2006.05.23_Wadi Rum 7

After the Khazali Canyon, our Wadi Rum experience was almost over. We did more camel riding, had a brief lunch, a short nap, and at least we rode back to Rum Village. While we waited for our hired taxi at the Visitor Centre, we went into the official Wadi Rum shop. I bought a black T-shirt with the Rum-art (ancient rock carving of animals) printed on it. We reached Aqaba in late afternoon. For some reason, we ended up having Chinese food for dinner. It was a decent size restaurant on the second floor of a commercial building. We weren't the only table there but of course it was not full. I wondered if it would ever get full. The food was fine. We were all tired and hungry. After the meal, we were quite satisfied.

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From time to time, we got off our camels to walk on the sand, or climb another rock mount, and so on. Two to three hours on the camel back was really not the most pleasant experience. Perhaps because of the heat or lack of good vegetation around, HC's camel was a little grumpy at a point that it refused to walk and kneed down all of a sudden, almost throwing HC down onto the sand. I was glad that at least my camel seemed content about what it was doing. Every time we got off the camel after about riding for an hour, we could hardly walk.

The "desert mountains" near and far dominated the landscape everywhere we went. At last we were led to the Khazali Canyon. We didn't have time to go in too deep, but deep enough to see the dramatic sunlight shone through the narrow gap high up and reached the gorge floor in a dramatic fashion. A perfect spot for some nice photos.

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Near our camp site, we climbed another rock mount where we watched the sun set behind layers of rock mountains. It was dry and windy. The desert was open and vast. Despite tired, I totally fell in love with the openness of the desert. The sun was fading. As it receded into the horizon, so as the vivid colours of the landscape. The landscape around me gradually became a world of black and white, or so it seemed to me that suddenly the desert had cooled down and the wind was a little chilly.

The dinner of lamb/chicken rice was delicious and we had a good time in the evening at the Bedouin camp site, chatting and laughing with the Bedouin host and guides.

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Um Fruth Rock Arch


View from top of Um Fruth


In a desert canyon


Out of a desert canyon

We started off the afternoon with an interesting climb of the Um Fruth Rock Arch. The arch is about 20m high. At first glance, the slope of the rock surface seemed very steep to us. We couldn't even image how we could reach the top. With his bare feet, our guide showed us the way to ascend the slope. The key was: climb in a slight diagonal, move fast, don't stop and never look back. We did what he said and finally reached the top. Of course, climbing back down was another challenge but we didn't worry too much about it while we enjoyed the view from the top of Um Fruth.

Before heading to the camp site, we were led to a desert canyon where we did a short hike, about 1.5km, by ourselves. The guide came pick us up at the other end. Everything seemed red and orange under the afternoon sun. Perhaps the most unique thing about Wadi Rum is the red colour of its sand, and the rock mounts (or desert mountains as the locals called them). It was a pleasant short walk of good desert scenery.

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Our guide making tea


Our guide with another Bedouin


Our 4X4 for the day


Panorama view from where we took a short nap

Our guide from Bedouin Roads drove the Land Rover into the shade of a rock mount. We rested on a large smooth rock surface where we had our desert lunch. There were canned tuna, fresh tomato, mixed beans, cheese, bottled orange juice, and a cup of mint tea. The lunch was simple and light, reminded me of the simple nomadic lifestyle that the Bedouin must have once led. After lunch, we had a hour of nap time in the shade.

Despite circumstances after World War II that led to the majority of Bedouin sedentarisation, the myth of the desert nomads continues to inspire literature and cinema, enrich national heritage and enhance global tourism in the region. Today, most Bedouins in the Middle East live in houses or apartments. The few Bedouin tents that remain in the deserts are mainly for touristic purposes, so as many other components of the Bedouin lifestyle, such as camel caravans are very much entirely replaced by modern means of transportation. Often, it is not easy to differentiate the nomadic traditions with reconstructed lifestyles that are largely based on cultural stereotypes and romanticised interpretations.