Well...

Holly crap! I made it :) What started one mild spring evening with two friends downing a pint of ale in a bar a short stroll from Canterbury Cathedral finishes more than 6000kms and 18 months later with a small group of friends enjoying a Guinness in a small Irish pub in Jerusalem.

Apart from time and distance, what separates these two places is a multitude of experiences, some good, some bad, all of which contributed to making this one of the most challenging and fulfilling 18 months of my life.

My journey by foot has come to an end but the real journey continues as it always has...this is life. As many of you know Canterbury and Jerusalem were not locations chosen by me, nor do they hold any particular meaning for me. Rather they were presented to me, this is often the way life works...

All that I did was accept the challenge :)

And what an experience! This is the type of adventure I know will affect the rest of my life; the benefits will surely take some time to realize. I met some amazing people and experienced many breathtaking locations, I'd like to thank you all for sharing it with me, it meant a lot. I know some of you have been here since day one - cheers Niccu from Romania! I feel privileged that you and everyone else who's followed my pilgrimage took the time out of your own lives to participate in this journey with me. Thanks guys...

And then there's the other Party Pilgrims. Dan, whose adventurous spirit started this pilgrimage. Steph, my mother and solid walking companion for seven weeks. And Sabine, the crazy German woman who traveled half way around the world to participate without ever having met me. You guys are awesome and I know the bonds formed in those cold, desolate, hungry times will remain forever, I couldn't have asked for better walking companions! :)

One thing that failed to metamorphasize during the pilgrimage was a reason for doing it. The closest I come is...

Because I could!

And for me that is enough. I'm here to experience as much as life has to offer. Joy, happiness, fear, love, anger, desperation, loneliness, contentment, frustration, the list is endless, but a pilgrimage is an opportunity anyone can take to experience all that life has to offer in a very short period of time...



There are as many paths to God
as there are people on the planet...

I chose to walk...

Supporting MSF :)

Even though I was happy completing my journey without a reason I'm going to take this opportunity to ask for support for a charity which promotes many of the same values I hold dear, Medecins Sans Frontieres. These guys are awesome and it would mean a lot to me if you could all spare a small sum and follow the link below to make an offering.

MSF


Also, I'd like to recognize a another organization which is helping to open up the world, Couchsurfing. If you have never heard of this sight take a look, the concept sounds unbelievable but I can vouch for the fact it is true to it's mission and it does work. There are literally hundreds of thousands of people opening their homes to strangers worldwide...

Go give it a go!

www.couchsurfing.com


For people who travel regularly I'm going to recommend my phone company Sim4Travel. Forget roaming fees and receive calls in over 50 countries for free!

www.sim4travel.com


And for great travel insurance for backpackers try these guys. World Nomads has insured me for this entire journey and I'm happy to recommend them. They are cheap and have friendly staff but the biggest draw-card is the fact you can start a policy after you have left your country of residence, something that is quite unique. If you are looking for travel insurance these guys are well worth a look...

www.worldnomads.com

Pilgrimage from East Jerusalem to Jerusalem!!! Woohooooooooo ;)

"Hi, this is Chippy and Nay from HOTfm WA. It must be some ridiculously hour of the morning over there yeah?"

What the...?!?

As the haze starts to clear from my head I realize what's going on, the two chirpy callers are ringing for an interview :) I don't know what their producer feeds them for breakfast but to sound that good first thing in the morning is sickening. But thanks for thinking of me guys :)

Starting to drift back off my second wake up call comes in the way of 1000 Imams all yelling at once. Not since Istanbul have I heard so many voices competing for the airwaves.

Pleased there's daylight the next time I wake a rush of excitement rushes over me. This is it! Jerusalem here I come. Heading to the roof to get a look at my destination in the day I'm pleased with how close it looks...
Only four kilometers to go feet...

Father Roberto meets me for breakfast and for possibly my last "new experiences" of the road pours a big pot of coffee over my cornflakes. Tastes great though, cheers mate :)

Steph and Renee call wanting to meet up and join me for the last stretch. To save confusion I pick a big tower on top of the mount of Olives as the meeting place and set off.

Even the steep hill can't dampen my spirits and very step is a pleasure. Finding the tower is a mission though, it can be seen from all directions but not found :( A quick phone call and an alternative meeting place is all it takes before three very happy pilgrims set off for the old city.

It's strange how life works. Three years ago it was these same three pilgrims walking the Camino De Santiago together when we first met Dan, the guy who's idea is was to do this journey, It seems very right that this is how it's ending :)

Spotting the huge golden dome of the Rock and stopping briefly at the Gethsemane to gaze at the ancient olive trees where Jesus once sat it really hits me where I am. Jerusalem!

Lion's gate appears before us and I prepare for my big entrance...this is it, my journey is coming to a close :) The ancientness of the place is seeped into everything but the tourists are thick!

First stop is the wailing wall, after navigating the throng of mesmerized Jews I manage a little prayer and continue on towards the rock...

"What, it's closed!?! But it says here it is open till 14:30"

"Yes, but now it's Ramadan. It's closed"

"What time does it open tomorrow?"

"From seven thirty to eleven"

Oh well, tomorrow it is. But my pilgrimage will still finish tonight at the pub ;) I'm not dragging my backpack down here again tomorrow morning...

Two of Renee's friends, Quinton and Beverly, join us for the short walk to my third to last destination, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

What's a "Sepulchre" you may be wondering?

Don't know but rumor has it that this is the placed Jesus got nailed...to the cross that is :)

The place is packed and I have to laugh as a huge group of Russian pilgrims push and shove their way towards the entrance of an ancient wooden structure which is obviously the central point of interest in the place. Finally one of the priests looses it...

"Get back! Get back. Look where you are...are you animals?!?"

Renee's treat for finishing is a night in the King David hotel. This five star oasis is THE perfect place to put my feet up and relax....

Aaaaahhhhh... :)

As the afternoon draws to a close I have one final destination before I hang up my boots...the pub ;)

I couldn't think of a more appropriate place to conclude this adventure so making my way down to O'Connells Irish bar I waltz up to the counter and order a Guinness...

Beer never tasted so good...

:)

Pilgrimage from Jerico to East Jerusalem 07/09/08

Another 4am alarm has me up and about before the sun, but knowing this is likely to be my second to last day I'm not bothered. Steph wishes me well and I head of into the empty streets just as the Imam starts up his call for prayer.

The money changers weren't open yesterday and the local ATM only spat out Jordanian Dinar so I don't have a Shekel to my name. Could be a slight problem if I get thirsty.

Spotting a shop owner I get to ask a question I've been dying to ask for more than 6000kms...

"Good morning. Is this the road to Jerusalem?" :)

Passing a big building check to see if it's a hotel. The armed guards lounging around the front give me a start by diving for their weapons. I suppose they don't see too many people walking around at this hour. The good news is I can see the sign, "Intercontinental". I'm in luck :)

"Good morning. What do you want?"

"I need to go change some money"

"Sorry, you can't. It's closed"

"It shouldn't be closed. I will just go and ask reception"

"No, I can't let you in. Wait here and I'll call"

"Sure"

A minute later he returns with bad news, they don't want to let me in :( Time to act like the arrogant white Westerner I am...

"Look mate, this is a five star hotel. Of course the reception is open. I've stayed at Intercontinental hotels all around the world and I know they can change my money. I'm going to talk to reception"

Walking off the security starts to yell and I think that out of all the places I could choose to storm a five star hotel with a backpack this is probably the worst. I have a slight paranoia in the back of my mind...

Will they really shoot me???

