HOME | DD
Kenthayle — Red Desert
Published: 2012-08-05 04:55:19 +0000 UTC; Views: 1121; Favourites: 42; Downloads: 11
Redirect to original
Description
This is probably my favourite picture of this whole trip thus far. So of course I made it into a silly poster
Red Alert contemplating Wadi Rum and its very red sand. We watched a sunset and spent the night out under the stars. I slept like a baby and I'm pretty sure Red stayed up all night with a flashlight and a big stick
Related content
Comments: 39
HELLO!
My dad and I can't thank you ENOUGH for recommending the tour group in Wadi Rum and the hotel. OMG IT WAS AMAZING! We're thinking about taking my Mom to see Ramm if we end up vacationing in Jersulam this summer!
Jordan was FANTASTIC though I do admit it felt a bit odd being like the ONLY female wearing a T-shirt among a bunch of Saudi's and locals.Other than that it was great!
Just thought I'd let you know that.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Awesome! I'm so glad you had fun! We had a great experience with those places, so it was great to recommend them.
Heh, yeah, it's like that outside of Amman or touristy places. I'm used to it by now though
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I'm really glad I contacted you after seeing your photos...you have no idea how much of a help it has been 
Guess I'll have to try and get over it next time I go, haha! 
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Haha this is great!
I came across this looking for images of Wadi Rum. I'm ACTUALLY trying to get there this summer. I'll be in Aqaba for a few days and I still have yet to find a day trip to Ramm. I see over night things and buses that go there but...it looks like they don't return to the next day. I've been warned by a few friends that live in the Middle East NOT to rent a car and try to drive there on my own. Do you have any suggestions?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Oh man, you CAN'T leave Aqaba without doing a Wadi Rum tour! I forbids it
We did our tour through the Bedouin Lifestyle Camp ([link] ), and I think the one we did was the half-day jeep tour and camp out under the stars ([link] ), and I cannot recommend them enough. They were EXCELLENT.
What you do is take a taxi from Aqaba to Rum Village (costs about 20 JD one way, and they will know how to get there), and then the Bedouin drive you out for the tour and to the campsite, provide dinner and breakfast, and then drive you back to Rum Village the next day where you catch a taxi-cab back to Aqaba. You need to arrange the cabs, though.
I recommend that while you are in Aqaba, you get in touch with the taxi-cab company through the hotel you're staying in. That way you can arrange a cab both to take you to Rum Village and pick you up when you get back. You'll need to talk to the Bedouin Camp organizers in advance anyway to book your excursion, so make sure to get a time schedule to give the cab company for pick-ups. It takes maybe a 1/2 hour to an hour at most to drive between Rum Village and Aqaba.
I also recommend arranging this trip in advance, and with a large group if you can. The price per person goes down significantly the larger the group you have. Their price information is on their website as well.
You'll have the option of sleeping in a tent, or out on top of the hill overlooking the Wadi. The tents are fine, but TAKE THE HILL. There is no greater thing than to wake up in the middle of the night and see the Milky Way just staring you in the face.
I will warn you, if you are planning your trip to Aqaba in July or August, check if your planned dates overlap with Ramadan, the Islamic Holy Month. This year it will be from July 9th to Aug 7th. During Ramadan it is forbidden for Muslims to eat or drink while the sun is up, and even in Aqaba a lot of places outside the very expensive tourist districts will be closed for most of the day. This won't affect the Bedouin Tours (we did ours smack in the middle of Ramadan, and the only difference is we had a very late supper because they had to go back to the village to break their fast), but it might make your stay in Aqaba more difficult than you anticipated. Jordanians are good people but they can be cranky when they haven't eaten all day
Oh, and also: Aqaba is hot and muggy even at night, it is like an oven, and the sun is evil. So bring the highest SPF sunscreen you can find and find shade frequently, especially when on the beach, because you will sweat that stuff off so fast. Tip: the South Beaches are WAY NICER than the beach in Aqaba city. The South Beaches are the ones with the coral reefs, where they take you for snorkeling and scuba diving. Aqaba beach has seagulls and cigarette butts, and way too many people
Okay I'm gonna stop or I'll just go on forever, lol. If you have any other questions feel free to ask! Enjoy your vacation, and check your shoes for creepy crawlies after you sleep in the desert!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Oh man Wadi Rum is like the ENTIRE reason I want to go to Jordan. It actually started off as a Character I had based there. I started researching the country after and have wanted to go EVERY SINCE!
