Lessons learnt

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Camels at Petra

Travelling to the Middle East has been quite an experience and there are a few things that might be of use to others.

Firstly, each country has its own currency. There are ATMs but a ready supply of small denomination American dollars would be highly advantageous. They readily accept them and give change in USD. This means that you are not stuck with small amounts of “funny money” that you cant exchange easily on departure. Most things on sale are for 1, be it dollar, shekel, or Dinar.

If you are taking an SLR camera into Israel it is in your interests to take it and any lenses out of your camera bag at customs. If you don’t they will put you bag aside. At their leisure they will heavily handedly pull the items out and re-X-ray the whole lot. They will then swab them for drugs and explosives. Eventually they will be returned.

Water is vital. It is readily available in bottles but at a cost. If you carry a water bottle on a belt or shoulder strap it will be more

Jordanian Pipers – Photo courtesy of Kazimierz Ochab

convenient. A camel back would be ideal.

If you go to Petra or Wadi Rum, joggers are a much better option than sandals. Both places are very sandy and stony.

 

 

Monastery at Petra – Photo courtesy of Sylwia Pokrywcznzka

A hat with a brim such as a bucket hat is a better option than a baseball cap as the ears are protected.

In Jordon they do not haggle and the tourist prices are remarkably consistent. Before entering Petra Heritage site we bought two bottles of water from 1 Dinar. Inside we could not find any variation from 1 Dinar per bottle. The same price was on offer at several souvenir shops elsewhere. In Aqabar we bought a bottle of water for 25 piastas (cents) at a normal shop.