Jordan

A solo trip into the unknown

Jordan was the only country on this long-running travel list that I visited alone.

Pragati had to travel to India, and I decided to use that window to visit a place she would probably not choose. I had always wanted to see the Dead Sea, after seeing photographs of people floating in it, and Petra was another strong reason to make the trip.

I travelled from Dubai to Amman from 30 November to 5 December 2019. I stayed in Amman for a day before taking a bus to Wadi Musa.

Travelling alone

Travelling alone meant freedom. I could decide where to stay, how to travel and how much to plan. I discovered that a little uncertainty could actually make a trip more enjoyable.

For the first time in my life I stayed in a hostel. The Nomad in Wadi Musa had rooms with bunker beds and travellers from different countries. Everyone was welcoming and made me comfortable.

It was also a learning experience. Unlike a hotel, I discovered that I had to carry my own towel and that many things I would normally expect to be included were paid for separately. It was less polished than a hotel, but the people and the experience made up for it.

I had not even planned where I would stay in Wadi Musa. On the bus from Amman, I met a fellow traveller who was heading to a hostel. He suggested I try my luck there. Fortunately, I got a bed.

That became one of the pleasures of travelling alone: I did not have to know exactly what would happen next.

Petra

Petra was the place I had most wanted to see, and it was even better than the photographs suggested.

The journey through the narrow gorges before they suddenly open into the massive monuments is something photographs cannot really prepare you for. Everyone around me seemed to have the same reaction — surprise at what was suddenly in front of us.

There was one problem. I had made the mistake of wearing a new leather boot for the first time on this trip. It had bitten my foot badly, and Petra involved a lot of walking from the entrance to the Treasury and then further into the site.

There were horse carts, mainly useful for elderly visitors, and after the Treasury it was possible to hire a mule. With my foot hurting badly, I eventually did that.

But the walking had one unexpected benefit. I found a small ledge that a few people were climbing towards, and it led to a beautiful view of the Treasury. A man was serving tea at the top. I made the climb and took some photographs. The climb was tough, but there was almost nobody up there, which meant I could photograph the Treasury without the usual crowd getting into the frame.

Petra was so impressive that I visited it again later in the trip, this time wearing comfortable footwear and enjoying it with much less pain.

The two visits gave me two very different experiences of the same place. The first was about surprise and pushing through discomfort; the second was about slowing down enough to actually enjoy it. For a photographer, Petra also had something else: scale. The monuments are impressive, but the approach through the gorge makes the reveal feel even more dramatic.

Wadi Rum

After Petra, my new friend from Taiwan and I planned the next part of the journey. This time we made some calls and booked a stay inside Wadi Rum.

After the bus ride, someone was waiting to take us into the desert camp. The camp was a collection of tents arranged in a traditional nomadic style, sitting in the shadow of huge sand mountains.

Food was prepared traditionally too, with the ingredients placed in containers and cooked slowly in a pit of hot coals. There were travellers from Greece, England and many other places. Before long, the camp had become a small international group of friends.

The next morning we took a 4x4 ride into Wadi Rum. We saw the famous arch, the place associated with Lawrence of Arabia, and several other parts of the desert.

The night was something else. We decided to use the low light and photograph star trails. Setting up a tripod in complete darkness was a challenge, but we managed it. That night, in the middle of the desert, was one of the memorable moments of the trip.

The Dead Sea

On the last day, I had to get back to Amman for my evening flight. Rather than simply take the route I had used coming south, I asked my driver to take me back via the Dead Sea.

There are two major routes between Wadi Musa and Amman. I had come by the King’s Highway; for the return I chose the route through the Dead Sea.

I stopped where there were other tourists, changed into my swimwear and covered myself in the famous black mud. Then I got into the Dead Sea.

Everything people say about floating is true — you really do float. The water itself tasted like crude oil, but that hardly mattered. I had finally done the thing that had originally made me want to come to Jordan.

From the Dead Sea I continued towards Amman, stopping at Mount Nebo for a short break. The view across the vast stretch of land towards Jordan and Israel was a fitting final scene before heading to the airport.

Looking back

If Pragati had been with me, I would probably have travelled differently. I would have been more protective, looked for more expensive and comfortable accommodation, and food would have required more planning because she is less accommodating than I am when it comes to travel conditions.

Travelling alone allowed me to stay in a hostel, take buses, change plans, walk more, accept uncertainty and push myself further than I normally would.

That is what Jordan gave me beyond Petra and the Dead Sea: the realization that uncertainty can be part of the fun of travel.

It also gave me something I had not expected when I left Dubai: the confidence that I could enjoy a journey entirely on my own terms. There was no one else to consult about the next bus, the next hostel or whether to take one more photograph. Every decision was mine.

I came back from Jordan with a very good feeling about having travelled alone. I would do it again anytime.

If you are visiting Jordan

My advice would be simple:

• Leave some room for uncertainty. Not everything needs to be planned.
• Give Petra enough time — and wear comfortable shoes.
• Experience Wadi Rum overnight if you can.
• Do the Dead Sea rather than just looking at photographs of it.
• Talk to fellow travellers. Some of the best parts of my trip happened because I did not know what was going to happen next.