I haven't heard of that tour group yet
I'm not sure how agreeable my dad will be to camping there but I sure want too, sounds amazing! I'd probably be up half the night taking photos. I'm a huge fan of that sort of stuff anyways.
I'll actually be in Palestine during most of Ramadan, I'll be in Jordan just after EID so that's almost perfect timing!
Good to know! I'll keep that in mind if we end up going to the beach while we're there. And speaking of that, did you see the Dead Sea while you were there? If we stop in Amman I so want to hop up there to see that. I think I'll only have about 5 days max in Jordan so I don't know what all I'll really have time to see and do.
Once again THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE TIPS
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Heh, Wadi Rum is only the middle of nowhere to us... the Bedouin know it inside and out. The tour will show you some incredible things you'd never have realized were even there: stone writings, hidden springs, historical places. You won't regret it, and if it's safe enough for a bunch of archaeology girls then it's safe for you and your dad
Also tell him not to worry about the camping. You get mattresses, pillows and blankets, so you don't have to bring any gear unless you want to (though you do have to drag it up the hill on your own, but that's hardly difficult), and the campsite has working toilets 
Being in Jordan during Ramadan was an interesting experience. I'm not sure if it will be a bit different in Palestine, but we were careful not to eat or drink in public because it's kinda rude. Also much of the markets were closed from 4pm to sundown or so. The best times to do anything were in the early evening, just after everyone has broken fast. There were lots of parties and celebrations after sunset, even some free concerts. It was pretty cool.
I did see the Dead Sea on my first trip to Jordan. It's not terribly exciting (nothing really grows there and it's full of mud), but the resorts are very nice. But if you've never swum in the Dead Sea you might as well go, just to say you have. Just for the love of god, don't get it in your eyes!
Honestly, there's lots to do in and around Amman if you get there. The Roman Theatre, the Ammonite Citadel, the Suq market... you can book buses for day tours of a lot of cool sites around the country... personally I recommend checking out the Roman city of Jerash. It's not far from Amman and is pretty cool. And if you get the chance to spend a day in Petra (which is closer to Aqaba than to Amman, actually), definitely check that out. Petra is nothing like you will ever see again in your life.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
OMG why have I not replied to this!
Well, I talked to my dad and we're going to be doing the full day Jeep your with overnight! I'm really looking forward to it! However, one thing just came to mind. What do us females do for restrooms out in the desert when we're not back at the camp? LOL x3.
I leave for Israel in only 13 days! I just got accepted into a school in AZ so I'll be driving across the country to take all my stuff there in a few days - so busy!
I think I have 5 - 7 days in Jordan and we're going to see Petra and Wadi Rum for sure now!
Also thanks SO MUCH for helping me ...I mean seriously this was a HUUUUGE help to us! The tour place looks fantastic and it's great to hear from other American's that have been there! My dad was a bit worried since the culture is different. Though we have been to Israel and Turkey before and he loved those. I'm hoping he loves Jordan as well! I'm super excited!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Haha, that's okay. I'm glad I was of help
Bathrooms out in the desert? Hah! You tough up and hold it in like a champ, lol
Make sure to bring the standard traveler's staple of diarrhea medicine, though. You want to have control over that when in a place with no washrooms
In Petra though, there are a few public Restrooms for men and women. Though again, I didn't have to go at all the whole day there.
