call to place: jordan in 2011

When I first arrived for my teaching job in Oman in September of 2011, I was determined to see as much of the region as possible during my time in the Middle East. My list included Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Egypt (again), UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar. I also would seek to travel to places easily accessible from Oman, such as Nepal, Sri Lanka and Ethiopia, places with direct flights from Muscat. As it turned out, I would never get to Lebanon due to unrest and travel warnings. While in Oman, I wouldn’t make it to Morocco, either, although I finally made it there in 2019. Neither did I make it to Kuwait, Qatar or Sri Lanka. And sadly, I didn’t make it back to Egypt.

the Monastery at Petra

Wadi Rum

Our first holiday, Eid al-Adha, was within a few months after I arrived in Oman in September, and I had determined that I would make a trip to Jordan. I was lured by photos I’d seen of the terra-cotta colored Petra ruins & the desert of Wadi Rum. I wanted to try floating in the Dead Sea. I was enticed to stay in a Bedouin Camp and visit the Roman ruins at Jerash. I had a few images in my mind of the city of Amman from a great movie I saw in the USA called Captain Abu Raed. My Jordanian friend Lina had already given me a feel for Jordanian hospitality and culture.

Jerash

Jerash

I would take off for my adventure to Jordan from November 5-11, 2011.

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“THE CALL TO PLACE” INVITATION: I invite you to write a post on your own blog about what enticed you to choose a particular destination. If you don’t have a blog, I invite you to write in the comments. If your destination is a place you love and keep returning to, feel free to write about that. If you want to see the original post about the subject, you can check it out here: imaginings: the call to place.

Include the link in the comments below by Wednesday, February 26 at 1:00 p.m. EST. My next “call to place” post is scheduled to post on Thursday, February 27.

If you’d like, you can use the hashtag #wanderessence.

This will be an ongoing invitation, on the fourth Thursday of each month. Feel free to jump in at any time. 🙂

I hope you’ll join in our community. I look forward to reading your posts!

CategoriesAsia, destinations, Imaginings, International Travel, Jordan, Travel, Travel Inspiration

TagsAsia, Call to place, Jordan, Travel

27 Comments

restlessjo January 23, 2020 at 3:01 am

There can’t be anyone alive who doesn’t want to see Petra, Cathy! 🙂 🙂 Amazed, in retrospect, that you never made it to Egypt. Me neither, though it’s still on that list!

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1. Sue January 23, 2020 at 4:26 am
  
  Agreed, Jo!
  
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2. wanderessence1025 January 24, 2020 at 4:54 pm
  
  I agree, Jo. And Petra is one place that doesn’t disappoint. It’s big enough that people can spread out so the crowds aren’t too horrendous. I did go to Egypt for a whole month in 2007, only to Cairo and Alexandria, which I wrote about here: https://wanderessence.com/2019/07/01/on-returning-home-from-egypt-in-2007/
  
  I did want to return another time though, and hoped to do so while in Oman. I wanted to go back to Luxor and Sinai and St. Catherine’s. Maybe someday I’ll get back there!
  
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  1. restlessjo January 24, 2020 at 5:21 pm
    
    Much of this I didn’t remember, Cathy. One sweltering July! 🙂 🙂 Some of my walking friends are Hash House Harriers and they are a crazy bunch, mostly in a nice way.
    
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    1. wanderessence1025 January 24, 2020 at 5:26 pm
      
      The Cairo Hash House Harriers were such a fun bunch, much like your friends possibly! I had the most fun imaginable on my first time to Egypt! It was unbearably hot though!
      
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pommepal January 23, 2020 at 3:26 am

What an exotic list of places. Well done getting to so many of them Cathy

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1. wanderessence1025 January 24, 2020 at 4:58 pm
  
  Thanks, Pauline. There just wasn’t enough time off to see them all.
  
