Sunday 17th January - Petra

We looked out with slight trepidation wondering whether it had clouded over during the night, but were relieved to see clear skies and the sun coming up over the hills.  So it was quick showers and breakfast and out to Petra to make the most of the good weather.

At Petra car park we spotted a couple of overland vehicles parked up with roof tents deployed; it seems you can camp there for 5JD, although there are no facilities.  The owners of the Discovery were a Dutch couple on their way back from 14 months around Africa, and the other couple were Austrian, also returning from Africa with their two children.  Nearby was a German “camper”, based on an old Mercedes army truck, which had travelled on and off with the Dutch couple.  Later in the day as we were returning to our Land Rover, we bumped into a British Discovery and its occupants who had followed a similar route to us from Europe, and would be returning home at the end of the month.  They looked like they had just graduated and were a bit “public schoolboy”, but we had a good chat and passed on some Wadi Rum tips and information on the campsite in Aqaba.  Having not seen many other overlanders on our journey, meeting four in one day came as bit of a surprise.

We were prepared for a bit of a hefty entrance fee for Petra, but it came as a shock when we were landed with an additional compulsory 12JD services ticket each, which was introduced on the 1st January.  It covers a donkey ride from the gate down to the Siq, and a “Tour of the Main Trail”; the former we declined as Anne was still a feeling the after-effects of our Wadi Rum camel ride, and there was no sign of the latter (leaving us considering it as just an extra tourist tax).

Our disgruntled feelings were soon forgotten as we entered the Siq, the 200m deep, 1.2km tectonic “canyon”,

which leads you downhill to come out in front of the Treasury building.

Anne had already uttered the word “awesome” before we got our first glimpse of the majestic Treasury building, which must rate as one of the greatest man-made sights.

The Siq and the Treasury were the extent of my prior knowledge of Petra, so as we wandered around, all the other amazing Nabataean and Roman remains came as a surprise.  Down from the Treasury is the Street of Facades, followed by the 3000 seat theatre - the latter being the first we couldn’t do our usual routine of climbing to the top as it was currently closed off.

Next we climbed up to the High Place of Sacrifice, with the entrance marked by two 6m high obelisks (carved out of the surrounding rock)

and alter on the top.

The views over the site were the main reason for our ascent, which helped orient ourselves and convey the true extent of the site. SPOT

Coming down the other side we passed the Lion Monument, where water was channelled to flow out of the lion’s mouth,

then the Garden Tomb

and the Roman Soldier’s Tomb.  We came out of Wadi Farasa above the central section of Petra, with the Roman Colonnaded Street (although nowadays somewhat lacking in columns),

the Great Temple, the market areas,

the Temple of the Winged Lion, the Themenos Gateway

and the Qasr Al-Bint temple.

In order to make the most of the sunshine and blue skies we decided to carry on up to the Monastery, despite the 800 step rock-cut path.  It was certainly worth the effort, with the 45m high tomb, later used as a Byzantine church, bathed in late afternoon sun.

We even ventured a bit further in order to take in the spectacular views over Wadi Araba towards Israel.

We came down slowly in order to preserve our knees, and then it was back along the Siq before darkness fell.

Climbing the stairs to our room made us realise quite how tired we were, having been on our feet for eight hours.  We’re hoping we won’t be stiff for tomorrow as we have planned a day of hiking around some of the more obscure parts of Petra.