The security guard's getting more irate and I can here him start to chase me. Stepping up to the front door the little voice in my wins out and I pause to let him catch up. Turning with a big smile...

"Look, I'll be two minutes. Just let me talk to the receptionist"

He doesn't answer but it appears he isn't quite prepared to manhandle me out yet. Following me to the counter he stands close as I greet the guy behind the counter...

"Good morning. I need to change some money"

"Good morning. I'm afraid we can only change money for guests"
Fixing him with a hard gaze "Look mate. I understand you are not meant to change money but I also know you can. It is possible! Yesterday the money changers weren't open and the ATM doesn't give out Shekels. I'm walking to Jerusalem today and that's a very long way without being able to buy a drink. I really need to change some money"

Smiling broadly "Okay sir. How much would you like" :)

Perfect...

The security guard suddenly turns in to my new best friend and couldn't be more interested in my journey...or at least he pretends to be anyway ;)

Hitting the road and passing through the checkpoints without a fuss it's into no-man's land. An easy walk to the highway and there's nothing but desert as far as the eye can see.

From four hundred meters below sea level I know I have some climbing today, as the sun emerges from behind the Jordanian hills I start the slow process upwards. It's already hot and and now I'm really glad I began so early.

Intent on getting to the edge of Jerusalem today I make great time. The "sea level marker" comes and goes and by the time I need a rest I'm at 150m. Lying down in the shade of the road cutting, the only shade around for miles, I soon drift off only to wake a couple of hours later sweating and in the full force of the sun.

My water's getting low but I know I only had to make twenty kilometers before finding some facilities...can't be too much further. And it isn't, under an hour later I'm sitting in a great little cafe eating shakshuka, a typical Israeli dish made from eggs and tomato. Delicious :)

After a big rest I get back into it, making another four of five kilometers before staggering into another cafe and collapsing absolutely soaking in sweat. The owner looks slightly amused and a slightly unsure, but after finding out my story is extremely welcoming.

Emerging from the cafe a new man, the sign out the front cheers me up even more...

"Jerusalem 20"

Twenty kilometers to go! Unbelievable, that leaves ten to fifteen tops for the evening. With the slight breeze which has just started and the pleasant temperature the weather is perfect!

Hitting a fork in the highway I decide to take a risk. The road to the right indicates it leads to Jerusalem but from the map I saw yesterday the town to the left should be perfect for me to stop the night in.

My confidence isn't boosted by the first people I talk to...

"Where are you going?"

"Jerusalem"

"Wrong way! You can't go to Jerusalem this way. It's forbidden...forbidden!"

"But for a foreigner is it okay?"

"No, impossible! You have to catch a bus and go back to the highway"

I know I have to pass the dreaded separation wall at some stage and it must be getting close. If I'm going to have trouble I'd prefer to pass today and not have to worry about it tomorrow. My main concern though is the feel of the area I'm in isn't good and it will soon be dark.

As the sun disappears so do all the people, all home to feast with their families. Out of the blue a big church appears...Bingo!!! :) It's been a while since I slept in a religious establishment and I couldn't think of a better place to spend my last night. After knocking a couple of times to get some attention I start to walk away but the creak of the door draws me back. A middle aged priest is there to greet me but is sad to inform me the place is a nunnery and no men can stay overnight. Pointing down the road he lists a couple of other places I might be able to try.

Slowly people start returning to the streets and I'm pleased the tension in the air has all but disappeared. It's amazing what a little bit of food, nicotine and coffee can do for a person ;)

All the churches are closed and none of the mosques will take me, with no hotels in town I'm starting to feel a bit desperate. Following another guys directions I finally come face to face with the wall. And what a sight! One of the more unfortunate uses of modern day engineering...the separation barrier.

Stretching without an entrance as far as I can see in both directions I decide to make my way north. At least if I can't get through I will have to hit the highway at some stage. Without a road I'm sometimes walking through olive groves, sometimes through alleys and sometimes climbing over big rocks all the while with this monstrous slab of cement and barbed wire to my left...and all the while feeling very vulnerable. Starting to get a bit stressed I'm not sure what to do, I don't really want to camp here but I'm running out of options.

An old guy spots me and asks what I'm doing...

"Trying to get to Jerusalem...but I can't find a door through the wall. Is there a door anywhere?"

"Yes, of course. Down that way" Pointing in the direction I've come from "Here, I'll show you"

The guy speaks great English and I'm relieved he seems to know what he's on about. Leading back to a point 100m south of where I started a small gap appears guarded by some soldiers. I call out to the guy in the watchtower...

"Hey mate, what's the chance of me getting though here?"

"Sorry, what?"

"Is there any chance of me getting through here?"

"You want to get through?"

"Yes, into Jerusalem"

Waving me through and giving me a look like I'm slightly mad "Of course, go, go!"

After a quick search of my bag the soldiers on the other side let me past. So here I am! I'm in Jerusalem!!! What a feeling :)

Right next to the checkpoint is a gate to a big church. Pressing the buzzer I'm pleased when thirty seconds later the gate glides silently open. A few priests greet me on the stairs and after hearing what I'm up to are more than happy to put me up for the night. Champions!

Setting myself up Father Roberto appears and asks if I want to have a look on the roof. I'm pretty tired but why not. Winding my way up I'm stocked with the view...there in front of me are the lights of Central Jerusalem!

Only four kilometers to go...

:)

Pilgrimage from King Hussein Bridge to Jerico 06/09/08

Steph's call to let me know she's leaving wakes me at six. the taxi driver explained to her they only let a set amount of people through each day so we are keen to get in early.

I only just manage to pack up my gear in time, as I sit down on the roadside a big van screeches to a halt next to me...

"Shit, you were quick!"

Pointing to the driver "Tell me about it" :)

Five minutes later I'm back at the bridge, surprised there's already a line up of cars. The good thing about being on foot is it doesn't matter, we're straight to the front.

The place is empty and we find out the immigration office, for people without their own vehicles, doesn't open till eight. We have an hour to wait. One of the cops takes pity on us and lets us sit in his office, happy to chat before the other workers start arriving.

Without too much fuss we're on the bus heading over the bridge and into Israel...

Yes, that's right...BUS! Once again I can't walk across the border, but this one I can understand ;)

Chaos greets us on the other side with noone knowing what's going on anywhere. Finally figuring out their system, which could have saved us 20 minutes with one simple sign, we manage to get through to the Israeli immigration. Now the fun begins...

Steph gets straight through but with two trips to Lebanon and five months in Syria during the last year I'm obviously going to have some problems. Taking a seat a young guy comes over with my passport in hand...

"So Ben, you like to travel?"

"Yes"

"Why did you not fill out this form completely with the countries you visited before here?"

"Because I've just walked from England there's not enough space to list them all" I give him all the details of my pilgrimage including studying in Syria and give him my blog address so he can check for himself...

"You have been to Lebanon twice! Why?"

"Once skiing, once walking through"

"When you were in Syria did you have friends take you around to see anything?"

Laughing "Yes, I have Syrian friends and yes, sometimes we went sightseeing"

"And after you finish in Jerusalem where will you go?"

"Don't know...maybe Yemen"

"Yemen!!!"

"Yes, I need some time out and want somewhere that's cheap"

Shaking his head with a slightly bemused smile he instructs me to wait and leaves me to it. So I wait, and wait, and wait...but I'm not the only one there's a whole seated area designated for people like me. I Chilean woman sits next to me...

"I can't believe it! They're all kids. All of them!"

Which is true. I can't see anyone who looks over twenty five in the whole office, no wonder there's such chaos. And the really amusing thing are the guys doing security. Wearing civilian clothes and walking around toting their M-16s like thugs it's quite a sight.

