Most Inspirational Moment
Obviously Petra, but I actually preferred the Monastery over the Treasury. It is well worth walking up to the Monastery - it is a bit of a hard slog but the Monastery really is spectacular. There is a cafe there so you can sit and have a drink and admire the view. That was a really lovely part of the trip.The desert was also excellent - the stars are so much better than at home, particularly if you look through binoculars. We had a camel ride in the morning which was also a highlight for me.On our second day in Petra some of our group had a longer, guided walk with a Bedouin woman. We did not see anybody else and it really felt like we were the only people in the world! I would recommend this if you have the opportunity - the views were fantastic and it was good to get off the beaten track.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our leader was Danny Haddad - I thought he was excellent. He looked after the group well, was clear about all the arrangements and helped out with money changing etc. Some of us had a problem with a taxi on the very last night and, even though Danny was not with us, he helped us to sort out the situation over the phone.
Advice for Potential Travellers
I travelled in November and it was definitely helpful having a range of different clothes and layers as the temperature did vary quite a lot. Layering is the key! It was not nearly as cold in the desert as I was expecting at that time of year which was a pleasant surprise. I wore an Icebreaker top, thermal leggings and had my 4 season sleeping bag and was pretty hot!! The Bedouin are able to provide sleeping bags and extra blankets but quite a lot of people in my group seemed to have their own sleeping bag anyway.I am not a vegetarian but the 2 vegetarians in our group did find some of the food choices a bit limited at times. For me, as a meat eater, the food was excellent. Loads of really nice kebabs! The houmous and falafel was absolutely superb. I took sterling cash but did not change any money at Amman airport. The following morning our guide took us to a money exchange that had a better rate than the airport so I was glad I waited. I changed £200 which saw me through the entire holiday.