Petra

If you go to Jordan and see one thing, Petra should be it. Full of hiking trails, un-excavated caves, and fantastic views, most of the enormous site is open to exploration, allowing for a self-tailored adventure. You can easily spend up to three days here so a three day ticket may be well worth the 40$ admission (one day/30$).

The splendor of Petra is not the ancient Nabataean structures alone but also in the formations and designs in the area's red sandstone.

From Nuweiba, Sinai to Aqaba, Jordan I took a ferry that crossed the Red Sea. It was a nice boat though it was two hours late. Customs was a joke. When we arrived in Aqaba, a helpful taxi driver took us to a cheap restaurant and then for a two hour ride to Petra. He even called ahead to his cousin's hotel and reserved a place for us.

Petra is best known for the Temple, the great Roman like building in the center of a gorge. Indiana Jones' fans will note this is the same building used at the end of the Last Crusade. There were no traps or Grail inside unfortunately. The face is incredible to behold however.

There were also many Bedouin people there selling trinkets or offering donkey rides. Although I was against it in the beginning, we caved in and rode one about a kilometer through the site. It was uncomfortably bouncy but fun. Poor guy, there was a Bedouin kid running behind it, giving it a switch the whole time.

After two days in Petra, I left for Israel.