Finally I get the "okay", meet Steph on the other side and try to work out a town to meet up. Asking at the taxi office the guys not impressed...

Barking at us "What, you want to go to Jerico!?! It's Palestinian!!! What will you do there"

Shrugging "Eat lunch"

I'm glad he doesn't have anything to say to that :) Steph books a bus ticket and I set off, not impressed it's now 11:30 and super hot. One of the gun toting teenagers cuts me off as I'm leaving...

"What are you doing?"

"Walking to Jerusalem"

"You can't do that!"

"Of course I can, I've just walked from England" :)

"Nah, I don't believe you. Your legs are too skinny!"

Laughing "They may be skinny but they got me this far"

"I'm just kidding, but you can't walk through here. It's military for the next two kilometers. You can get a taxi to the edge though"

"How much will that cost?"

"About seventeen dollars"

"Seventeen dollars!!! How can it be seventeen dollars for two kilometers"

Shrugging "That's just what they charge. Good luck"

Luckily they only charge me ten dollars but still, $5/km crazy anywhere in the world! :) Hopping off in the middle of nowhere I set off towards Jerico. The first thing to hit me, well second after the heat, is the stillness. The slight purr of a tractor can be heard in the distance and apart from a bird chirping overhead the only other sound is the squeaking of my backpack. All alone and covered in sweat I start to wonder if this is total madness.

What the fuck is that!?!

A huge yellow gate appears across the road, this must be one on the Israeli checkpoints. Approaching cautiously there's not a soul to be seen...

I stop, wait, call out. No response...

I walk around the side to see if it's possible to bypass it only to be met with a huge wall of cement and barbed wire...

Hmmmm...

Returning back to the gate I spot a small intercom. I press the button imagining a doorbell ringing out through Jerico...

The gate glides silently open. Looking around there's still noone to be seen. Thirty meters later I make out some soldiers behind a thick layer of bullet proof glass, which some kind individuals took upon themselves to test...just to ensure they are safe inside I'm sure :)

Now inside Palestinian controlled territory people start appearing. I'm surprised with the carefree way I'm greeted, the enthusiasm shown by the other Arab countries I've passed through has disappeared. They are still extremely friendly yet greet me with nothing more than a wave before going back to what they are doing. I suppose they've seen it all before.

Dragging myself into the center of town a locate Steph and after a quick discussion find the "oldest hotel in the West Bank"...well, according to the owners anyway. Hisham Palace is way over priced for what it is but with the heat outside we can't be bothered searching for anything else.

Much to our relief Ramadan ends and we head to the square for dinner. After a quick stint on the net we make our way back to the hotel and I psych myself up for my walk to the edge of Jerusalem starting tomorrow morning... :)

Pilgrimage from Middle of Nowhere to the King Hussein Bridge 05/09/08

After a restless night Steph's up at first light...

"We're short of water, we should get going before the sun rises"

"Sounds good"

"Are you feeling any better?"

"Well that's a very broad question isn't it!" She snaps...

Yes it is, but I think it's answered :)

Looking out over the desert hills I take a moment to enjoy the stillness. Magical! Setting off Steph's still not in a good way. It's already bloody hot and I can tell she's struggling.

Finally a big dam comes into view with small shacks starting to dot the desert. At the first inhabited place we come to I go to get a drink while Steph waits on the road. I'm completely out of water. After I shoo away the dogs and make my way to the camp the woman feeding the cows ignores me completely. Standing in the middle of their yard I notice a scarved head pop out a window smiling broadly...

"Hello"

"Do you mind if I get some water?"

"No problem"

Calling out to the other woman she lets her know what I want. She comes over with a sour look on her face...

"But it's Ramadan!"

"I know...but I'm not Muslim"

The woman's look sours some more, luckily the girl in the window seems to think it's quite funny and saying a few words explains I must be Christian. Sour face gives me a quick glance up and down before indicating I should follow, leading me to a small tent with a big jug of drinking water. Gulping down a mug full I don't feel right asking to fill my bottle. Meeting Steph back on the road I offer to walk her back...

"NO, I don't want to go back! I can't believe you didn't fill your bottle!"

"No, I didn't. But if you want I'll walk you back"

"No!"

I can see Steph's completely out if water but civilization can't be too far away. It better not be anyway or I'm going to be carrying her out :) Ploughing on it's slow going and getting hotter and hotter. Much to our relief an army ute pulls into a driveway ahead, the first car we've seen all day!

"Excuse me, do you guys have water?"

Searching around the truck we're dismayed what they manage to rummage up...empty bottles :(

"Here jump in"

There's not really much choice. jumping in the car they take us down to their office, water never tasted so good! :) Steph collapses on the footpath deciding to get a taxi back to Amman and fly to Jerusalem. She's over it!

Hitching a ride back to our pickup point I make my way down the hill to Steph. She takes a little convincing but I finally manage to talk her into walking the last kilometer to the main road.

Still not sure where we are we decide to hitch. If Steph is comfortable with the driver great :) If not it looks like I'll be heading back to Amman...

Five minutes of standing in the sun and we're over it, the problem is we don't know which direction the closest town is. Just as we're both about to loose it a taxi pulls up...

"How much to Amman?"

"Five Lira"

"Five Lira!!!"

"Yes"

Thats that. We say our farewells and agree to meet in Jerusalem. A bit of a strange parting but under the circumstances it's as good as it gets. I'm still super glad she made the effort to be here :)

Heading west I only make two kilometers before getting invited in for a drink. But this is one of the problems about being a tourist in Ramadan, my hosts can't join me in and I feel slightly guilty gulping down huge amounts of Sprite in front of them :)

The heat's now in full force and when I head off and spotting a market 200m down the road I stop once more. The guys here are great and hiding out the back of their store are happy to sit, smoke and drink tea :)

"How far is King Hussein Bridge?"

"Not far...about eight kilometers"

WOW! That's awesome :) I'm a lot closer than I thought. Not knowing what time they close for the day I decide to leg it down there as fast as possible. Even though it is stinking hot I make reasonable time and after a few short brakes make it down to the bridge...

My last border crossing!!!

Feeling very happy with myself I approach the first checkpoint...

"Sorry, we are closed"

Ugghhhhh! "When do you open next?"

"Eight am tomorrow morning"

Oh well, could be worse. I did hear a rumor they weren't open on Saturdays which would have been a real fucker. An American couple with a hire car also get turned away and offer to give me a lift back to town. Cheers guys :)

With no hotels for 50kms there's nothing to do other than stuff around until dark and camp close to the border. Having no luck finding internet at least one restaurant I ask lets me eat out the back which saves me from being completely miserable. And the heat just keeps getting worse and worse! Even spending the day sitting still in the shade it isn't until 6pm I finally stop sweating! Awesome!!!

Darkness finally sets in and walking a couple of kilometers back towards the bridge I find a nice clearing on the side of the road to set camp. This close to town I feel more comfortable in my tent but even at this hour it's like a sauna, it takes me a long time before I drift off...

Pilgrimage from Amman to Middle of Nowhere 04/09/08

Oooooh my God!!!

What the fuck am I doing up so early! It's 4am but knowing in another few hours I'll appreciate the effort I drag myself out of bed to pack the remaining gear still lying around the hotel room. Now this is really getting exciting! Due West to Jerusalem!!!

