Getting There – Sunday 30th October 2016

(Distance walked today: 6km)

Photos here:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/ffnord/albums/72157675251190510

With everything packed and double, triple, and quadruple checked I set off for the train station at an ungodly hour of the morning in order to catch the first train over to Manchester airport. One slight flaw in the plan, it turns out the train station doesn’t open until around 10 minutes before my train leaves, so I join the small crowd of people who made the same mistake waiting by the door. This is probably the worst day to travel internationally as it’s the day the clocks go back in the UK, but not the day they do in Turkey or Jordan, both of which are on different time zones so knowing what time it was at any given point of the day would be a challenge.

On the train, and an uneventful trip to the airport and onward through check-in and the obligatory security theatre which precedes any international travel. Turkish airlines are much like any other except they seem to be stricter on electronics, everyone has signs up banning the Note 7, however Turkish not only ask you to use airplane mode but to also turn your device off prior to takeoff which seems somewhat redundant. The plane seat was spacious and fairly comfortable with an excellent in flight entertainment system, before I knew it we were landing in Istanbul (not Constantinople).

I had a two and a bit hour layover in Istanbul and despite Ataturk airport being absolutely enormous there is surprising little to pass the time so I settled down in a rather pricey bar place and drank and snacked my way through the wait. The connecting flight on to Amman wasn’t quite as nice, the IFE didn’t come on until over an hour in to the flight for some reason but it was acceptable. This leg of the flight was longer than you would think due to the circuitous route the flight takes, not going direct, but flying down over the sea to Egypt and then up the length of Jordan. I can only assume that Israel doesn’t let them fly through their airspace, and they probably want to avoid Syria, as airlines are not renowned for wasting fuel.

The arrival instructions were to collect my luggage, go through customs and be met by someone with my name on a card. As it turned out this was not what happened and a comedy of misunderstandings ensued due to language barrier and sleep deprivation on my part. Coming to the visa desk, there being a visa which may or may not need buying on arrival depending on some unfathomable conditions, I was met by a chap who seemed surprised that I was English and apologised in advance as he thought it was a Spanish group he was meeting. I got some local currency out whilst waiting for two others who he was picking up before he went off to sort out our visas which it turned out we did need, but had been pre-paid. One of the two guys was from Spain and the other from Portugal and we exchanged what passed for pleasantries at 1am, or possibly 2am depending on how I worked out the time. Shuffled through the passport check and on to luggage collection we gained another traveller and were led out to the pickup area where all bar I were helped on to a minibus, I was bundled in to a rather dilapidated taxi instead as it turns out the others were on a completely different tour and we were just being met together!

An extremely rapid taxi ride to the hotel taught me that lane discipline is something that happens to other countries, Jordanian drivers must have nerves of steel! I am dropped off at the hotel and after checking in and getting a glimpse at the itinerary left by the real tour guide I collapse in my room. It is hot, I open the window and crank up the air con which it seems focused more on making noise than cooling. After a while i manage to get to sleep only to be awoken at dawn by the call to prayer from the mosque immediately opposite my room. Drifting back off I am then rudely awakened by my 6am alarm call, I may have to murder someone.

Amman and Jerash – Monday 31st October 2016

(Distance walked today: 12km)

I ascend to the lobby, this hotel being upside-down, and join the conspicuously British people for breakfast, excusing my lack of conversation until several cups of coffee had been imbibed. Breakfast was buffet style with plenty of cheeses and meats as well as various fruits which I looked on with the disdain they dserved. Most of the group had met the previous night so it was just myself and one other who needed introduction, the group ranged from one person in their twenties, a few around my age and a few in their later years. We all met in a room off the lobby for our morning briefing and the tour leader, Saleh introduced himself and explained how the trip would operate. Many of the group had been with Explore before so knew the drill, however for a few of us this would be the first trip. We did the usual basic introductions before setting out in our mini bus for the old citadel of Amman.

It was hot, 28ish degrees and this was first thing in the morning, plenty of water and sunscreen needed through the trip. The citadel is built atop one of the highest hills in the city and has been there since Roman times when Amman was called Philadelphia, from the ruins you can see the sprawl of the modern city but with ancient elements such as the old Roman theatre cut in to one hillside.

We were given a tour of the site before being led to the museum which has artifacts from around the area going back to pre-history and was a welcome break from the unrelenting sun outside. We then headed down to the city proper and the amphitheatre and the museums it houses, mainly cultural elements such as local clothing and jewellery.

Back on the bus and we head out of the city for lunch at a restaurant in the hills near Jerash where we would spend the afternoon. The city of Amman is much like all of Jordan, in poor repair and rather chaotic by Western standards, but it’s full of life, people everywhere all day and night. Traffic is a nightmare at all times, every vehicle is dented and battered by frequent collisions, it really isn’t the kind of place you would want to hire a car and drive yourself around.

Lunch is very pleasant, the standard fair of flat bread with hummus, baba ganoush, and salad stuff with stewed meats and rice. I washed it down with a local beer, I always make a point of trying the local brew where possible and for an Islamic country they certainly had a good selection of beers. We went on to Jerash, an old Roman city, which is remarkably preserved, with many columns and buildings in fantastic states and the original roads in situ.

It’s not anywhere that was resettled after the collapse of the empire so little of the stone was robbed out and built over. Saleh took us around the site which became a bit of a struggle in the increasing heat but was fascinating to explore. Watching Jordanian bagpipers play Amazing Grace in the amphitheatre of a ruined city is quite a memorable experience!

We are left to our own devices to explore for a couple of hours before meeting back at the bus to be taken back to the hotel to have a break and freshen up. We then head in to the city for dinner at a street restaurant, literally an alleyway between two buildings but the mood is light and the food is nice. Saleh took us on a brief walking tour of the city where some of the group tried the local speciality of sugar cane water which is advertised as curing just about anything, before we headed back to the hotel for some much needed rest.