Happiness with the Bedouin: Wadi Rum

Rev Kane riding Hamren

If life gets tight, loosen it by travel – Bedouin Proverb

I’m a wanderer, I don’t stay in once place very long, I never have. I’m incredibly comfortable traveling, I’m someone who truly believes home is wherever I’m sleeping tonight. Because of this I’m often called a gypsy, mostly I think because it’s a term with which people are familiar. I could just as easily be called a Bedouin.

The Bedouin have always fascinated me and in planning my trip to Petra in Jordan, I would not miss a chance to spend some time in the desert with the Bedouin. A little plug here, I did 3 days and 2 nights in the desert with Jordan Tracks. There company was fantastic and provided us with incredible service and a wonderful tour. If you’re heading for Wadi Rum I highly recommend them.

We started out our first day by traveling to a 300 foot high sand dune. The dune was magnificent and a bear to climb, but the views on top were fantastic.

We would cruise around the desert for the rest of the day taking in the standard scenic stops. For me though, the real joy was just being out in the desert, it was both a little cold and totally comfortable in the sun. We stopped for lunch in the sun and Hevs our guide made a really wonderful lunch. Eating vegetables, humus, stewed beans and tomatoes in the sun with warm bread and tea was utterly fantastic.

After lunch we visited a slot canyon with ancient petroglyphs a truly magical place.

We would head back to the camp that night and the camp was great, even a cold night was comfortable in the tents under piles of blankets. We had a traditional Bedouin pit dinner that night and I have to say the chicken was perhaps the best I’ve ever had. More tea of course, good conversation, and a fire ended the day.

Our second day found me with a truly horrible head cold in full force. After a great breakfast we headed out into the desert and headed for the Saudi Arabia border. This part of the desert is soft sand and the colors and the texture of the sand changed. We hiked up Jebel Khash with a view of Jordan’s highest peak and far across the valley less than 7 Kilometers away we could see the border crossing into Saudi Arabia, very cool.

Hevs pointing out the highest peak in Jordan

Hevs with Saudi Arabia in the background

We would cut the day short so I could nap before dinner. Getting up that night the stars in Wadi Rum were magnificent, star shots provided by my traveling partner Kevin aka Backtrack.

The morning brought me feeling better and a camel ride back into town. I loved riding Hamren, my first time on a camel. The views were spectacular and it was an incredible peaceful morning.

Wadi Rum was magical, as the desert always is, our guide Hevs was a blast and full of personality. I loved my time in Wadi Rum and it brought me happy days my friends ~ Rev Kane