But first we need to taxi it back to the Roman Theater :) Which we do after a quick breakfast at the hotel, one of the main advantages of Ramadan for anyone silly enough to be up at this hour...4am breakfasts :)

The streets are almost empty and with map in hand Steph and I head off in search of our road to the border. It's great to have a walking companion again. It's been three months walking by myself and I'm sure I must be slightly mentally destabilized by the experience ;)

The temperature is perfect and with hardly any traffic the walking is great. Steph knew she would only be walking a few days so her gear isn't up to scratch. Her small backpack starts hurting straight away so I offer to carry her heavy stuff, the least I can do since she made the effort to be here :)

Trying to locate the same road we drove out on a few days ago we think we are in luck and head out of the city. Because of Ramadan none of the restaurants are open but at least we can still rustle together some nourishment from the mini-markets.

Seven or eight kilometers from the city we strike our first hurdle...the highway disappears within a small village. This isn't the road we drove out on! :(

"Where's the map?" Steph asks...

"I didn't bring it, we drove the road the other day and I thought we would just walk straight to the bridge"

"What do you mean you don't have the map!?! Didn't I ask if you had the map before we left?"

Laughing "Yes, you did. But that was only the map of Amman" :)

She doesn't look impressed...

Yep, the joys of a pilgrimage...and yes, obviously I haven't learnt anything from my last 6000kms :) But what it has taught me is I know I will be fine and I know I will get to my destination...

Just might take an extra few kilometers :)

Asking the locals doesn't get us far, all they want to do is send us back to the bus station in Amman but finally asking at a pharmacy we have some luck...

"Yes, go straight down here to Iraq Al Mere. Then ask there..."

So off we head. The temperature's starting to rise and the road begins winding up and down the small hills in front of us. Sweating more than two Sumo wrestlers in a Sauna we stop regularly before finding a great little resting place under a tree by a creek.

Crashing out I'm sleeping peacefully when suddenly a blood curdling scream rings out through the hills. Sitting bolt upright I realize the horrendous noise came from my mother and the two culprits are taking flight as fast as their legs will carry them...

Their reaction confirms their guilt and before I realize it, and still not knowing what happened, I make chase. Racing after them barefoot through the fields I slowly gain as they make it to the road and continue upwards towards the village.

They may be sixteen or seventeen but they definitely aren't fit. Sprinting up the hill I can see them tiring fast and know it's only moments before I catch them. They must realize the same thing, darting up a nearby driveway they turn to lob some rocks, briefly slowing me down, before tearing off again. The good news is they don't have anything in their hands so at least the didn't manage to steal anything.

A car with an old guy driving is making it's way down the driveway and being a small town I'm sure he will know them...

"Hi, do you know these two?"

He looks at me warily, obviously not sure what's happening, and he must have seen them throwing rocks at me so he knows somethings going on...

"No, why?"

"They were trying to steal from us. What are there names?"

Looking more uncomfortable "Sorry, I don't know"

"Are you Muslim? That is Haram! What are their names?"

"Yes, I'm Muslim. And it's Ramadan!" He points in the direction the two fled and spits on the ground "Ramadan!"

I stifle a small laugh. It's one thing to do something wrong as a Muslim in normal times but in the month of Ramadan it's a big no-no. I'm sure this guy must know them and I can understand him not wanting to give me their names. If I get the police involved it will be a big deal for the boys but also a huge problem for the families. I figure this guy is disgusted enough that word will get back to their them and things will sort themselves out. Wishing him well I set off back to the river to find out what happened, and if they did actually steal anything...

Steph laughing "Were you defending my honor?"

"Yes, I didn't know what they were doing but if it was bad enough for them to run like that then it was bad enough for me to chase them. What happened?"

"He grabbed my arse" Steph announces, impressed that even though our cameras and valuables are lying around in the open, the kids decided it was more important to get a feel of her bum than to make a quick buck from our cameras :)

I'm glad she's taking it well and can see the humor in it...little bastards! :)

Getting a little more rest and feeling slightly paranoid some rocks will come hurtling off the mountain side we make a move. The sun's now in full force and we take it easy stopping often.

Collapsing in an olive grove it's time again for a quick nap. As we wake, our next door neighbors pay a visit to find out what we're about. Quickly disappearing they return bearing water and figs and are happy to sit and chat...

"You can't walk this way. Its dangerous! There's nothing out there. Just desert"

"How far does the desert stretch before we reach some more towns?"

"Maybe twenty kilometers"

Twenty kilometers is doable. If we get a good chunk done this evening then start early before the heat we should be fine. Steph starts to look a bit worried though as we set off. I can understand, this is pretty wild country :)

Only a kilometer later and right on the edge of town a few young boys call us over to a little shop to shout us a Pepsi. I can tell Steph's starting to fray around the edges, firstly I've never seen her drink a Pepsi in my life and secondly as we go to leave she doesn't bother buying water...

Will half a liter be enough???

Knowing that she survived over 1000kms walking with me through Europe I let it slide, she's a big girl and knows what she's doing...

Looking out over the hills as we depart there's nothing to be seen as far as the eye can see. Nothing! No trees, no shrubs, no houses, no fences...nothing!

Steph shoots me a glance like she's about to strangle me for not bringing the map...ooops :)

The heat's still intense and even though it's starting to get late, with the steep up and down of the road the walking is hard. I can see Steph's struggling and for good reason, we've had a big day. Having already covered over thirty kilometers I'm happy to call it a night but Steph wants to keep at it. I figure she'd prefer to get as close to the edge of the desert and civilization as possible before tomorrow.

We now are in a funny situation. If there was a bus Steph would bus it out of here but not surprisingly she doesn't want to hitch by herself and we aren't really sure where there is to hitch to.

Kilometer after kilometer of desert finally takes it's toll, Steph cracks. There's been no traffic for couple of hours so I can't even hitch out with her. Darkness is falling and with no other options we set camp to wait out the night...

Just after dozing off I'm woken by a 4WD stopping barely 50m up the road from us...

Shit! I hope they're not hunting...

Steph's also awake and the tension in the air thick enough to carve with a knife. A minute goes by and they still haven't moved and I fumble around for my torch so if someone starts shooting I can let them know we're here.

Finally they depart but it doesn't even feel like I slept for five minutes before being woken again by the "tap tap tap" of a semi-automatic rifle firing close by...

We aren't getting much sleep tonight I'm sure...

Petra and Amman 03/09/08

With the goal of beating the crowds we're at the gate as it opens. Venturing down the now empty gorge is a completely different experience to yesterday. Rounding the last bend to emerge in front of the treasury I can't believe we have the whole place to ourselves...

Now this is the way to experience Petra!!!

Heading straight for the monastery it isn't long before we hit the steps...

One, two, three...

No...I'm not really counting them :)

The colored cliffs and gorges in the morning light are spectacular, it feels like we're in a different world as we make our way skywards. But the steps keep going and going and going...

Seven hundred and eighty three, seven hundred and ninety four, seven hundred and ninety five...

Finally rounding a bend there it is...the monastery! Easily as impressive as the treasury my guess is the only reason it's less popular is because of the climb. But well worth the effort.

The local cafe owner is just rising and I harass him for a tea...

"Of course, one minute..."

Mosa owns a souvenir shop a bit further up the hill and sits down for a chat. Another local who has hardly traveled yet speaks near perfect English and is a pleasure to talk to...

"If you feel like having a look when you've finished your tea my shop's on top of the hill here and you can see as far as Israel"

"Really, Israel...from here?"

"Yeah"

"Sure, let's go"

Gulping down the last of our tea we join Mosa and his donkey for the trek to the top. With a slight haze around we can't quite make out Israel but the view is stunning anyway. The position of his shop could not be more spectacular, perched barely meters from a hundred meter drop-off Mosa and his mate Muhammad enjoy their whole lives gazing out onto the world below. Magical! No wonder they both have a very relaxed and carefree air about them...

