JORDAN PART ONE

Ladies and gents, I have officially been to my ninth country. Life is so wonderfully surreal. I had no idea a country like Jordan could be so incredibly beautiful. Sounds random I know-Amman, Jordan? But I’ve been there and I loved every bit of it (aside from the not so inviting public restrooms, smoke smelling sheets, and unsanitary water).

We began our adventure crossing the border and let me tell you-border crossing in the Middle East is much different than Europe. Passports are analyzed, questions are asked, bags are scanned. But don’t worry, we all successfully made it without implying that we were students. Hello, yes I am part of the American tour group.

Mt. Nebo is known as the place Moses is traditionally believed to have died, but according to Joseph Smith Translation, we believe he was translated. And I stood there. Craziness. Don’t ask me why John and I felt the need to reenact Titanic. And don’t you just love that shoe shot!? I am loving sounding out Arabic words on signs, engravings, pamphlets, t-shirts. It is oh so fun. And I may whip out a happy dance every time I can actually understand one of the words I see.

Now, the most exciting part of the Jordan experience…drum roll please. The famous PETRA. (Thank you Indiana Jones.) Who knew that even thousands of years ago civilizations could be all sorts of incredible?

When you feel the need to do a gorge pose…what else comes to mind? And yes Preston dressed as Indiana Jones, along with 5 other boys. It made for a very entertaining day.

I slipped right after this photo was taken...that rock was a tiny bit rougher than it looks.

I RODE A CAMEL. I RODE A CAMEL. I RODE A CAMEL.

Please appreciate the look of sheer panic as the camel sits back down.

But seriously...I RODE A CAMEL.

Don’t those eyes just draw you in?

786 stone stairs later (all done while chatting with a Bedouin 13-year-old girl)….We found the GIANT monastery. And for all who aren’t aware, the darling Swag is one of my absolute favorite people. 

Favorite part of the day. Sing it please: I’m on the top of the world….

(And yes I may have ridden a horse...but that photo is so incredibly hideous I can't quite get my vain self to share it. Secret's out.)

Funny story of the day: I had been craving cookies for, well embarrassingly enough, two weeks. We found a Nestle Toll House cookie store and I spazzed out. Little did we know the it was their opening night and the owners fell in love with the rather large group of young adults that piled in. Free cookies? Oh it was divine. 

P.S. Dearest Sisterhood of the Cam: The jacket has officially traveled to Jordan and been worn while walking through the streets of Amman in the rain in pursuit of a delicious dessert while I sang Singin' in the Rain and took this sadly rather crappy photo. Love you both.

THE END. 

(Part Two will come tomorrow. Hopefully.)