advice for sight-seeing in Jordan

[Deep13]

After six weeks of language instruction this summer, my wife and I will have a few days to spend in the Kingdom of Jordan. We would like to see Petra, Jerash, and Kerak. We will staying in Amman, but are not adverse to stay overnight near Petra. We have eight days to split between Jordan and Cairo. Any advice on how to manage it logistically?

shukran

[JCMach1]

1. Don't be afraid to take cabs and public transport

My wife was an American woman traveling by herself there and didn't have any difficulty at all. Unless the cab is metered, be sure to negotiate the price before the trip begins.

My wife also found the food surprisingly good.

[Deep13]

2. I think we'll be using the JETT bus for the long ride to the south...

...just to save time. I'm really just trying to maximize travel efficiency since we only have four days together on vacation there. I will be in Irbid in school for six weeks, but my wife will not arrive until afterwards.

[isafakir]

4. consider car rental

i rented a cheap car. it was worth it. be careful though such as south torwards aqaba gasoline gets harder and harder to find. wish i'd had a diesel.

some very cheap rentals can be found if you ask your hotel or friends. distances are not far. that way you can taste and stay where it's interesting and stop along the way for the dead sea. even an hour in the sea waters is healing and a day lasts weeks on your body. my whole spine is twisted and i was pain free for a week and i only went in up to my waist.

have a wonderful trip

[isafakir]

3. jordan hostels boutiques B&Bs

jordan is rich with B&Bs in and around all the important destinations especially petra. even a one hour or one afternoon in the dead sea is a lifetime memory. my pictures of JORDAN's vast nature reserve and the traditional original village of DANA [dhana][the letter in arabic that looks like a tongue holding a flag pole]http://www.flickr.com/photos/froghollowroad/sets/72157594295771003/

WADI-RUM is where they shot lawrence of arabia and you can stay overnight in a genuine actual Bedouin tent with a family and they have a super cheap super clean government B&B

The B&Bs at Dana were the best i ever saw in the Middle East. rent a car. the roads are excellent. if possible rent a diesel. in some areas petrol is scarce. saluddin the great's fortresses all offer unbelievable vistas of the jordan valley. and you can't go through life not having been in petra and seen all of it [on a camel by far the easiest don't take the horse drawn coach the horse drawn coaches zip you bast some of the most interesting sights on the planet]

walk don't ride but the stairs go on forever at some locations. camel drivers are really nice. beautiful to see.

there are places on the jordon side that will live with you forever.

just don't accept a home invitation for tea because they WILL kill and cook a whole animal smothered in the most delicious rice almonds vegetables you ever ate. the most generous people anywhere in the middle east. and if you don't eat it all they will be heart broken.

i drove through jordan several dozen times and visted often when i was teaching in palestine. jordan is by far the most interesting tourist place i ever visited in north south america europe or the middle east. more comfortable and better maintained than equivalent tourist areas in turkey. nicer people. completely the opposite of saudi and kuwait. very very generous and accepting.

check out my other jordon pictures to get the idea.

definitely choose a good guidebook.

check out Couch Surfing and BeWelcome and other hospitality web sites for local free hosts. jordanians are generous beyond all measure and it is unforgettable what you can see and do.

one of the world's best nature preserves at dana village perfectly a 200 300 old village surrounded by old stone age wilderness take your camera. donkeys sheep goats camels too unbelievably beautiful arab horses. fruit!

[ellisonz]

5. Welcome to DU!

Feel free to message me with any questions.

[Deep13]

6. Irbid: how do the busses work?

I'm at Yarmouk U. I have the weekends off and would like to visit Jerash and some of the castles around here. I understand the busses run there. How do I use them? Where is the station? Alternatively, can I hire a tour guide to take me?

Wait, can I just have a taxi take me?