The walk down is much easier and slowly the tourists start filling the gaps where hours earlier there was nothing but rocks. Glancing up to the stalls above I get a big surprise...

"Ha! There's the "Married to a Bedouin" woman" :) I realize I yelled that a bit too loud and that it's probably not the "Married to the Bedouin" woman because we've just been told she's over in Australia. But now I've got her attention I better go say hello...

"Hi"

"Hi"

"Is this you?" Pointing to a poster of the book...

Smiling "Yes"

"I thought you were in Sydney"

Laughing "Yes, I was. I've just come back"

I have to laugh. What a difference writing a book must have made to her life. One minute she's an obscure anomaly in a mountain cave and the next every passing tourist seems to know what she had for breakfast :)

I can't resist buying her book and don't believe I didn't get a photo...but oh well.

Fighting our way back to the entrance through the sea of people flooding in we jump straight in the car and head for Amman. The drive takes a little longer than expected and we arrive just in time for peek-hour. Brilliant :) The plan was to find a hotel near the Roman theater so we could start walking first thing in the morning but the traffic starts doing my head in...

Spotting a couple of hotels to the right "Let's stay here. This is just silly!"

"Sure"

Steph runs in, checks them out and being well impressed with the foyer of the Toledo decides it's a goa. Sounds perfect to me :) After checking in I rush off to drop the car back before returning to put my feet up for the afternoon.

Meeting up with David, the guy we stayed with a few nights ago, and a couple of other Couchsurfers we go for tea and nagile in the city. By midnight I figure I better get home, it's going to be a 4am start tomorrow to avoid the heat...

Wadi Rum and Petra 02/09/08

Opening one eye I can tell it's first light. There's an incredible stillness in the air and glancing over towards Steph I can see her sitting up straight on her bed gazing out over the desert taking it all in...

"Can yo wake me when the sun's about to rise?"

"Sure"

I doze back off only to wake wit Khalid yelling in my ear...

"Time to get up! Breakfast time!"

Dragging myself out of bed I notice clouds on the horizon, doesn't look like it was much of a sunrise :) Surprised it's already 07:30 I join everyone crowding around the breakfast table and laugh as they poke at the strange substances served up as breakfast.

Steph's booked herself a camel ride out so after packing all our stuff I go to jump in the car...

"So, am I driving back?"

Khalid doesn't look so impressed "You can drive?"

"Of course"

"Hmmmmm, if you want"

Beauty!!! :)

Speeding off in my new toy it's great fun navigating through the sand. Twenty minutes later we arrive back in Wadi Rum village (where most of the local Bedouins actually live) and Khalid takes me over to his brother's house to use his wireless.

Steph appears all to quickly and after a brief stop for tea at the local cafe we say our farewells to Khalid and head off towards Petra.

Wadi Rum is a must see for all travelers to Jordan. A magical place and even though the "touristy side" is a bit much to start with the overall experience is great. And I have to recommend our guide, Khalid (+962 77 540 229), he made the experience all the more pleasant. Just make sure you bargain hard ;)

The drive to Petra takes a little longer than expected and because of Ramadan we arrive starving. A Movenpick resort appears before us and we can't resist, when it's this or nothing it's time to pull out the credit card ;)

Surprisingly the meals aren't too pricey and with a nice glass of wine I'm left feeling very content. Checking in at the first hotel we spot in the center of town it's in for a quick shower before heading down to discover the wonder that is Petra!

And holly crap!!! Where did all these tourists come from?!?

The whole place is teaming like an ants nest, and this is meant to be low season! Making our way through a deep sandstone gorge the colors in the evening light are stunning. Emerging from the gorge we come face to face with Petra's crown jewel...the treasury.

This giant building hewn into the sandstone cliff before us is incredible. A masterpiece of craftsmanship and well worth the trip just on it's own. But the amazing thing with Petra is there's hundreds of these things! Very similar to Cappadoccia in Turkey but with a bit more style.

Tiring quickly we decide to head back and save the Monastery for the morning, the rumor is there's a climb of almost 1000 steps and we aren't in the mood for that! :)

Making our way back to town and enjoying an orange juice on the footpath a lively Australian comes to join us. Rick's a character, an incredibly alive and friendly guy. With dreadlocks and retired at 44 he's not your average anything. Intent on living life by his own terms it's great to meet someone really living to the fullest. Cheers mate, it was a pleasure :)

I head over to the internet cafe leaving Steph and Rick laughing away merrily.

Another perfect day :)

Aqaba and Wadi Rum 01/09/08

With my dives not starting till ten I have a cruisy morning, enjoying my relaxation time lounging around the hotel. After a quick breakfast I head over, meet the guys and get my gear together.

There were no other takers for diving today so the guide's all mine, perfect :) Gliding silently through the coral I'm well impressed with the variety of things to see, one of the advantages of having low expectations. Everyone I've talked to said if I have already dove in the Red Sea in Egypt don't bother here, it's nice to be pleasantly surprised. The guide leads me round a shipwreck before heading in and popping up in an air pocket. Well impressed, first time I've ever done that!

After a brief break it's in again, this time sticking to the coral gardens. One of the biggest ugliest fish I have seen in my life appears in front of us, so ugly it makes the huge stone fish next to it look cute :) Rounding a bend to find a rock covered in lion fish is the perfect way to finish leaving me glad I opted for second dive.

Meeting back up with Steph I'm stoked she saved me some lunch after splurging at the Movenpick. So with nothing holding us back it's in the car and up to Wadi Rum.

The drive goes quickly and before we know it were haggling with the Bedouins trying to get a good deal on a tour and a night in the desert...well, I'm haggling anyway. Steph decides she's got better things to do with her life and offers to give the guy whatever he wants :) One way to ensure we have a happy guide...

Which he is. Khalid is awesome, the type of guy who could sell ice to the Eskimos and and with his big friendly smile it's impossible not to like him. Racing us through the desert in his four wheel drive we check out a big natural arch, some rock paintings and a huge sand dune before arriving at our "camp"...

Shit, here we go...

Having imagined a bedouin camp to consists of Bedouin families, goats and camels I'm rather surprised with where we are. Clean little tents are lined up in a row with a permanent building housing flush toilets. The only bedouins to be seen are Khalid and the two guys that will cook us dinner...no goats, no camels, no Bedouin families. Then, just to top it off our bedouin experience a truckload of Australians and Kiwis show up on the back of a truck. Wonderful :)

I have to laugh, here I am paying $40 (actually, Steph's paying most of it as that was the deal if we weren't going to bargain :) ) for the privilege of sleeping in a tent in the desert with a tourist group. What's going on?!?

After the initial shock wears off I have to say the experience is great. Dinner is fantastic and lounging round the camp fire smoking nagile, drinking tea and chatting to the tour group it's a perfect way to spend the evening.

Deciding to sleep outside Steph and I grab our mattresses, find a flat patch of sand a short distance away and call it a night. Lying under the desert stars the timelessness of our surroundings can really be felt. A truly magical place!

The Dead Sea and Aqaba 31/08/08

Waking before the Sun, excited to be traveling as a tourist for a few days we pack up and head straight off in search of the Dead Sea. With little idea of where to go and a dodgy map it's amazing we locate the road out of town without fuss.

Following the street signs I get a huge surprise an hour later when we hit a road block declaring itself as the "King Hussein Bridge", a border crossing with the West Bank.

First of all...

How did we miss our turnoff???

And second of all...

What's this bridge doing so close to the Dead Sea???

