On the King's Road to Petra

Note: Finally going to Petra - i was waiting for it so long, and it never happened. So this June i already planned the trip with my girlfriend, when rather spontaneous some of my friends here decided to go a week before my girlfriend would come for her trip.
I thought i'm a bit crazy but decided to join the first trip too. I ended up with a lot of pictures, which is fortunate, because taking good pictures in petra is tricky - the light is bright, the shadows dark, more so than at any other place i've been before. For this post i'll break several rules (i keep preaching to other people) and it's composed of pics from both trips.

Unfortunately iJones was seriously wounded playing basketball and has made this trip years before, so this tells the story of an unguided expedition, no hat, no whip, no plan - except the stuff you find on the net... which might be a plan after all.

On the way to Eilat, we made a short stop at the huge Maktesh Ramon. Unlike the Maktesh Katan it is just too big to see it all - even for a fan-fingered gekko.







Close to Eilat - if you are just driving down on the 90 you never realize the pink color of the valley. Definitely worth to keep driving the 40 to the end.



At the border crossing i made sure that my car would still be there until my return from Jordan.



Crossing the border itself is easy - on the first trip one of the Jordan uniforms didn't know Austria and i had to talk to somebody on a mobile phone who did not talk to me (weird experience), so i just repeated everything i've told the uniform before. No not germany, but yes part of the european union, no not albania.
We didn't bother to take the bus and just shared cabs - the price at the border varies from 50-60 JOD (return 35-60 JOD).

Jordan is beautiful, but in the south even drier than israel.



Somewhere back there is Wadi Rum; Don't worry baby, I will be back for you.



At the side of the road are lots of sheds selling water melons and other stuff - some road blocks, where every trunk is popped. The highway is quite steep at some parts going up into the mountains and in the heat the trucks are on the brink of breakdown. You see them every few hundred meters on the side of the road, their drivers spilling water over the grill.
At the end of the slope we left the highway and went on the Kings Road - a small overland road with beautiful views.



Too many pple blocking the view - had to do it again. Better :)



Wadi Musa at night.





This time of the year it gets very hot, so if you'd like to see everything you should get up when you hear the sunrise prayer, if you overslept hitch a ride...



... and be prepared for shock and awe! This is Petra.

Entering the siq with the water collecting drains cut into the stonewalls.



At the end of the day i knew that the guys sweeping the paths did an important job. During the day hundreds of donkeys, horses, camels, goats do their thing where ever they go - and they go everywhere.
In the wall behind you can see the remains of a pillar.

Sometimes the siq is wide, sometimes narrow.



I totally missed this relief on my first trip. Can you see the caravan?





Finally,

the sight you are anticipating the whole time,

first just a peak...



... you try to get a better look,

but there is a rumble and you barely have time
to press up against the stonewall.

They are everywhere and go like crazy.



The light changes during the day, and so does the color of the rock. In the afternoon eventually everything is rose.



After the treasury there is another gorge, and more of the buildings cut into the stone,



stairways leading up the cliffs,



the 'Stiegl' buildings,



finally it opens up into a huge place,



which is a frying pan during the day,



also there is a lot of sand. If it gets into you eyes don't scratch it with your fingers! They'll just burn more with all the sand and sweat. Be clever!



The path to the monastery.



You don't want to walk behind goats, you can't imagine the smell. RUN!



Women talking a break (HA!)- there a stands everywhere along the path trying to sell stones, sculptures, jewellery - whatever, for just 1 dinar. The sheds have fancy names like 'chicken basar' and there is 'happy hour' all day long.





Lonesome donkey on the roof.



Got company.



Almost there.



800 steps later.





The end of the world.




Eldonkey and floor lamp.



By the way, my trick with the car worked like a charm.



Just one more inside joke.



That's all folks.