PETRA, JORDAN

10 TIPS

1. DEHYDRATION

Don’t forget that you are going to a desert. Petra is all about walking and hiking for few good kilometers, so be ready for that. Carry water, sunblock, hat, sunglasses, proper clothes.

Make yourself a favour and visit Petra in spring or autumn, if you don’t want to literally melt under the sun.

2. LOVE OF THE BEDOUINS

This may seem funny or not but this actually happened to me as well. Travelling alone to Petra, once I reached there i got followed by this, i would say handsome bedouin that pretended to have fallen madly in love with me, asking me to join him in marriage and go live in his cave (!!!). I took it as a joke back then, but i’m not sure he was actually joking.

From what I heard and read online about the matter in case, it happens sometimes that some of them (bedouins) approach ladies like this making them believe of this fake romance in order to ask for money or financial help later on. Even if it’s hard to believe that some will fall for this rubbish, you know what they say, “love must be blind.”

3. DONKEYS

Petra being so vast to explore that your knees will certainly give up at some point, locals came up with the idea of the donkeys, horses and carriages to help you move along. From all of them I felt most bad about the donkey, because the area it’s full of hard stones, making them get injuries while carrying your big fat ass. I admit I went on top of one for few seconds to click a picture but I didn’t accept for it to transport me anywhere. 😋

4. TRANSPORTATION

A simple way to get to Petra is from Amman.

From Amman, the capital of Jordan, you take this bus called JETT, it’s quite famous, any local will be able to direct you to it. You should leave quite early in the morning because it’s about 4 hours drive until you’ll reach Petra.

And you need at least one full day to see Petra (it’s a vast territory, man).

5. FOOD

If you are like me and you believe your energy comes directly from the food, then make sure you pack your lunch before you enter the Petra site.

There are few shops and restaurants inside the place but nothing compares to the experience of eating outside, between the rocks, like a true bedouin.

6. DRESS LIKE INDIANA JONES

I’m not even joking, it will be fun for sure. Or at least buy the cowboys hat, put on some hippie jeans or whatever makes you get into the heat of the place.

Indiana Jones has filmed there and you’ll see many people dressing up accordingly.

 

7. TRADING

Let me tell you another story of what happened to me. When I entered the site I had a small make up kit inside my bag ( you know girls, always ready to fresh’n’up)..well, when I left Petra I had a purple stone necklace instead of it.

I don’t know how the bedouin lady convinced me to give up my mascara and foundation for what she was selling . But she did it, she told me how much she loves make up and how far to reach are for her the cosmetic shops. I don’t know if the story itself impressed me or I really wanted that necklace and I had no more money to purchase it. But yeah, trading still works in Petra after thousands of years.

8. THE “ROSE CITY”

In 1985 Petra was named as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and it’s one of the Seven Wonders of the World (new). I do recommend to take a tour guide when visiting this part of the world to get the historical information on the spot.

9. THE DEAD SEA

There is no way you’ll visit Petra without stopping for a mud full–of–minerals treatment at the Dea Sea. I came back home with a bag full of products containing Dead Sea mud, it’s an amazing gift for the ladies in your life. Silverware is quite cheap, you could also buy the traditional head scarfs, artefacts, textiles, spices, you name it.

10. HAMMAM (THE TURKISH BATH)

I almost forgot about this experience ~ I wonder how could I possible forget? I ended up a little traumatised after it (in a funny way).

Let me try to describe how it goes.

First you are told that you should remove your clothes and enter the steam sauna. All good until now, even if you are not pretty sure how naked to actually step in: bikini, bikini and bra, Eva’s style, towel etc (It’s still a conservative country we are talking about) ?

Anyways, after the awkward moment, you get some courage, step inside where other ladies are waiting for their turn to go inside the ROOM. The room is the place from where the strange sounds come and every now and then a lady covered in a black abaya (traditional arabic dress), completely wet, comes out and throws hot water on you with a bucket.

When it’s your turn to go inside, you get your own rubbing sponge ~ that which the nice lady will use to really’not’so gently rub your body to pull of the dead skin. She will insist to show you how much dead skin you had on you.

It’s all necessary for you to reborn as a baby.

In the end she will throw one bucket of warm water on your head, one on her head and peace will be made 😃.