The easiest route for a tourist into Israel is through this border crossing but whenever I asked about it or searched on the internet I kept getting the same answer "One hundred and fifty kilometers from Amman"! I have only driven seventy at the most, hence my surprise. The good news is though, instead of trying to get permission from the Israeli embassy to use the other border crossing, it's not far out of my way to use this one. Beauty!!! :)

Turning back we relocate our turnoff and spotting tourist signs to Bethany, the place Jesus was baptized, figure it's worth a look. Arriving as the gate opens we are the only tourists in sight and soon realize why, you can only enter with a tour guide and the tours start at 08:30.

Eight thirty comes and goes but still no sign of the tour guides, the ticket man's in his office though so I go for a chat...

"Good morning. When's the first tour?"

"Good morning. Nine O'clock...usually"

"Usually?!? Can we definitely have a tour at nine, because if not we don't want to wait"

With a big grin "Okay, nine O'clock. Definitely!"

He's not very convincing but we wait it out anyway. Five minutes past nine the tour guide makes an appearance and we set off to explore Bethany. The ruins and the river Jordan are worth a look but what really gets my blood pumping is looking over at Israel. With my feet dangling in the water it's only 3m away!!! Cheating a bit I know since we drove here but still a good feeling ;)

Then it's on to a place I have fantasized about coming to ever since I can remember, the Dead Sea :) And I'm amazed to say it is everything I imagined. It's impossible not to float, on your stomach, on your back, trying to stay vertical...doesn't matter, you'll float. Awesome place! And I have to laugh at Steph's swimsuit :)

With the whole beach to ourselves it's heaven and if it wasn't for the extraordinary heat I'm sure we would be content for hours. But we aren't and before long we are once again hurtling along the highway a 120kms/hr on our way to Aqaba.

the small rolling hills of Israel can be seen on the other side of the sea, combined with the completely barren desert on this side stretching towards steep rocky mountains the scenery is magical!

A couple of hours of driving is all it takes to reach Aqaba and the Red Sea. Booking myself in for some dives tomorrow we find a great little hotel, go for dinner and have an early night...

Amman 30/08/08

Steph always wakes early and even though she is quiet, I still find myself awake by 7am. "Blogs" is the first thing that comes to mind, I NEED to catch up on them! But trying to write is extremely difficult with wireless internet filtering in through the window...I don't get far :)

"Let's go to the old city for breakfast"

"Sounds good"

Hitting the city, having a nice feed and managing another brief glance at the Roman theater our interest in the city center very quickly dies. It's hot, busy and dusty, I'd much rather be lying at home relaxing.

Hailing a cab we realize that the Amman taxi drivers don't have clue about there city. We thought we had been unlucky with our last couple but a trend is definitely emerging...

We give the guy the street name...

Blank looks...

We show him on the map...

Blank looks...

Finally we try a travel agency to see if he can help out. Amman appears to be navigated by landmarks, not street names and after a brief discussion we think he knows where to go...

We are wrong :)

Time to get a hire car and try ourselves!

The process is amazingly simple and before we know it we zip off in our new set of wheels, very happy travelers :) Let's see if we can navigate the streets of Amman ourselves...

"Go down to the left. Straight along through three sets of traffic lights then turn left at the roundabout"

Sounded very simple but after three sets of traffic lights there's not a roundabout to be seen. Stopping every chance we get to ask directions we eventually locate our apartment, and it's not like a taxi would have gotten us there any quicker anyway ;)

Spending the afternoon lounging around it's down to Wild Jordan for dinner. What a choice! With views encompassing the city and a cool breeze blowing over the balcony the atmosphere couldn't be better. The menu consists of healthy, organic ingredients and with the price for all meals under €10 it's a bargain. If you ever find yourself in Amman and hungry, this is the place to head.

Feeling very content it's back to the apartment for a little writing then bed...

Pilgrimage from Az Zarqa to Amman 29/08/08

Steph's plane was due at 05:30 and only being 20kms from Amman I'm sure I can meet up with her before lunch. The dreaded sound of the alarm wakes me at six, dragging myself down to check out a guy I haven't met before is in reception...Jihad :)

Yes, Jihad. Rather unfortunate name to have in this day and age, especially being well traveled, which is probably why he follows up with...

"But my Western friends call me Jo" :)

Jihad won't let me go without joining him for a coffee but this early in the morning I don't need much convincing.

Hitting the highway I'm amazed it's already hot, thank God I left the hour I did. Without a map It's impossible to judge how far I've come but with regular coffee breaks I'm sure I'm making good time. Out of the blue I stumble upon a big old Roman theater. This is the one thing we really miss out on coming from Australia, there's nowhere you can walk where you may stumble upon any ancient architecture but in these parts it's common place...

The tranquility of the adjacent park is too much to resist, out comes the Apple and I set myself up for some writing with a tea. A local tourist guide joins me for a chat...

"How far to the city center?"

"This is the city center"

"Here!?!"

"Yes, wait...I'll get you a map"

True to his word he returns bearing a map of Amman and I'm incredibly pleased to see I've already made the city. Heading straight to an internet cafe I call Steph, finding out she's on the other side of town in an apartment she sourced on Couchsurfing! :) Go Steph!!!

Jumping in a taxi it isn't long before I locate our meeting place. The last time I saw Steph was when she left me in Damascus last winter so it's great to catch up...and especially here, less than 100kms from my destination! Cheers mum :)

The apartment is shared with two American guys, Taylor and David who are great value. Both are relaxed and easy going and couldn't make us feel more welcome. With a shower and free wireless I'm in no hurry to go anywhere, the evenings spent relaxing, talking and writing which is perfect...

Pilgrimage from Thughrat Al Jubb to Az Zarqa 28/08/08

Waking from a wonderful sleep a quick glance around ensures I'm safe to roll over and continue on. The sun has only just risen and there is not a sole to be seen, except for the occasional car driving below on the highway. Perfect :)

Waking again around 7am the air is still cool and with the sky slightly overcast I couldn't ask for a better day. Enjoying the nothingness I pack up my gear and set off...

Tap tap tap...

Big heavy raindrops start falling around me. Slightly panicked I glance skyward and am pleased the sky above me is blue. Rain is the last thing I'm prepared for and the last thing I was expecting out here. My waterproof bags aren't done up and there's no shelter as far as the eye can see. If it starts pissing down I'm in big trouble :(

The view behind isn't comforting, or what I can see if it anyway. Only a few kilometers from where I stand the desert disappears into a thick haze. God I hope that's not rain...

My pace quickens and the big drop ease off, within half an hour there's not a cloud to be seen and the temperature begins to rise...maybe rain wasn't so bad after all :)Encouraged by the continuous flow of waves and cheers from the passing traffic I soldier on. A line from a movie keeps popping into my head...

A merchant wishes the hero well as he leaves his tent "May you find water and shade..."

To someone who has never walked through the desert this is a pretty obvious yet strangely meaningless statement, but now I get it in it's entirety...and I really need some shade! Completely in my own little world I don't even notice the tree on the hill next to me until a rubbish collector yells out, literally jumping off the ground with enthusiasm to get me to join him. Sitting on a bit of cardboard with a little fire next to him for his tea he greets me like he's the happiest man in the world.

With a big toothless grin, sharp eyes, dark weathered skin and a bright orange safety vest he's a character, it's just a shame he's camera shy ;) There's only one glass between us and he insists on forgoing his tea so I can drink. Sitting there in the middle of nowhere enjoying a simple lunch of bread and cheese I feel entirely content.

Continuing on I only make 5kms before the heat starts getting to me again, it's now after midday and the sun is in full force. Spotting a tunnel I think I'm in luck but the incredible stench of wild animal knocks me back. Or is that just me???

