The Bus from Aqaba to Wadi Rum

approaching Wadi Rum village

Armed with a copy of T.E. Lawrence's "Seven Pillars of Wisdom" and a cool black jalabiya (i have finally gone local), i'm ready to hit the deserts of South Jordan.

There is only one bus per day that departs from the central bus stand at 1pm. I get an interesting insight to local life from two expats living Wadi Rum.

The first is a big-boned young American from Chicago. She married a local Bedouin man two years ago and has been living there ever since. Her Christian parents are from Arkansas and have virtually disowned her for her life-choice. I ask her if she likes her new life, but the best she can offer is “it’s different”. She now cooks and cleans at her husband’s Bedouin campsite.

The second woman is also American born (New York), but has lived abroad most of her life. She is now in her late seventies and has spent the last fourteen years in Wadi Rum. She is a “Truth – Seeker” collecting Biblical evidence on both Abraham and Moses. She is convinced that evidence has been hidden by the Jordanian authorities for “political reasons” and has had interest from a German TV station to make a documentary on her findings next year. She asserts that Gadaffi is right – the US government has brought the insurgents in Libya and that they are working in partnership with Al-Qaeda.

The bus stops off at the Visitors’ Centre just out of Rum Village do i can pay the entrance fee – adults/students for JD5/JD1.

Both these characters make for an interesting hour and fifteen minutes.

Aqaba

Although the population is just over 100,000 people, Aqaba is aiming to become Jordan’s second city, despite retaining a small town feel to the place. It is also very clean, predominantly due to an army of refuse collectors rather than litter-conscious locals.

Perched on the edge of the Gulf of Aqaba and surrounded by mountains, the front looks over across the sea to Eilat. With a plethora of hotels it’s very much a resort town, with plenty of package tourists, often elderly and French. There are also a sizeable Jordanian holiday-makers; predominantly rich with middle-aged and somewhat ugly wives heaverly doused in foundation and make-up.

With over 100 species of hard and soft corals and almost 1000 species of fish, this is the place for scuba diving. It’s also reasonably priced, and i am sorely tempted – i haven’t been diving on my entire journey. However, prices in Jordan are some of the most expensive on my entire trip and i have to cut costs somewhere.

Even the several glass battom boats perched along the waterfront are somewhat pricey.

outside the Yacht Club

This also means i have to resist the AqabaTurkish baths (JD12) for sauna, steam room, full massage and scrubbing. It is centrally located on King Hussein Street.

The ruins of the old port are pretty non-descript, but the castle is more interesting. Originally built by the Crusaders, it was expanded by the Mamluks in the 16th Century and the Ottomans occupied it up until World War One where the feisty British shelled it. There is also small museum.

the old castle

There are several cheap eateries close to the castle and a Safeway supermarket to the east of the centre of town for self-catering aptions.

I base myself at Moon Beach Hotel – en-suite singles from JD12/17, The trimmings are all in crimson, but it’s clean, has a fridge and the more expensive price offers a sea view. It’s opposite the castle.

Clearly aimed at the foreign tourists, there are numerous bars in town, including Friends, The Rover’s Return (English), and Oxygen, an Irish Pub too. Attractive local young women in make-up hang outside touting these places. Weird in a Muslim country for sure.

Only Aqaba and Amman offer visa extensions. The police station for visa extensions is next to the main bus-stand.

The only hassles are from the cruising taxi drivers who tout their services everywhere i walk and a few waiters pimping their restaurants on the front. If you don’t want to walk or take a taxi, a few camels are available.

Crossing Borders – Egypt to Jordan

There are no land borders between Egypt and Jordan and travellists have no choice but to cross the Gulf of Aqaba from Nuweiba. There are two ferries daily (but possibly not Saturdays). Fast / Slow ferry-boats cost US$70/US60 departing at 3pm/2pm, and i am told the fast ferry (one hour) is worth every cent extra. Unfortunately it has broken down at the moment so i have a three hour journey instead.

Tickets can only be purchased with US dollars, and these are not always available at the local banks. Thus i have to dip into my precious, much dilapidated hoard. Just enough left to pay for a Syrian visa – or so i hope.

It seems highly appropriate that the ticket seller in the office tells me there is an extra US10 port fee, but it states on the ticket that i have paid US60. When i ask to see his superior, he quickly changes his tune. “Oh yes – it is included after all”’.

During the Haj tickets must be purchased well in advance.

The ticket office is opposite the Red Sea Port entrance in a sand coloured building signposted only in Arabic. It is recommended to get to the terminal two hours before departure. Customs and immigration can be very slow.

The ticket office inform me that the boat is scheduled to depart at 3pm, the immigration officer confidently tells me the boat will depart at 2pm, but on board the boat, an announcement in Arabic informs us the boat will leave at 4pm. It finally departs at 3.45.

Whilst the Arabs around me get their passports stamped on the boat, my passport is confiscated and i am told i can collect it again in the immigration office in Aqaba. Whilst Lonely Planet also mention this, i hate being seperated from my passport for however short a period. Sure enough it is waiting for me in the dock outside immigration and the visa is valid for a month not 14 days as claimed by Lonely Planet.

It takes some three and a half hours before docking, although the chaos on arrival means i don;t disembark for a further hour. True enough my free Jordanian visa is stamped into my passport, but only for 14 days. One of my first jobs will be to get this extended only possible in Aqaba or Amman.

A taxi (metered) costs JD2 into the centre form the dock.

For those tracking ALITD, Jordan marks our thirteenth country in eleven and a half months. And we still have a few more to go.