Dead Sea to Amman

Floating in the Dead Sea

I suspected that all the tourists that we met in Wadi Rum were doing it all wrong. Starting their trips in Amman, then heading to the Dead Sea before Petra and Wadi Rum. As a result, they did all their pampering at the start of their trip when they didn't need it. We, on the other hand, planned it perfectly. Arriving in the Dead Sea, after several days hiking in the desert and Petra, ready for a day at the spa. And what a day it was.

We started by floating in the Dead Sea before enjoying the best swimming pool ever. It had several jet options to massage everything from your toes to your back.

Salt forming on a rock at the edge of the Dead Sea

After an hour or so, relaxing in the pools, it was time for a salt scrub, mud wrap, massage, and facial. I have one word for it... ahhh. Never felt more alive than after a day of relaxation at the Dead Sea.

Temple of Zeus, Jerash

Our final day in Jordan began with driving to Jerash, north of Amman. I'm happy to say that we only got lost once on the way. We arrived just in time to see the chariot races, according to the Lonely Planet.  However, based on the look of things, the races haven't taken place in a long time. We continued to explore on our own, but before we knew what happened, we found ourselves with a guide. He showed us around the Roman city and, afterwards, only asked for about $75 in exchange for his services. We gave him a lot less and eventually he agreed without to much protest because he "likes Americans".

Oval Plaza, Jerash

Getting from Jerash to Amman proved a little more difficult. For one, Google maps seems to think you can make left turns across concrete barriers and u-turns on highways. Secondly, the grid system, while implemented in the old Roman city of Jerash, failed to be used anywhere else in Jordan. While we did eventually find our way to the citadel, we were trying to find Hashem Restaurant (supposedly the best falafel in Amman).  Rather than continuing by car, we changed strategies and tried to make our way on foot by following the walking tour in the Lonely Planet.  Unfortunately, we couldn't get past the second step and opted for a taxi instead.

Roman Theater, Amman

After finishing our falafels (for the record, not as good as the one we had in Haifa, Israel), we decided to make another attempt at the walking tour, this time in reverse.  And, much like a child's maze, it was easier starting at the end and working our way to the start. We meandered through the various souqs (markets) and paused at the, just closed, Roman Theater before arriving back to the car at the just closed Citadel. At this point, rather than using Google to find our way to the airport, we relied on old-fashioned paper maps. I'm happy to say that, not only can I still read a map, it even proved easier than Google navigation for getting around Amman.

Now as I sit at the airport, waiting for the first leg of my long journey home, I have time to ponder my next trip.