Deciding it's probably this or nothing I make myself comfortable and quickly crash out. Feeling dazed on waking I try to get back to sleep but the smell and the flies become too much, I've got to get moving!

An oncoming police car slows down beside me and I prepare to for some questions. The next thing I know I'm blasted with their loudspeaker...

"WELCOME! WELCOME TO JORDAN!!!"

I can't help joining in as their cackling continues out the loudspeaker as they drive off :)

Turning off the highway I'm met with nothing but military facility after military facility. It seems a never ending wall of concrete and barbed wire, and just to tease I'm sure, all the trees are safely tucked away on the other side.

By the time I reach Az Zarqa I'm exhausted, having walked the last 14kms without a break. I'm also about to die of thirst! Collapsing at the first shop I come to I can barely speak and it isn't until finishing my second drink I finally start to make some sense.

Mahmud, Adel and Ahmed are awesome and ensure I'm entertained while I'm there. They don't let me pay and then insist I come across the road for watermelon. Now this is what I needed. Eating so much I can hardly walk I say a big "thank you" to the guys and go in search of a hotel.

Locating the center of town I soon find what I'm looking for...

"Do you have any rooms available?"

He rings up and checks with the boss "Yes, I only have one room left but it comes with TV and A/C"

"How much is it?"

"Twenty-five Pounds"

"Can you do it for ten?"

"The rooms without TV and A/C I could do for ten but this one I can not. Come have a look and then we'll see..."

He takes me upstairs and shows me the room...

"For you, you can gave it for 18 pounds. With a TV this is a good price"

"I will take it for ten, that's it. I really don't need a TV"

"Actually, we have one more room just like this but slightly smaller, you can have that for 15 pounds"

The next room is dodgy so pointing back to the other room...

"If you want I'll take that one for ten, otherwise I'll continue looking"

"Actually, we have one more room if you want. This one doesn't have a TV and you can have it for ten"

Wankers :) Normally I would leave at this stage but I'm hot, tired and want to do some writing...

Sighing "Yep, that will be great. Thanks"

Going for dinner and a quick stop at the internet I set myself up in my room typing. With one blog almost finished the "You are now running on reserve power" warning flashes...

I'll just finish this story then plug myself in...

One story leads to the next which leads to the next. Suddenly the computer shuts down...

Noooooooooooo!!!!!

Why do I do this to myself when I'm behind in my blogs. The document isn't saved!!! Frantically plugging the computer in my fears are confirmed...gone! :( I have a moment of despair, want to cry, want to throw myself out the window then take a deep breath and start again.

It's hard when I get behind on my blogs. All my spare time goes into trying to catch up and the problem is it's never ending, as soon as one blogs finished there's more stories to tell...

Pilgrimage from Syrian-Jordanian Border to Thughrat Al Jubb 27/08/08

An early start to the day will do me well so waking early I try rather unsuccessfully to get it together. By the time I'm out the door it's almost 9am! Setting off towards Jordan I'm soon to discover the hotel is not actually in no-mans land at all. One more Syrian roadblock is left to cross...

"Passport please"

I hand him my documents...

"This stamp is from yesterday! You can't cross today!"

"What!?! I stayed in the Taj hotel last night"

"Yes, no problem...but you need to go get another stamp"

Now, why the fuck they put a hotel in between two roadblocks that can't be passed on separate days is completely beyond me but the guy's not budging. Taking a deep breath I take my passport and go to head back...

"Wait, I'll stop a car for you so you can get a lift back"

This cheers me slightly as it's a bit of a walk. Arriving at the immigration office and making it to the front of the line I explain to the officer what I need...

Giving me a look like I'm causing him a lot of trouble "Wait here"

I wait as he processes the guy behind me, then the next guy and the next...

"Sorry, is there a problem!?"

"Yes, of course there's a problem! You got your stamp yesterday and your still here!"

"Of course I'm still here! I stayed in the hotel 500m down the road! I don't understand what the problem is!"

"Do you have a receipt?"

"They didn't give me one"

"Well, I need a receipt"

Taking another deep breath I trudge back to the hotel, get my receipt and return rather unamused, but luckily for me with receipt in hand they are much happier. Pulling out a sheet of paper they fill in my details and with so many names I'm obviously not the only poor bugger who's been screwed around by this system...

Smiling broadly "Okay, you can go..."

Forcing a return smile "Thanks"

What a mission! Making it back to the original checkpoint I pass through easily and one kilometer later take my first steps into Jordan :)

There's always a bit of uncertainty in the air when passing into a new country...

How will the police treat me?

How will the military treat me?

Will there be a restaurant in the next 100kms?

Hitting the first Jordanian roadblock a soldier yells out rather aggressively. heading over they demand my passport and ask why I'm walking...

"Your from Australia! Welcome, welcome. Here, take a seat"

"Thanks"

"You have walked from England!?!"

One of them rushes inside and returns bearing coffee...

"Here, please. for you"

The guys are great and we sit and chat for a good ten minutes. I go to leave and a soldier once again disappears inside returning with a big bottle of water. I only just filled up so politely refuse but not to be deterred he rushes back in, this time returning with a can of Pepsi. I couldn't ask for a better introduction to jordan :)

Clearing immigration without a fuss I pass the last checkpoint around 11:30, what a morning! But now there's only 90kms to Amman...and less than 200kms to Jerusalem!!!!!!!!!!!!

Everyone told me "Syria is hot, but wait till you get to Jordan!"

And they were right. The first thing to hit me is the temperature, it's hot! Really hot! So hot when I take a deep breath I can feel the sides of my nostrils start to burn! So hot I have to be careful not to burn myself when adjusting my grip on the camera tripod! It's hot!!! I'm obviously not getting far before evening, but I'll try...

The good news is though it's dry, not nearly as unbearably as humid heat and I find it's still possible to walk. Making four kilometers a little shop appears and I collapse on their balcony. I'd like nothing more than to wait here out of the heat and as I set myself up a guy comes over to chat. He's nice enough for the first five minutes but after that starts to drive me a little crazy. I'm too hot and tired to deal with him and after twenty minutes there's nothing to do other than bludgeon him to death with a blunt object or keep walking...

I keep walking :)

The next restaurant is great and with a big carpeted area filled with cushions I've soon crashed out. Wonderful!!! Wonderful that is until I get the bill. I asked the price of everything as I bought it and know the bill should be two pounds. The guy's telling me ten!!!

After a bit of an argument we agree on two pounds and feeling recharged I get into it. I love walking in the desert!

Stopping at Al Mafraq for internet and dinner I walk off into the night. By 11pm I've covered my 30kms and spotting a little hill just off the highway head up there to find a sleeping spot.

Lying under the starts is magical but as I'm drifting off I can hear some wild dogs barking in the distance...

Let's hope they don't get to close...

Pilgrimage from Khirbat Al Ghazalah to Syrian-Jordanian Border 26/08/08

Waking with my alarm at 7am the thought passes through my mind "Why did I bother finishing the movie?"

I want to get some blogs written before Maya comes but it isn't going to happen, rolling over I fall back asleep. Snapped back to reality by the phone it's Maya letting me know she's thirty minutes away.

Meeting her as she arrives I'm extremely happy she made the effort and offer to shout her brunch...

"Let's eat in the next street. The restaurants here piss me off"

Which they do, like any tourist area worldwide they are well over priced with a constant stream of people harassing you to buy something. Bugger that :) As we leave the square the last restaurant on the corner gives me a great vibe...

