Dana Nature Reserve/Biosphere is a really stunning place to explore, but don’t make my rookie mistake of thinking that it would be a gentle(ish) trot around that can be done in platform Carvela [athleisure] trainers.
Yes, folks, this really did happen…and I didn’t half feel a right plonker – I managed to navigate all the rocky terrain though!
Our guide cooked us a tasty lunch, and I tell you what, after all that exertion, never has a roasted Tomato and Onion Stew tasted so flipping good!! I think we both chugged a gallon of Bedouin Tea, too; the sun was properly getting high, now. Eaten in these stunning surroundings, it was a real privilege to savour this simple feast in natural silence. At one with nature and in perfect peace, our souls were soothed.
Little Petra Bedouin Camp was our next home, and what a fab place it is; but before we landed there, we’d stopped off at ‘Little Petra’ a smaller (but no less beautiful than its cousin, Petra) series of rock carvings and temples.
The lovely gent in reception soon got our cases taken to our hut, a spotless room with white walls, massive bed and en-suite shower.
One thing of note is that Jordan is the second water-poorest country in the world, so showers are the norm rather than baths; however, this doesn’t mean that you get a measly, trickling shower – the one here was a fancy, multi-level jet delight that certainly saw off all the desert dust!
It was here, at dinner time, that we encountered ‘Shrak’, a flatbread with a delicious, pancake-y flavour that is both soft and crisp at the same time, thanks to charred pockets on its surface. A lovely woman made these right before our eyes, and we greedily gobbled them up with lots of creamy, nutty Hummus and an off-the-Scoville-scale Chilli dip! Potato soup was ramped up with Cumin and Coriander, so that it became something worth remarking upon, and there was a plethora of salads to choose from: Carrot and Sultana, Shredded Cabbage, Tomato, Parsley and Bulgar Wheat, and Beetroot and Cheese.
Balls of Lamb Kofte were paired with Green Beans, and there was plentiful on-the-bone Chicken as well. Rice was spiced and fragrant, the Roasted Courgette, Tomato, Aubergine and Pepper medley was magnificent, and those same Yoghurt sauce-bathed Potatoes that we’d had earlier were on offer (and just as beautiful second time around). Spheres of intensely sweet Gulab Jamun-type temptations, iconic Umm Ali, and various Honey and Nut Pastries concluded our meal, leaving us sighing contentedly.
After dinner, it was time to chill and partake in some tea that Ahmed was offering, and the gentle strains of acoustic guitar wafted around camp. The stars were out and there were no clouds in the sky to impede our view; it was one of those memorable moments that will be etched in our minds forever. We both got a fab nights’ sleep, and then it was off to Petra itself one of the Seven [modern] Wonders of The World – I was so excited!
We had a guide to inform us of all the details of this breath-taking site, keen as we were not to miss a bit of this experience.
The iconic ‘treasury’ is every bit as magnificent as you’ve seen in books, on the web, or on tv and, even with tourism being down a phenomenal 85% due to the war in Israel, it was still humming with tourists.
We stopped for a bite of lunch at the Nabatean restaurant, making the most of the shade under its canopied area. I had a refreshing Lemon and Mint [fresh] juice, His Nibs went for Pomegranate, and food-wise we had the rather tasty Falafel Sandwich, dressed with a zingy Mustard Mayonnaise sauce and crunchy chopped Pickles. Super-tasty, and priced at around £6 (fab value for the size of the portion), this was great midday pit-stop and one that I’d heartily recommend to you.
