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Created on Thursday, 20 October 2011 11:09

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Wandering on 4 x 4 right in the middle of the desert was an experience. In a nutshell, it’s really hot but I always love warm places so my visit to the Wadi Rum yesterday ranks on a whole new level of experience. Jordan has spectacular must see attractions to visit like the very popular Petra but I am more keen on getting a taste of those panoramic desert scenery that I only saw from movies like “Lawrence of Arabia”, Brooke Shield’s “Sahara” and hundreds other movies. Have you seen “Lawrence of Arabia”? Well, that was filmed in the Wadi Rum.

As the 4 x 4 Toyota pickups drove further deep into the valley of the Wadi Rum in Aqaba, Jordan, I realized that I am not prepared to be greeted with the spectacular view of natural rock formations, long deep canyons, weather-beaten cliffs and wind-sculpted sand hills. Obviously, I was not in need of more inspiration to point my camera, the desert landscape was a booster in itself.

Several stops were made and the best one was the stop at the sand hill. This is actually desert sand piled up against the mountains that formed into a hill. It is fun and exciting to climb to the top. Wadi Rum is also the best spot for a romantic sunset view. I can’t help but relentlessly imagine that I was still at the Wadi Rum watching the sun sinks into the horizon. But that wasn’t the case, the ship is now cruising somewhere on the Red Sea heading for its next port.

Rock inscriptions on the mountain sides reveal that there was civilization in the Wadi Rum that goes back to more than 2000 years B.C. There are more than 2,000 inscriptions discovered in the Wadi Rum. Called Nabatean inscriptions, these were ancient rock drawings by the Nabatean tribe who travels from Saudi Arabia all the way to Petra. The tribe used to leave messages for each other in the form of inscription like a pregnant lady, hunting and animals they used to hunt at that time like camels, ostriches, birds, lions, tigers and other wildlife.

My visit to the wilderness of Aqaba is totally exciting and fantastic adventure and much more to that, I am so happy to think that I’ve set foot on the desert, a whole new environment which I am totally unused to.

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