Jordan - couple of days in

We're sitting in the sportsman's bar of the hotel in Amman, waiting for a late lunch. I'm happy because the internet access is good, unlike in our room, and Michael's happy because Liverpool's playing in the first game of the season and it's live on the tv here.  The little things in life :)

We flew into Jordan on Thursday afternoon. Michael had a sliver of a view out the window, and all that could be seen was dust and sand... but fortunately there was a terminal there and we could get off. I have never travelled with so many kids - there were 47 children and 22 babies on the flight from Dubai! No school trips, just kids travelling with their parents. Amazing.  No screams on take off or landing, but plenty of noise otherwise, and boy the flight crew had their work cut out for them!  Once off, we found our way to Immigration, got out some Jordanian Dinar to pay for our visas, then went to what looked like the shortest queue for a visa. Of course Murphy's Law struck, and we noticed after a short time that the people in front of us were holding 10 passports. So every one of those had to be processed, letters checked, and only then could they progress to have a retinal scan done and go through passport control. So we waited about 20 minutes until our turn, and then wouldn't you know it, stamp stamp, scan scan, and we're in.  Down the escalator and then a couple of minutes later there were our bags.

Through customs and out, found our tour guide Ahmed, and off we went.  First room had two double beds so we asked for a change, got a room identical to the first but higher up and with one queen sized bed. Much better :)

Friday we were up early and out of the hotel by 8am.  First stop was Jerash, which is famous for an unbroken chain of human occupation dating back more than 6,500 years.  Jerash lies on a plain surrounded by hilly wooded areas and fertile basins. Conquered by General Pompey in 63 BC, it came under Roman rule and was one of the ten great Roman cities of the Decapolis League. The city's golden age came under Roman rule, during which time it was known as Gerasa, and the site is now generally acknowledged to be one of the best-preserved Roman provincial towns in the world. Hidden for centuries in sand before being excavated and restored over the past 70 years, it's now a magnificent site. It was also bloody hot!  One of the most surprising finds was in the amphitheatre, where we came across a piper ... yes, bagpipes!

Off we go!

Just enjoyed a delightful lunch in the qantas lounge at Tullamarine, couple of glasses of Bolly and we're just about ready to go. Oh the desserts here are to die for! Mine was a pav with strawberries and rhubarb and a huge pile of Persian floss, michael's a lemon Madeleine with creme brûlée ... Nom nom nom

Preparations

I started the day with a list of about 30 things to do before leaving work today - knowing that I was also going to the inaugural ACER Alumni lunch in the city which would chop about 3 hours out of the day. Happy to report that completed all but one of the tasks I had set myself, as well as a few others that popped up along the way. Oh and haven't changed my voicemail message yet :(

The house looks like a bomb's hit it, but once we start actually packing, it will all fall into place. I'm trying something new this trip and trying to travel light. It's always tempting not to when you know you have 96kg luggage allowance, and as Michael is travelling with me, he does too!  But I keep thinking about trying to sling a 32kg bag on and off a bus and I figure that I will try and start light.

Plans - Monday fly to Dubai - three nights at the Palace Hotel in Dubai, then off to Jordan.

After baking in Dubai, we head off to Amman, Jordan. We have a total of 6 days in Jordan, travelling through the north, then down to Petra and the Dead Sea. Petra's been on my bucket list since I saw Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade!

Next fly through Istanbul to Cappadocia, then three days one balloon flight later fly through to Antalya and then head off across the south coast of Turkey, finishing up in Gallipoli and then to Istanbul. We're staying there for a week at a rather gorgeous hotel: Ishak Pasa Konagi in Sultanahmet, right next to (actually joined to) Topkapi Palace.  And I have to go to the conference - chairing one session, discussant on a couple and my own presentation... :)  should be fun!

Daisy's bath

Daisy

Yep, took her to a new groomer today and she did a spectacular job. From a smelly dirty matted dog, I got this beautiful one!  Good trade I reckon.

She's getting a little uncomfortable. Jess has been gone for a week and my suitcase is out. She's really going to know when Michael's also comes out...

Tomorrow I head in for a couple of nights at the Hilton South Wharf, chairing the ACER conference. One of the little perks of being the Director of Research that I do like! So it will just be Michael here with Daisy and Neo.  And then packing for our trip. Can't wait until we go, but I am going to miss this little face :)