Desert rose

We have an afternoon left to spend in Jordan before we head to Israel. We really want to see Wadi Rum desert, but time doesn’t permit to explore this unique and huge area. Is it possible to get a glimpse of it just for a few hours? We realize that the best way to explore this vast area is to camp under the stars for a few days and go on day jeep tours. Ali, our contact in Jordan regarding transportation, gives us hope: he promises to send one of his private drivers to show us some interesting rock formations before we leave for the Israeli border.

Wadi Rum is a protected area, resembling the Martian landscape. The desert served as the filming location for a number of movies.

My first thought as we arrive: ”No tourists!!!”. It feels incredible to have a place just for yourself; to explore it at peace, no photobombs, just you and nature. In this case over 40 degrees Celsius heat and a whispering, hot wind. The views are otherworldly and God-like. The desert grabs you in its hot embrace to show you its magnificent colors: pale yellow, ochre, bloody red… The only living creatures around are the wandering wild camels.

After we explore a mushroom-like rock formation, we get back in the jeep to the next stop, a rock arch. As we travel through the sand dunes, a feeling of adventure rushes through my veins and I feel alive and ready for more desert wonders. The jeep zig-zags through the sand waves and dances up and down like a boat in a stormy sea. The views from the top of the arch are no doubt breathtaking: the calm landscape is like a painting in which we appear as an unnecessary paint drops.

Our driver Waleed takes us to a shade where we have lunch with Bedouins, a nomadic Arab people who live in the desert, drink Bedouin tea and get the opportunity to see a camel up-close. I am pleasantly surprised to find out that there is a cool wind in the shade and we quickly forget about the heat.

Before we leave this powerful place, we stop to explore underground wells and to photograph a disappearing mirage. We express our hopes to return to beautiful Jordan, say goodbye to our guide and rush to the Israeli border.