Sea


Andy opted out of the hotel spa experience for his very own “do it yourself” Dead Sea mud bath

Next on our route, the ancient city of Madaba. Known for its mosaics from throughout the ages and religions (Hellenistic, Byzantine, Roman, Islamic) it was another journey through history.


Visiting ancient mosaic sites in Madaba





One of the most famous mosaics, a 6th century map


Walking the ancient Roman road

Despite not always loving big cities, we decided it was important to visit Amman and were pleasantly surprised. Not only was the food excellent (and cheap! but then we were basically eating street food) but the city was lively and interesting, a blend of cultures and histories with souqs side by side with Roman ruins.


Waiting for shawarma (grilled meat wrapped in pita bread - $1)


Best falafal we have ever had (also $1)


Dawn is really happy with this falafel from Al Quds in Amman


King Abdullah Mosque in Amman


Looking down on Amman from a hill top - a sea of buildings


Roman ruins in the center of Amman



We had some interesting conversations with Jordanians in Amman. We got the sense there is some concern over the growing number of immigrants (primarily from Syria and Palestine, combined percentage now up to about 30%) who are entering the country and becoming citizens. Although they are often successful in their careers, Jordanians who trace their roots back to Bedouin times worry that the country is losing the roots of their culture and also they are not being prioritized by the government for services and support. We only scratched at the surface of this interesting and international issue but it was fascinating to hear the different perspectives.


Hashemite Plaza in Amman - a gathering place for families with an old Roman theatre as a backdrop. Named after the Jordanian royal family. (The full official name of the country is the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan)

Our next stop in Jordan was what is probably the second most famous cultural site - Jerash - with some of the best preserved Roman and Byzantine ruins in the world. A prosperous trading center, Jerash featured temples to the great gods Zeus, Hera, Apollo and Poseidon as well as stunning entrance gates, theatres and open market areas. It was another history rich day and once again we were selfishly grateful for the lack of fellow tourists.


South Gate entrance - Arch of Hadrian built to honor the visit of the emperor in 129.


Central plaza surrounded by columns


Colonnaded street





Walking towards the North Gate

We left Jerash ready for some more wild camping and Andy always loves a forest so we headed for nearby Dibbeen Forest Reserve. We forgot to take into account that it was Saturday. We have never seen such a crowded forest in our lives. Every nook and cranny was filled with cars full of families having sunset picnics. The only downside to a culture that embraces the outdoors is sometimes it can get crowded. We checked a few more places in the area, started getting concerned but then at dark pulled into a beautiful site in the Aljoun forest - one of our favorite fall backs, camping at a trail head.


Wild camping at the edge of Aljoun Forest


With a bonus hike the next morning - Andy appreciating the wild flowers, definitely did not feel like we were in the Middle East.


Even this area was filled with arch sites - like this old quarry

Then with our time in Jordan coming to and end, we made one more castle stop at Aljoun castle - a fascinating and well preserved and renovated site dating back to the 12th century Muslim world.









And that was Jordan! As we explained on our shipping Israel to Greece blog, we made the decision to drive from the Jordanian border to Haifa and ship the truck to Greece to continue our journey east through Turkey, Georgia and eastwards. Our time in Israel was very brief as the country was under a lot of stress. We plan to return some day and really visit.


Enjoying the view in Jordan

The Arabian Peninsula was a fascinating journey for us, many more ups than downs and overall an enriching experience. We look forward to a brief return to Europe in Greece then exploring the Caucuses and the Stans as we head east. Thank you for travelling along with us and reading our blog!

 

I love it so much. I pray yall are getting some decent video along the way too! (big video lover here)

 

I wish! We’re not good about taking video, hence why we don’t have a Utube channel

 

This is simply fascinating. Thank you both for taking the time to type this out for all of us to enjoy.

Safe travels!

 

There is no such thing as too many pictures. I've wanted to see Petra since I was little and this is a great way to experience it until I get there. Safe travels!

 

Incredible and inspiring stuff here

 

It's definitely one of the world's top bucket list places. Go early and out of season.

 

We do it to inspire others but also for us to remember where we've been, haha!

 

My wife and I (also traveling and living in a Tacoma) write about and photograph our travels for that exact reason as well.

 

We are both fortunate enough to be able to travel to great places! Almost bought an E30 M3 cabriolet