I love traveling to the Eastern Mediterranean, whether it be the Balkans, Greece, Turkey, the Levant, or Egypt. The area has such a rich history, fabulous food, family-based cultures, and a diversity of religions. Perhaps it is my Balkan heritage, but I’ve always felt at home in this region. The sun shines, the people are friendly, the pace is considerably slower than our norm.

When I travel to countries that have a majority Muslim population, it’s important to understand the cultural customs for women. This means dressing more moderately than one would, say, in Ibiza, and being aware that traveling with a man is considered appropriate. Since my recent trip was planned with a female friend, we worked with a travel expert to help ensure we were safe, appropriate, and comfortable. Dan Waters at Wild Frontiers, a UK-based travel firm, helped plan our trip for us, including arranging all hotels, drivers, guides, and our itinerary itself. When visiting a Top 10 Cultural Site, and I consider Petra to be one, it’s important to have help from someone who has been there before. It can be a tourist trap or just feel overwhelming if you don’t know how to skirt the crowds.

We started by flying into Amman, the capital. For me, coming from the U.S., I often like to take a few days prior to my “adventure” to adjust to the time change, especially if I’m having to fly through a gateway city anyway. I flew to Frankfurt, which is an awesome hub for Europe. There are several hotels right outside the airport door where you can get a good night’s sleep between flights. In my case, I have friends in Frankfurt, so this gave me a chance to visit and relax before flying on to Amman.

Many flights into Amman, as in so many places in the world, arrive in the wee hours. I have no idea why this is the case, but whenever I fly to the Middle East or Central/South America, it seems like I’m always arriving between 2 and 4am! Dan had arranged for a driver to meet me at the airport, so I didn’t have to figure out a taxi. The kind and knowledgeable Monther was our driver for the entire stay. I also booked a hotel for that night, even though I showed up at 5am, because it allows you to get into your room and sleep/shower/rest. By noon, I was ready to explore, and we left this day without any activities, so I was able to just walk in the hotel neighborhood, which felt very safe and charming. Later that day, Kim arrived and so we had dinner reservations to begin to experience Amman. Let’s just say the food of Jordan is DELICIOUS!! At almost every restaurant someone spoke English, menus were in English, and you are treated with the utmost respect.

We had a city tour with Monther, and a tour guide the next day, exploring Roman ruins, happening neighborhoods, the city’s largest mosque, and the “main street” where we were able to have a very tasty lunch and probably the best desserts I’ve ever eaten. The next day took us to Jerash, a Roman site that is massive and mostly still underground. It’s typical to stop several times a day for a meal, coffee, or a little rest, and it’s best to get used to this custom. Have a few Jordanian dinars with you at all times to pay for a coffee or mint tea. We also stopped at times so our driver and/or guide could pray, as all faithful Muslims must, and found prayer rooms in almost every restaurant and shop.

As we left Amman and started our drive south, we were joined by our main guide Abdulrahman, a former teacher who studied Jordanian history for 6 years at university, and was so knowledgeable about this part of the world. We stopped at two Crusader King castles, built by the French during the First Crusade, and then used by the Ottomans centuries later. We also stopped at Christian religious sites including Mt Nebo where the bible says God showed Moses “the promised land”, and a beautiful Byzantine church from the time of Alexander The Great (300BC). The Jordanians I met were always respectful of all religions. Jordan has long been a land of peace in a troubled part of the world, and has become a site of refuge for the Palestinians, Iraqis, and Syrians. They have accepted millions of refugees from war-torn places, and devote resources to providing support. We would discuss the refuge situation with our guides, as well as the stability offered by the Jordanian monarchy. Since the country’s independence from Britain in 1921, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has been ruled by five generations of Mohammed’s descendants.

Knowing my love of hiking and experiencing outdoor spaces, Dan arranged for several days in a bio-reserve area. Called Wadi Dana (wadi means “valley), we were able to hike with a local guide through Bedouin areas that were just beautiful in terms of plant life, animals, and the ever-precious water. Khaled would make Bedouin tea when we took a break, and knew all the local farmers of the area. Goats are the main source of milk, yoghurt, and cheese, as well as income for the farmers. I learned it is rude to ask, “how many goats do you have?”; it’s like asking “how much money do you have?” In late April/early May, the weather was perfect for hiking. Jordan, like much of Europe, had a very late and very wet March/April. This meant things were blooming everywhere! Our hiking ended at the Feynan EcoHotel, run entirely on solar power (almost 30% of Jordan’s energy comes from solar/wind) and using reclaimed water. The charmer at the front desk, Ali, is my new best friend. He’s an audacious flirt, but only with women old enough to be his mother – such a fun aspect of local customs.