In Petra, I recommend heading into the park in the early morning because it will be cooler and there will be fewer people to stand in the way of your pictures. I usually try to make it up to the Monastery before 11am, then wait out the hot midday hours in the tent that's up there. There's also this AWESOME silver shop up there so save your JD because that stuff is fantastic. (This shop is usually on the level, but in case you didn't know, always look for the stamped "395" on any silver jewellery you buy!)
Last time I was there, cheap bottles of water were being sold all over the park. I still recommend bringing a couple litres in with you, just in case
I hope you guys have a great time! If you're staying in Aqaba, try the Al Qidra hotel [link] ... it's a little ways off the really touristy area but still close to some really great food and shopping places, you can book online, it's fairly reasonably priced and looks like it used to be a very nice converted apartment building. Lots of character, and right next door to a Diving Centre where you can book an excursion to snorkel/scuba dive the coral reefs in the Red Sea.
You'll have to tell me all about it when you get back!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
And only because I've been waiting for the landing last night of the lab on Mars did I think 'Kenthayle got Red Alert up there FIRST!' when I saw this pic. And then my science addled brain remembered and came back to Earth.
This looks almost exactly like Sedona Arizone (which, of course, I never thought to bring MY toys to--my spouse and I did--er--other things...). So all I can do is be happy for you and that gorgeous sunset. But at least if Red got sand on him, you could say its part of his paint job?
Red, you're more traveled than 85 percent of the human population, you know that?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
He knows that
Wadi Rum really does look like Mars. It's so red, photos don't do it justice. My camera washes out a lot of the colours and tweaking in photoshop evens them out again, but the actual sunset in real life turned the sand like blood. It was incredible.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
He was probably keeping an optic out for Scorponok. I hope I got the spelling right.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Or maybe it is Jawas and Sandpeople he's afraid of.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Man, I'm afraid of Jawas. Those guys are freaky
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Aww, they just want to sell you defective droids. And maybe eat your first born child.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I'll take the droids, but they might have to put that first-born on layaway
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Yes Red, the scorpions and camel spiders are waiting just behind that bit of flora... just waiting for you to turn your back so they can pounce....
Awesome shot!
That landscape seems very... martian, and I bet the stars were magnificent out there!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
ALL the scorpions and camel spiders are waiting behind that bush. ALL OF THEM
Oh man, I woke up in the middle of the night and bam, the Milky Way was just staring me in the face. I've never actually seen it with my own eyes before. It is quite possibly the most breathtaking thing.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
i bet he wished he had that sock of raw mac-a-rony noodles now.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Lol, there have been a few times where *I* wished I had that sock of noodles
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Awesome shot and the footprints really make it look like Red is walking there. He looks like he's like, "Oh Primus, that's a lot of sand that's going to get in my joints."
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Lol, all of it, in his joints. We'll get home and he'll just pour the entire desert out of his plating
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
It's a nice pic. Whole lotta nothing out there and it looks quite a bit like southern Utah. Red is keeping an eagle optic out for anything.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
It looks like there's nothing out there, but there's all sorts of things hidden around. Secret springs of water that you have to climb half a mountain to get to, rock art and petroglyphs hidden in little canyons, and Bedouin tents all over the place. And lizards! So many lizards!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Oh, man, that is a gorgeous shot. I adore how you got his footprints in the sand. So cute!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Lol, that was kind of an accident that happened when I positioning him and I ran with it. But this is one of those shots that just makes me wish I had a really good camera
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
It's funny how many of my best shots are accidents. Sometimes you just can't plan thse things; they happen naturally, and end up being some of the best moments. Keep posting photos of these guys over there. I love seeing them!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I need to catch up on the photos! It's so easy taking them, finding time to pretty them up and post them is something else. But I have lots! Lots and lots
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Oh man, I suck at replying to comments. Sorry! The dig lasted until the middle of August. I'm home now
Thanks!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
AH THAT's O.K.AY KIDDO ; I'm JUST HAPPY TO WELCOME YA BACK HOME ! . . . . . . . . (where-ever that may be!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
He doesn't seem to, but he is
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
