Tuesday 5 February. Clear sunny skies. Quite cool this morning, but heading to Jordan expected temp. 26 degrees
Up early for breakfast and a 7.30 departure. Went to bed early but didnt sleep well, nose stuffed - couldn’t breathe. Of our group of 12 only 3 have not been affected.
As we travel to Masada we are descending into the desert area. We pass the Mount of Temptation where Jesus was tempted by Satan. The desert is not sand but hard packed soil, in some areas completely bare, others sparse cover and then there are areas where agriculture such as date palms and olive trees are planted. We will end up 500 metres below sea level. It is a strange contrast. On our left is the Dead Sea and then we are skirting around quite large sandy and rocky hills and mountains. Oases are easily pointed out, as these are in stark contrast to the rest of the landscape. Wherever there are oases there is lush greenery. As the Dead Sea is receding sink holes are forming and a new detour has been built because the previous road fell into a sink hole. As we come to Masada we start to go up again, the landscape is alien. We arrive at Masada just after 9 am and we take a cable car to the top. Masada was developed by King Herod as a refuge and a winter palace. He built 16 large water cisterns into the mountain and diverted run off from the rains into the cisterns. He was an incredible builder and developer. The views from the top are spectacular. After Herod time it became a refuge for a group of Jews who rebelled against the romans. They were under siege for many months and apart from a few women and children all committed suicide when defeat was inevitable. They chose death over slavery.
We head down from Masada about 11.15 and head towards Jordan. The landscape changes from rocky gullies and hills to flat stretches of sandy dirt with bushes and trees scattered here and there and mountains on the horizon. There are great gouges through the soil where rivers and creeks May have run or occasionally flow when it rains. Inevitably it is in here where the shrubs grow. We pass through rock formations where legend had it Soddom and Gomorrah were before God destroyed the cities. There is even a rock formation which is claimed to be Lot’s wife.
We stop for lunch at 1.45 at a kibbutz and we have a tuna salad roll and some of their home made ice cream which is delicious. Head off again at 2.15 still have 50 is to go to the border crossing. It is a long day in the bus. We reach the border about 2.45, say goodbye to Mira our Israeli guide and pass through the Israeli border. Then there is the shambles of the Jordanian border, very haphazard but we make it through OK and meet up with our guide Nadal. A short bus ride to our hotel, we are all hot and tired, it is quite warm here. Tomorrow we head for Wadi Rum for our night in the desert and then two nights in Petra, not sure when we will have internet again.
Our hotel is lovely, we decide to walk into town and get some beers. We pick up some local beers Carakale Blonde Ale and they go down very nicely while sitting on our balcony. Tonight we are getting room service and going to share a hamburger and club sandwich!
Up early for breakfast and a 7.30 departure. Went to bed early but didnt sleep well, nose stuffed - couldn’t breathe. Of our group of 12 only 3 have not been affected.
As we travel to Masada we are descending into the desert area. We pass the Mount of Temptation where Jesus was tempted by Satan. The desert is not sand but hard packed soil, in some areas completely bare, others sparse cover and then there are areas where agriculture such as date palms and olive trees are planted. We will end up 500 metres below sea level. It is a strange contrast. On our left is the Dead Sea and then we are skirting around quite large sandy and rocky hills and mountains. Oases are easily pointed out, as these are in stark contrast to the rest of the landscape. Wherever there are oases there is lush greenery. As the Dead Sea is receding sink holes are forming and a new detour has been built because the previous road fell into a sink hole. As we come to Masada we start to go up again, the landscape is alien. We arrive at Masada just after 9 am and we take a cable car to the top. Masada was developed by King Herod as a refuge and a winter palace. He built 16 large water cisterns into the mountain and diverted run off from the rains into the cisterns. He was an incredible builder and developer. The views from the top are spectacular. After Herod time it became a refuge for a group of Jews who rebelled against the romans. They were under siege for many months and apart from a few women and children all committed suicide when defeat was inevitable. They chose death over slavery.
We head down from Masada about 11.15 and head towards Jordan. The landscape changes from rocky gullies and hills to flat stretches of sandy dirt with bushes and trees scattered here and there and mountains on the horizon. There are great gouges through the soil where rivers and creeks May have run or occasionally flow when it rains. Inevitably it is in here where the shrubs grow. We pass through rock formations where legend had it Soddom and Gomorrah were before God destroyed the cities. There is even a rock formation which is claimed to be Lot’s wife.
We stop for lunch at 1.45 at a kibbutz and we have a tuna salad roll and some of their home made ice cream which is delicious. Head off again at 2.15 still have 50 is to go to the border crossing. It is a long day in the bus. We reach the border about 2.45, say goodbye to Mira our Israeli guide and pass through the Israeli border. Then there is the shambles of the Jordanian border, very haphazard but we make it through OK and meet up with our guide Nadal. A short bus ride to our hotel, we are all hot and tired, it is quite warm here. Tomorrow we head for Wadi Rum for our night in the desert and then two nights in Petra, not sure when we will have internet again.
Our hotel is lovely, we decide to walk into town and get some beers. We pick up some local beers Carakale Blonde Ale and they go down very nicely while sitting on our balcony. Tonight we are getting room service and going to share a hamburger and club sandwich!
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