Petra, Jordan

We are sitting in bed enjoying our final sunrise view of Nogorongoro Crater while sipping our tea, coffee and coconut biscuits that our Butler just delivered. What a way to start the day! Checking out of Ngorongoro Lodge at 7:15 this morning. 2 hour drive back to the dirt air strip to catch our Bush plane back to Kilimanjaro airport to meet up with our jet. We have a 5+ hour flight to Jordan and then a 2 hour drive to get to our hotel in Petra. Another really long, jumbled travel day. Thankfully, our hotel in Jordan is literally located at the entrance to Petra so access tomorrow will be a snap. Plane Captain just announced that we are flying around Sudan and over Ethiopa instead to avoid some conflict that is going on in the Sudanese area which will add just a bit more time to our flight. 12pm Back on Big Blue. Getting ready to lift off from Kilimanjaro airport. Got a great view of Mount Kilimanjaro as we flew in on our Bush Plane today Lecture on board today by David entitled: Africa Tribal Society 4:53pm. Arrived at King Hussein airport in Aqaba, Jordan. Boarded our buses for the 2 hour drive to Petra. Just passed the Jordan Military Hospital not far from the airport. It is a very desert and rocky like terrain here with a few green Palm trees. It is 72 and very windy here today due to a sand storm earlier. Jordan is a country slightly smaller than the state of Indiana. Needless to say they, they share borders with some rather testy countries. Movenpick Hotel is kind of a dump. Apparently the reason it is chosen is because it is across the street from Petra. It’s impossible to tell though as we arrived long after dark. Ordered room service for dinner as we’re too pooped to dress and go forage for food. Our word for the day: Shoukaran means Thank you in Arabic Hotel: Movenpick Resort Gift: Dead Sea Bath Set $ 1 US Dollar = .70 Jordanian Dinar (JOD)