Growing up in the 90s in a little village in Slavonia, many hot summer
afternoons were basically spent… grounded in my own room. The heat was
unbearable until evening, when I could finally run outside and join the
other kids for a game of hide-and-seek, tag, or “gumi-gumi” (jump rope’s
Balkan cousin).
But thanks to my mom—who was in some sort of mail-order book club—I had a
steady supply of encyclopedias and fact-books about history, animals, and
geography. That’s how I stumbled upon a book called something like The Seven
Wonders of the World.
One of those wonders was Petra, in Jordan. I still remember my childlike
amazement, staring at those pictures and thinking:
“Wow. That must be soooo far away. I’ll never get there.”
But somewhere inside me, I wished: One day… maybe I could see it for
real.
Fast forward more than 20 years: I’m a grown woman, with a degree, a job,
and a realistic idea of just how huge the world is. Thanks to a low-cost
airline, that faraway dream suddenly became possible. Return flight
Budapest–Amman? 66.12 EUR. Yes, you read that right.
Why am I writing this almost seven years later? First, because future-me
will want to remember this. Second, because I want to leave something behind
in the endless void of the internet (hence, a blog, not a website with paid
hosting). And third, because maybe—just maybe—someone will find my tips
helpful when they set out on the same route.
Day 1 – Amman
Our trip started with a stroke of pure luck. I’d booked us a private stay
at Arabian Suites in the Al Abdali district. The host? A gem. We’d been
messaging before the trip about everything from tour agencies to airport
transfers.
Here’s how great he was: when we got on the bus from the airport, I
messaged him, and he told the driver exactly where to drop us—on the side of
the road, where he was already waiting. VIP service, Jordan-style.
Pro tip: in Jordan, buses stop anywhere if you wave them down, and will
pick you up if there’s space.
Our host then offered to give us a private city tour, starting with the
Citadel—the highest point in Amman. He drove us right to the entrance. From
up there, the view was a sea of tightly packed, flat-roofed buildings, all
in the same beige hue.
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| Amman - view from Citadel |
Later we explored Jabal Al Qala’a, Al Mudaraj, and The Hashemite Plaza—a
huge square with ancient Roman ruins. One thing I noticed: streets and shops
full of gold jewelry, vendors offering us tea… but not a single woman in
sight.
That evening, we went on a mission with our host to find the best deal for
a Dead Sea trip. After visiting at least five agencies, we scored a private
driver for $20 USD each. Naturally, we treated our host to dinner, and in
return, he showed us the best local restaurant, ice cream shop, and pastry
place in town.
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| Baklavas and pastries |
Day 2 – Madaba, Mount Nebo & The Dead Sea
We set off with our driver, a hybrid car, and an extra passenger—an
American traveler. Our driver told us about his family, and explained that
while Jordan is surrounded by oil-rich countries, it has no oil itself. Gas
is expensive, so hybrids and even electric cars are becoming
common—something still futuristic in my country back then.
Madaba charmed me with its tiny churches and stunning ancient mosaics from
Roman and Byzantine times. Mount Nebo, meanwhile, is the biblical lookout
over the “Promised Land.” The driver quoted scripture: “Here, God told Moses
he would die, gazing at Canaan.”
Meanwhile, my atheist brain was thinking: Really? This desert? Was it
always this dry? Or maybe God meant the oil under the ground?
The Dead Sea, though—now that was an experience. Our driver took us to the
Ramada Resort, where we had a buffet lunch and slathered ourselves in black
mud before floating like corks in the insanely salty water. You can’t swim
there—trust me, I tried—and the only thing that came out of the water was my
butt.
Days 3–4 – Petra (Wadi Musa)
Finally, the big moment: Petra.
We stayed at a place called Rafiki Hostel… which was the complete opposite
of our Amman palace. But we only needed one night.
We’d bought the Jordan Pass in advance (75 JOD) and arrived at the gates
early—so early, we were the first ones in. Walking through the narrow canyon
until the Treasury appeared… pure magic. We skipped the guides and headed up
a trail to watch the sunrise from above, guided only by goats.
the Sig - main Entrance in Petra
Treasury
At the top, a Bedouin had set up cushions and offered us tea for a small
fee. Best tea I’ve ever had, and worth it for the view. The sunrise over the
Treasury was Indiana Jones level epic.
Coming back down, the magic wore off when we ran into a tourist
stampede—some of them loudly riding camels and donkeys, kicking up dust.
Still, Petra is so breathtakingly preserved you can’t help but marvel.
Days 5–6 – Wadi Rum Desert
From Petra, we caught a taxi to Wadi Rum. The driver’s brother, fun fact,
had been with Doctors Without Borders during the Bosnian war.
We joined a Bedouin-led jeep tour into the desert—no GPS, just instinct. We
spent the night in tents, drinking tea around the fire. Coldest night of my
life. Couldn’t wait for sunrise.
Daytime meant jeep rides over dunes, climbing rocks, and a camel ride at
sunset. I bought the classic red-and-white Jordanian scarf, which they tied
for me on the spot. We’d hoped to see the Milky Way, but clouds had other
plans.
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| Jeep Tour in Wadi Rum |
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| Beduin life in Wadi Rum |
Day 7 – Aqaba & Return to Amman
We hitched a ride with two Danish travelers heading to Aqaba. We only
stayed a few hours before catching the bus back to Amman. Halfway there,
police stopped the bus and made us unload everything for inspection. Found
nothing.
Back in Amman, we stayed with our original host, visited the Abdali
Boulevard shopping center (armed guards and all), and discovered it was the
only place where tourists could buy alcohol—with a passport. We left our
host cigarettes and gave the caretaker a beer.
Day 8 – Jerash
On our last day, our host personally put us on the bus to Jerash—home to
some of the best-preserved Roman ruins outside Italy. Columns, forums,
arenas… you could spend all morning imagining life two thousand years
ago.
The bus never came for the return trip, so we shared a taxi with a Polish
tourist. Back in Amman, we strolled through Abdali Boulevard again—modern
cafes, young people dressed like they’d stepped out of a Western city. I
tried matcha latte for the first time and bought Bedouin tea to take home,
so I could remember those smoky, freezing nights in the Wadi Rum
desert.
This was my first big solo-ish trip outside Europe. It gave me courage for
more adventures. It taught me that people everywhere are just people, doing
their best to get by. It also ruined me for coffee (Jordanian coffee is that
good), introduced me to baklava, hummus, and chickpeas—now a staple at
home—and showed me hospitality I’d never experienced before, especially in a
Muslim country.
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| Roman ruins in Jerash |
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| Roman ruins in Jerash |
Looking back now, post-COVID, I feel travel has changed. It’s harder to
find travel companions, and even on the road, people are less spontaneous.
And that makes me wonder… who will we share our stories with if not with
each other? Our dogs? Our houseplants?
Because in the end, no matter how independent we are, no human is an island
and can't stand alone for long time.
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