It took close to 48 hours, 4 flights, 2 delays and 2 screaming infants but we finally made it to Aqaba on the Red Sea in Jordan. Other than offering some of the best diving in the world Aqaba is mostly known for being the jumping off point for Wadi Rum and Petra. Being completely jet lagged and exhausted we did our traditional walk around the city, ate dinner and headed back to the room. Along the way we met a barber who offered to give me a head and ear massage. I had heard of these in India and thought it looked interesting so I agreed. Two minutes in and he noticed a spot on my back was sore so he ran in the back room and before I knew what was happening he had a cup and fire and was cupping the skin on my back. Extreme cupping. Before long the cup was drawing blood and the pain in my back was gone. What an experience! I love random new travel experiences. He served us some great tasting tea and refused to charge me for the massage insisting I was a good person and he was happy that we came back like we said we would. After my massage and cupping his assistant did some eyebrow string plucking and face waxing treatment for Alyssa again at no charge. I left him $25. As for the traditional head massage, well I guess I’ll find that in India.
Jordan has made a great first impression. Things are cheap here. Using my McDonalds index to compare, a Big Mac Meal is $4.20. The hookah was $3 and a can of ice tea is 25 cents. Our room is 1 block from the beach and cost $26 per night( $103 for 3 nights including taxes and fees).Dinner was $10.50 for 2 dishes, soup, bread, 2 mango shakes and pickled veggies. The people have been friendly and welcoming with no high pressure hawking unlike in Egypt where everyone is pushing the hard sell and don’t take no for an answer. The weather is in the mid 70’s (late Feb).
After a long jet lagged night of awful sleep we set out early to explore the town before the cruise ship crowds rolled in. The city doesn’t offer alot outside of the glass bottom boat tours and world class diving. From our hotel we walked along the sea passing hookah bars and souvenir shops until we reached the Aqaba Fort (castle). It was built in the 1600’s and is mostly ruins now but you can enter and roam around inside for free. Definetley worth the brief stop. Next door we wandered through an under-construction new shopping square built to lure in tourists on their way to the free fort. After that we found the cities biggest mosque but it was closed so we just enjoyed the outside. During our walk we found a gym so we decided to spend a few hours working out before dinner and shisha. We finished our time here off with a tray of local treats from a bakery and a night walk along the Red Sea. Jordan is off to a great start and we haven’t even begun. Next up… a 5 Star splurge night in a Wadi Rum Martian Dome deep in the heart of the dessert!