By Hillary Lockhart
Exploring the sand dunes in Wadi Rum (Photo by B. Norton)
After the exhausting yet amazing day at Petra we made our way to a Bedouin campsite in Wadi Rum where we stayed the night. As we approached the campsite we could see the landscape starting to change. All of a sudden we are surrounded by red sand and rocky mounds of staggering heights. It is no wonder that this beautiful and unique landscape is being conserved by the Jordanian government.
We arrive at the campsite just as the sun is starting to set. We are told to climb up one of the many rocky mounds that surrounded us and enjoy the sunset, so we throw our bags in our carpet-adorned Bedouin tent and we do just that. Now we are all gathered at the edge of a rocky cliff and are gazing at the horizon, waiting for the sun to set. I can confidently say that this was one of the best sunsets I’ve seen in my life thus far.
Once the sun was set we made our way back to the campsite to eat dinner. Again, I was not disappointed. The meal was prepared in a traditional Bedouin style, which includes cooking the meat in an underground oven, buried in sand to contain the heat. We are shown how this method of cooking is preformed, and then we sit down and eat the delicious and authentic Bedouin feast.
After dinner the entertainment portion of the night began. I think we were all a little bit relieved when we found out that they sold cold beer. The speakers turned on, the Jordanian music blasted, the bonfire was lit, and the workers started to dance. Most of us got up and joined them. We were taught some simple choreography and we danced around the fire. After a few minutes, the workers started a conga line and lured us out of the main sitting area and we found ourselves in the back area, standing in front of a lit room. We are told that there is a Jordanian couple who were getting married, and that we are going to dance for them. As the Jordanian couple emerged, it took a few seconds before we could comprehend that the workers had dressed up two of the students in traditional Jordanian wedding attire, face paint included. We return to the main sitting area to enjoy the mock wedding with the rest of the crowd. It was a hilarious way to start the night. Before we went to bed we made sure that we took a few minutes to appreciate the stars. I have never seen the Milky Way so clearly.
The following morning we got ready for the off-roading excursion throughout the desert. This consisted of sitting in the back of a pickup truck and enjoying the ride as the drivers brought us to various landmarks in the area. This included seeing the cave of Lawrence of Arabia, running up and down a sand dune, and seeing various interesting rock formations. Through these experiences I can confidently say that Wadi Rum is a beautiful, unique and a definite must-see when you’re in Jordan, and I couldn’t have imagined a better way of experiencing it.