10/13
Tomorrow we leave to Wadi Musa. The pre-packaged tour by Mariam Hotel costs 70 JD, and reach it through the Kings Road, with a stop at the Wadi Mujib belvedere, where the canyon can be seen from above, and then the crusaders castles of Kerak and Shobak.
On the contrary, my intention would be walk inside Wadi Mujib, so the driver should wait at least two hours, and then, at Mazra’a, turn towards Kerak, going back on the King’s Highway. I meet a lot of obstruction, as if this was not possible at that fixed price, because the road is too much, and the taxi wastes too much time. After a long bargain, I am asked the astronomical amount of 100 JD. Disgruntled, I give up; Lorenzo has the bright idea to look for a taxi driver in the street.
The search is not simple, because some drivers we meet around do not speak English, but eventually we find one who, for 65 JD, can accomplish with our request. I try to haggle a bit, but 65 JD is a good price, and I do not insist that much.
10/14
We wait for the driver in front of the International Bakery. He did not want to come and pick us at the hotel to avoid conflicts with the owners.
The Wadi Mujib is a ten minute drive from the resorts on Dead Sea. The “gem” of the holiday, and even the most tiring experience, despite being only a couple of kilometers long. In fact I could walk and climb stairs for days, but do not ask me to use my arms!
It is a canyon, siq in Arabic. Seen from ground level is not so different from Petra, with the difference that here some water is perpetually flowing, the quantity depending on the ground conformation and rain, and varying from weak to impetuous. The Siq Trail is the easiest path, the only accessible without a guide. The water reaches a maximum height of 1:20 to 1:30 meters, but October is the end of the dry season, so the levels are at their minimum and I cannot dare to imagine how it can be in early spring. Even now, however, it’s not a joke, in fact there are very few people who arrive to the end, a 20 mts waterfall. In any case, at the entrance, we are obliged to sign a waiver exempting operators from all liability, and we are forced to wear life jackets. Actually, I have seen on you tube movies of people who do not have them. I notice that some people remain only at the beginning of the trail, where the water reaches the ankles and the current is weak, they make two photos , and then go back. For the most of the trail the water level is under the knees, but already here, when the current gets stronger, I start staggering. Further details to keep in mind: you get wet completely. 1) because it is easy to lose balance 2) because in some cases it is easier to jump into the water from the highest rocks rather than descend with the ropes (at least for me).
We have left everything in the taxi, except money and passports, which have been wrapped in several garbage bags and then placed in our backpack. They did not get wet. Actually we could leave valuables at the entrance, but we did not trust, and kept everything with us. Cloakrooms to put dry clothes at the end of the trail are available.
The hard part consists of 3 slopes to be overcome, the first one is a 3 meters high rock, the only way to go up is to cling to the ropes and climb, to go down you can decide to use ropes again, or jump into the water.
These are the videos I shot:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3gcFIbn-dw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz2CiLLf-0o
Despite the height might frighten, it is no great thing, the other two slopes are much more difficult : the stones are smaller, but the current is much stronger, and the rope you can attach to and pull yourself up are put in uncomfortable position.
Let’s say it’s not for everyone, in fact there are very few people. There is only one organized group, but they stopped without climbing the 3 meters rock, others passed the rock but not the points where the current is very strong. Just me, Lorenzo, and two other teenagers manage to reach the waterfall.
The experience is very adrenalinyc, and we feel satisfied when we arrive to Kerak Castle, entrance 1 JD, the low cost of the ticket is justified by the fact that the castle is in ruins, a pile of stones. Still fun walking along its underground corridors, look at the view, and improvise a picnic in the shadow.
From Kerak we rejoin the Kings Highway, wide and fast. We are at Wadi Musa at 17