Petra daytrip.

Petra is a newly added wonder of the world. Located in Jordan it was more famously put on the map in recent years thanks to the Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade movie. For those who need a dose of hollywood buzz, here’s a clip from the movie.

And here is some stupid tourist clip. Wanker.

The tour began at 7.30 Tuesday morning. I was picked up from my hostel and driven to the border crossing not far from Eilat. There were several hundred others from various tourgroups also making their way to the site.

Guards with no hands will suspend your passport in mid air.

Stupid Russian tourists line up at passport control.

Leaving Israel and entering no mans land, a 200 metre road between Israel and Jordan.

Was this going to be the last time I saw this flag? Answer….no. I saw it again.

Some park benches overlook a heavily mined no mans land. A romantic spot at sunset, especially when wild dogs try to get from one side to the other! Explosive fun!

A stupid tourist picks up a mangey diseased kitten at the Jordan border gift shop and orphanage.

Another stupid tourist feeds a mangey cat some diet yoghurt. Silly cat doesn’t need to be on a diet!

The postcards on offer at the shop were easily 20 years old. Faded pictures of Petra, Jordan, camels, donkeys and harems filled the racks.

I take a photo of a stupid tourist taking a photo of a guy who fills bottles with colourful sand and sells them to stupid tourists.

Stupid tourists buy stupid arabic headwear and prepare their kids for the Jihad.

After about 2 hours of getting through Israel passport control and then into Jordan our group of about 20 people boarded a small bus and spent the next 2 hours driving up to Petra. The mountanous ranges dominated over us. A feeling of opression as interdispersed fields and villages were confronted by the most inhospitable towering mountains I’ve seen. Our guide Ahmed was a cool and entertaining host, promising not to sing if we paid attention.

Ahmed sings “Opps I did it again” by Britney Spears.

Our first stop on the trip was to Aqabar, Jordan’s only port city. It’s within view of Eilat and has Jordan’s second tallest flagpole. 132 metres tall.

From there we drove to Petra through amazing mountain scenery.

Black granite strips cut through the mountains.

A stop along the way with spectacular views over the mountains. See larger.

See larger.

Coming into Petra.

The local mosque and gift shop.

Getting to our destination we entered the site. As this was where Indiana Jones was shot, the locals milk it for all it’s worth. In this case a gift shop! Wow! Didn’t see that one coming!!!

I have no idea. No water for miles. No icebergs for 1000s of miles!

For more information on the site click on the map below.

The walk from the main gate down to the Siq and further is about 5kms and takes a good hour or so there and a little longer coming back up. It’s well worth it. If you don’t want to walk you can get on a smelly horse for a fee, a smelly donkey for a fee, a smelly camel for a fee or stay at home and watch Indiana Jones.

Smelly tourists walking in Petra.

Stupid tourist pay to ride smelly horse.

The people who lived here carved dwellings into the rock. See larger.

Silly people dressed up like ancient people get photos taken by silly tourists.

See larger.

Silly Russian tourists block our path as they photograph a rock shaped like Putin.

A rock carving showing feet and lowerbody. Silly Russian lady praying to the right. Gets in my way. Selfish.

The entrance to the Siq.

Me posing like a silly Russian tourist. Notice the lack of humour.

Friend Deb attempting same pose. Has difficulty with seriousness of the situation.

Two great minds meet on ancient ground. I don’t know about the guy on the left.

I started a trend of taking a photo of yourself being kissed by Jack the camel. Soon everyone was doing it. The camel driver thanked me for offering him a new way of getting money from silly tourists. We had a group of people gathering around for a snap.

See, this local new exactly what we tourists are.

It took us a while to get back up, more so for the Silly Russians with big backsides wearing white clothing in a very dry and dusty place.

You have the right to remain a stupid tourist. Any place you go you’ll buy our mass produced crap made in China yet appear as if it’s local and ancient. You may haggle with us all you like and we will pretend to be offended at your offer of 30 cents for our junk. We will point to our starving children in the hope you can pay us 40 cents so we can eat for another night. Thankyou for visiting our ancient wonder. What do you have? 500,000 McDonalds Restaurants? You win.

Even aunty Alia gets a mention here.

After 4 hours visiting Petra we climbed back on the bus, feet sore and dusty and drove a few minutes up the road to a restaurant where we had a late buffet lunch. Then it was back to the border with Israel.

Then it was back to the hostel and a quiet night in.

The new addition to my blister family. Funny thing it it’s only my left foot getting them. Any idea why?