"Let's eat here"

With the tables centered around a fountain the atmosphere is peaceful and even though it looks expensive the environment is worth it. Catching up over a meal of chicken, rice, hommus, yoghurt and olives I'm left feeling very content. The bill arrives and I can't believe my eyes...550 Lira! That's the same amount the other restaurants wanted to charge me for one plate! A bargain with two teas, softdrink and the starters! It's comforting to see not everyone is caught up in the "Let's milk the tourists for all their worth" crowd :) No wonder this restaurant sends off good vibes.

From here it's in to the theater and I'm well impressed. I have to admit, the only reason I made the effort to get here was because all the other travelers I talked to who have seen a lot of ruins all say this is worth the effort. And I'd have to agree...

What makes the Busra theater so unique is that it is still in almost perfect condition. So perfect concerts still get held here. Quite extraordinary! Maya has been here before and is happy to act as my tour guide. From the theater it's down for a quick stroll around the old city before she has to find a bus back to Damascus. Spotting a juice stall in the square maya turns to me...

"Do you want a juice?"

"Sure, sounds great"

"How much is the orange juice?"

"One hundred lira"

"One hundred lira! For for one or for two?"

"For one"

Laughing "Come on, I'm Syrian! You can't charge one hundred lira for a juice. How much really?"

"One hundred lira"

Maya starts to look pissed off...

"Even in the expensive areas of Damascus you don't pay more than fifty lira for a juice on the side of the road. Are you stupid?"

"Oranges are expensive here"

"I'll give you one hundred for two"

"One hundred and fifty for two"

She turns to me...

"Do you still want a juice?"

"Nah, bugger him. I'll just get a bottled drink"

Maya removes two bottles from the fridge and assuming the prices are standard everywhere in Syria hands him fifty lira...

"No, seventy-five!"

"Look, the price for these is forty lira! Fifty is more than enough!"

"No, seventy-five"

Maya slaps her fifty lira down in disgust and walks away...

"See, that's how you have to deal with them. They are stupid!"

I have to laugh :) I'm glad it's not just the foreigners who have to go through this...

The bus isn't until 2pm which leaves us just enough time for a game of billiards. Saying our farewells I head back to the restaurant to wait out the heat. A couple of hours and two cups of tea later I go to leave...

"Could I please have the bill?"

"No"

"No, the bill, the bill"

Making dismissive waving motions at me "No no"

"No money?"

Smiling Broadly "Welcome welcome"

It does give me a bit of faith when I meet shop owners smack bang in the middle of touristville who still maintain some dignity and honor...cheers guys :)

A quick taxi ride back to the highway leaves me on the edge of Seida and not knowing if I'll find any restaurants elsewhere I stock up on more fried chicken. With my belly full of grease and feeling very ill I start hitching back up the highway. A policeman walks down from his office to find out what I'm doing...

"I'm hitching about ten kilometers that way then I'm going to walk to Jordan"

"Why?"

"Just for fun"

"Aaaah, very good. Very good"

Walking into the middle of the road he stops a truck and instructs him to take me where I want. Now that's the way to hitch :) Relocating my intersection I get to it. It's already past 6pm, a bit later than I wanted to start, but it means the conditions are now perfect for walking.

Thoroughly enjoying my last steps in Syria the distance goes quickly and I walk into the night. Rapid footsteps sound as I pass a building, a voice calls out in a mix of French and English...

"Mister, stop! Come here!"

Glancing over I have the feeling I'm next to a military complex but having learnt my lesson after getting shot at in Turkey I'm not game to hit them with my torch...

"Are you military? Police?"

"Stop mister! Stop! You must come here"

They didn't answer my question and are moving close. With my torch beam aimed just in front of he leader I give it a quick swivel up stealing a glance. Flicking from one to the next I don't like what I see. Three young guys, probably 22-25, all well dressed are coming out of a construction site. A bad feeling hits my straight away, they have the look and character of wanna be gangsters and I'm not sticking around to find out...

"Mister, mister! Come here!"

"No...goodbye"

Now, they are probably just university students who have found a good place for a party and want to invite me along but I'm not going against my intuition. Their language is aggressive and if they want to talk they will have to follow me up the road...and if they are willing to do that the conversation will be held in the middle of the oncoming traffic :)

A car zips past and using it's headlights I glance back to check if they are following, much to my relief they have stopped on the roadside watching me retreat.

By 11pm I hit the border and a policeman at the first checkpoint comes out to meet me...

"What are you doing?"

"Walking to Jordan"

"Ha, you can't do that! If you walk past here I will arrest you" Indicating to the car next to him "This is Abu Khali. He will take you to Jordan"

"No, seriously. I'm just walking. I've walked across the other Syrian borders with no problem. Why can't I walk here?"

He doesn't look impressed...

"If you want to walk, fine! But as soon as you pass here I will arrest you"

He takes my arm and much to the amusement of the other offices tries to manhandle me into the car. I decide it's time for some peer pressure. In Arabic and loud enough for everyone to hear I explain that I've walked all the way from England (obviously leaving out the part about driving across the border from Greece to Turkey ; ) ). My ploy appears to work, I suddenly have a big group swarming asking questions, then loosing interest they go back to their dinner. The original officer is still making motions like he's going to handcuff me and I resign myself to being driven. Abu Khali has already gone and there's no more cars, loitering around for another minute I slowly start edging away. The officer looks up...

"Okay, go go"

Making shooing motions at me it's all the encouragement I need :)

The official at the next checkpoint welcomes me with a cheeky look in his eye...

"Please sit, sit" Motioning to the bench next to him

"Where are you going?"

"Amman"

"You are walking?"

"Yes"

"And then?"

"And then I'm meeting my mum on the 29th and after that I don't know"

He gets distracted with another traveller and I get up to go...

"No, please. Sit, sit. I want to talk"

"I have seen you walking yesterday and the day before on the highway. Where did you start?"

"England"

"England, wow! How long has it taken you?"

"In total the walking has taken about eight months"

He explains to the other two workers what I'm up to and they all nod approvingly. Once again I get up to go...

"Ben, I have one question for you and you have to answer truthfully"

Taking a deep breath. Here we go :) I glance up at his face and am pleased he still has a playful look in his eye...

"So, are you going there?" Pointing west

Laughing "You know I can't answer that truthfully. How can I answer that?"

I am normally open with the fact I'm walking to Jerusalem but the one place I really don't want to let them know is here at the immigration office. Anywhere else they would have to go to an effort to get me blacklisted but here it will take one flick of a pen or click on a keyboard and that will be that. A rule about coming to Syria is they will not let you in if you have EVER been to Israel...

"So you are going to Tel Aviv!"

"No...to Jerusalem. My walk will finish there"

All three of their faces light up with big smiles and I can see nothing but admiration in the look from my questioner...

"Ben, you are a very good man. A very good man and a very strong man. Now you are free to go..."

Luckily for me none of the other immigration officers recognize me as a walker and before long I'm in no-mans land, a couple of kilometers from Jordan. Out of the blue a big flash hotel appears and I can't believe my luck. It looks expensive but I figure if they will let me stay for $30 I'm all for it...

"Hi, how much is a room?"

"Just you?"

"Yes?"

"Twenty dollars"

"Twenty dollars!?" I'm sure I heard wrong

"Yes, twenty dollars"

I can't believe it! With marbled floors, 24 hour reception, mini-bar, free internet, business center, TV, 24 hour cafeteria and a big new bathroom it is probably the best value hotel I have ever stayed in. Bit of a funny location, in no-mans land and all, but with a duty free shop downstairs selling vodka at $8/Litre I think this is where I'll come to retire ;)