FUN-travel: Holy Land – Wadi Rum to Aqaba, Jordan w/transfer to Eilat, Israel – Day 6
April 5, 2013 by Susan Clarke
The ABC’s of The Holy Land
A = Awesome
B = Bummer
C = Celebration
Trip Day 60 – Saturday, March 30 – Wadi Rum to Aqaba, Jordan w/transfer to Eilat, Israel – sunny, breezy, high 80’s
Our Camp in Wadi Rum
- 7:30 – get up
- B – only powdered coffee,so drink tea
- 8:40 – jeep drive back to visitor center
- 9:00 – meet our driver Ali & continue on to Aqaba
- 10:00 – arrive & tour town – can see Saudi Arabia, Egypt & Israel across Red Sea
- 10:30 – Gloria Jean’s cappuccino break
Wadi Rum
- 12:00 – lunch – grilled grouper, pita, salad
- 1:30 – drive to border
- 1:45 – meet VP of tour company to assist in border crossing (has to get luggage carts from Israel side)
Wadi Rum “The Bridge”
- B – have to pay $12 pp for departure tax (already paid $30 pp for visas to enter)
- 2:00 – security check
- B – detect metal in 2 of our 5 bags – have to take everything out
- 2:45 – finally get through & met by our Israeli guide Colin
- 3:00 – arrive Blue Hotel
- A – free internet
- B – want a cold beer – it’s Kosher hotel & it’s Passover (so no yeast allowed – no beer or bread)
- 3:30 – Colin takes us 2 blocks to Eddies Hide-a-Way
- A – good really cold Stella Artois
- too tired for any more tours – desperately need to recharge my batteries
- 4:30 – take nap
- 6:30 – wake up for shower
- 7:30 – dinner @ Eddies Hide-a-Way – stuffed mushrooms – chef salad of pear, bleu cheese & walnuts – grilled salmon, Yarden Syrah – Israeli wine is pretty good
- 8:45 – Colin & wife Vickie join us – she orders liver pate & cheese cake, both VG (their son is Yuval is our waiter)
- A – great twinkle of city lights across the Red Sea of Aqaba
- 11:30 – fall into bed again
Wadi Rum Carvings
Jordan Recap – We should have stayed in Petra 3 nights which Stephen suggested inthe original itinerary. Each day was jammed full and we never got a rest, plus all of the driving was tiring. The hotels included breakfast and dinner (which they call half board) and we don’t think that is a good deal for us as we don’t eat that much food. It also doesn’t allow you to wander out and be part of the local experience.
FF – (FUN-fact) – We really liked Jordan and found the people to be extremely kind and caring. They like Americans and hope more will come to see their beautiful country.
Not so FF – We were warned to expect the Israel border crossing would be intense and it was.
Wadi Rum Sunset