As we drove on towards Petra, the landscape because drier and more mountainous. Petra is a HUGE site, although most tourists stay in the main channel from the entrance to the Treasury and forum area. We started on the far side, walking across the desert from the back entrance to The Monastery. It was a long day of hiking, around 10 miles, but we were blessed by a cooling wind, and the information shared by Abdulrahman. He was delighted to shepherd two women instead of the more typical 50 tourists! Another day we engaged a Bedouin guide as well and the four of us scrambled all over the non-tourist pathways through Petra. This involved some definite rock scrambling, a few steep descents, and plenty of long climbs up stairs and/or pathways. But worth EVERY second because we were without tourists almost the entire way. There were many places to stop for coffee, all with Bedouin traders, just like those who have served pilgrims since 7000 BC under the Nabatean Empire. Petra was the capital for the Nabateans from 400BC to around 100AD when the Romans invaded. The Nabateans were particularly skillful at water conservation, stone carving, and agriculture.

Today, the main route into Petra is through The Siq, a slot canyon. We hiked over the top of that, and could see the tourists, way down below. Our Bedouin guide, Akab, was like one of the goats, climbing up, down and around all of the rock areas of Petra. At times, we lost the trail entirely, and Akab led us all through areas only used by the Bedouins. I had mentioned to Dan that I wanted to see Petra like a “local” and our hiking did not disappoint me.

Our adventure continued to Wadi Rum, a “national park” area near the border with Saudi Arabia. Truly desert terrain (and heat), we stayed at the Aicha Memories Camp, the first camp in the area. It’s definitely Instagram ready, and we were able to hike, dune-bash, and star-gaze in this amazing place. The area is closed to large tour groups; tourists must spend the night in the desert camps, and all transport is provided by local Bedouins.

I learned so much about the Bedouins, who are finding life is changing rapidly. While most still relocate to take advantage of water, grazing land, and more temperate weather, some are starting to settle. I saw “Bedouin satellite dishes”, cell phones, TVs, and modern trucks. Camps consist of extended families and for the most part, they farm, raise goats, make cheese and bread, grow crops, and harvest native plants for medicine. We were able to visit a local family to learn how they made bread and cheese, and because we were two women, the normally reclusive mother came out of her tent to show us her yoghurt making process. We learned about Bedouin schools, and of course, like kids everywhere, their obsession with football (soccer).

Our last stop in Jordan was the Holiday Inn on the Dead Sea. To get there, we passed through Aqaba, which sits at the top of the Red Sea, close to Eilat, Israel, and within sight of both Egypt and Saudi Arabia. This important port gives Jordan a chance for import/export with the world. Petra, Wadi Rum, and Aqaba are called “the Golden Triangle” of Jordan, and many tourists come to see the UNESCO World Heritage site, the desert, and then to snorkel/dive in the Red Sea. You can get a connecting flight to Aqaba at the Queen Alia International Airport in Amman.

As we drove north, the climate got hotter and drier. The Dead Sea, sadly, is shrinking dramatically, mainly from overuse of water from the Jordan River for agriculture. It is, of course, the lowest place on the planet, and the saltiest sea in the world. The hotel was located right on the sea, with multiple swimming pools, restaurants, and amenities. After spending so much time in small quaint inns, it was time for a little luxury. Monther, always helpful, told us how Jordanians use the minerals of the Dead Sea. Start with a long soak. Then cover in mud, and let that dry in the sun. Then another long soak, before a shower to get off whatever mud remains. I must admit, my skin was baby-soft!

From the Dead Sea, it’s just an hour’s drive back to the airport, and our circle around Jordan was complete. I truly enjoyed every minute of our time in this friendly and fascinating country. As usual, it’s the people you meet that make a place so special. We learned a few words of Arabic – hello, how are you, I’m fine, thank you – which are always appreciated. We ate like queens, and I do mean that. Hummus, pita, falafel, Fattoush, baba ghanouj, kibbeh, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, labneh, and fruit at every meal. An extensive breakfast is usually included at every hotel, and it’s really enough to get you to dinner … and of course, you’re stopping for coffee or tea several times in between. Dan gave us advice on tipping, estimated costs for meals, local customs, etc.

You know you’ve had a good travel adventure when you aren’t quite ready to leave, and I wasn’t. I could have stayed in Jordan for longer, without a doubt. We met several students who are studying Arabic in Amman, and we also learned that Jordan has a fair amount of medical tourism because its hospitals are outstanding, and the pricing is advantageous. We saw huge numbers of Italian tourists, along with Germans, French, South Korean, Japanese, and American. I can definitely see returning one day. Hoping you manage to experience this wonderful country too.