Hiking Petra in Jordan 🏛️
If I was going to write about a single trip that changed our lives it would be impossible to choose, but also it would be Jordan.
It was the first trip where we packed COO (carry-on only) which was itself life-changing. Top that with the warm friendliness of the Jordanian people, DELICIOUS food, and unforgettable locations. In one week you can hike Petra, scuba in the Red Sea, stargaze in the desert, stand where Moses saw the Promised Land, float in the Dead Sea, plus so much more—a trip to Jordan has it all.
In November of 2021 when most of the world was still hunkered down and waiting for the pandemic to be over... we packed a tiny carry-on chock full of covid tests and set off for the Middle East. We were fresh off of the worst traveling experience of our lives (a story for another time), so we figured there was nowhere to go but up.
We landed and walked straight to the parking lot where we met Ehab who was our driver for the 3 hour drive from Amman to Petra. (We booked the ride on Mozio.com which is our Holy Grail and Hail Mary of transport booking.)
Here’s Ehab’s card
Important to note, the car was nice, but it was not a limo—it was a Hyundai. 😂 The VIP part was correct as he got us coffee and other tasty treats like mana'eesh along the route and wouldn’t even let us pay for them (we increased the tip accordingly). Whatsapp him at 00962-776989468 and don’t forget the time difference!
He very kindly stopped to get us some Turkish coffees and we were on our way! Note to the ladies: there is NO place to stop and use the facilities on this 3 hour route, so maybe go easy on the coffee. We exchanged Whatsapp numbers with Ehab (well, Dantan did, I ran to pee!) because he was nice and his car was clean so we arranged for him to be our driver again several times during the trip. The Google Translate app allowed us to text back-and-forth easily.
It was dark and late when we got to the hotel, but we were jetlagged anyway so we didn't mind eating right there at the hotel and going to bed. We stayed at the Mövenpick Resort Petra, which we selected for it’s primo location and excellent reviews (for miles-and-points-gatherers it’s an Accor property).
The hotel had the most amazing breakfast spread—I still think about it often. First, there are those crispy falafel, perfectly golden and bursting with flavor. And oh, the creamy hummus, made from chickpeas, tahini, and a touch of garlic. Then the labneh velvety strained yogurt, smooth and tangy, and the mana'eesh, fragrant flatbread topped with za'atar seasoning. Jordanian breakfast wouldn't be complete without ful medames, slow-cooked fava beans, generously seasoned with spices and drizzled with olive oil. And as if that weren't enough, there are fresh and pickled vegetables, vibrant olives, and all the regular western breakfast favorites to boot (subbing beef bacon, of course), and steaming cups of aromatic Arabic coffee.
Ah, that morning filled with the aromas and flavors of Jordanian breakfast—truly a feast for the senses. The mix of people in the room was even more tantalizing than the food. Despite the early hour, the air was absolutely buzzing with excitement—all of us were about to hike Petra for the first time. Excited sleepy chatter in at least a dozen different languages drifted across the restaurant which was more than half full at 6:00 AM.
Nothing prepares you for the first moment you catch a glimpse of the Treasury through the Siq.
Walking through the Siq (pronounced "seek"), my mind was trying to wrap around the fact that 24 hours ago I had been standing in my living room staring at a photo in this book which ranks Petra # 1 of top worldwide sights to see.
Did we hike to the Monastery? You bet your bottom dollar we did!