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  1. pommepal January 24, 2020 at 9:00 pm
    
    That’s the old saying Cathy, “so much to do and so little time” especially when you get to the third age. But I’m amazed at how much you do every year
    
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    1. wanderessence1025 January 27, 2020 at 3:12 pm
      
      Thanks, Pauline. Yes, time seems to get shorter and shorter, and I certainly do have less energy, as I am definitely in the “third age!”
      
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maristravels January 23, 2020 at 8:34 am

Will read this piece later, but just wondering if you’ve seen this interesting comment on the Camino.
https://travmedia.com/Pressrelease/ViewPressrelease/100068740

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1. wanderessence1025 January 23, 2020 at 12:28 pm
  
  Are you a member of Travel Media? Because when I click on it, all I get is a home page. Maybe I need a membership to see the article? Thanks, Mari. 🙂
  
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anotherday2paradise January 23, 2020 at 12:54 pm

What amazing adventures you’ve had, Cathy. 😃

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1. wanderessence1025 January 24, 2020 at 4:59 pm
  
  Thanks, Sylvia. Jordan was one of my favorite places. 🙂
  
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sheetalbravon January 23, 2020 at 8:37 pm

Looking forward to the detailed post- Petra and floating on the Dead Sea are my dreams too .

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1. wanderessence1025 January 24, 2020 at 5:00 pm
  
  Petra was amazing, and so was the Dead Sea. I hope you’ll make it there, Sheetal. 🙂
  
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  1. sheetalbravon January 25, 2020 at 4:01 am
    
    Cathy, you say the most wonderful things ! Someday…
    
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clcouch123 January 23, 2020 at 9:01 pm

I don’t know when I first saw an image of Petra. It wasn’t in the Indiana Jones movie, ’cause when I saw it in the movie, I said to myself, hey, they’re using Petra. I look forward to reading where you do go on this trip (a trip of many trips, it seems). The image of the wadi here (Rum) is especially impressive. Journey on, Cathy!

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1. wanderessence1025 January 24, 2020 at 5:00 pm
  
  Thanks, Christopher. It was a fun journey! And Petra most definitely did not disappoint!
  
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the eternal traveller January 24, 2020 at 5:22 am

You did so much in Oman I’m not surprised you ran out of time for the other destinations. Are they still on your list?

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1. wanderessence1025 January 24, 2020 at 5:04 pm
  
  I had a great time seeing the world while I was in Oman, Carol. Lebanon and Sri Lanka are still on my list, and someday I might like to return to Egypt, but I’ve lost interest in Qatar and Kuwait. 🙂
  
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Pompeii Calling – sheetalbravon January 24, 2020 at 9:09 am

[…] wanderessence: The call to a place […]

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Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter January 24, 2020 at 4:42 pm

I’ve read so much about this place, I’d love to go. Your pictures are wonderful.

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1. wanderessence1025 January 24, 2020 at 5:15 pm
  
  I hope you’ll make it there one day. It is amazing! Thanks, Anabel. 🙂
  
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Oh, the Places We See March 17, 2020 at 11:18 am

I love your post and would like to link to it from mine. I’m hoping to publish a “virtual travel tour” by linking several of my favorite posts on Jordan, a country I was scheduled to visit this week, but was canceled due to coronavirus concerns. Please let me know on my blog https://ohtheplaceswesee.com or just respond to this request. I’d love to include your post and one picture, if you would permit that. Rusha Sams

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1. wanderessence1025 March 17, 2020 at 11:28 am
  
  Sure, Rusha, that will be fine. Thank you, and I’m so sorry your trip was canceled. I hope you’ll be able to reschedule once this all dies down. Like all bad things in life, I believe it will pass, but who knows how long it will take. 🙂
  
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Oh, the Places We See March 19, 2020 at 10:00 am

Thanks so much! I love your blog!

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1. wanderessence1025 March 20, 2020 at 4:59 pm
  
  You’re welcome! And thank you so much for your kind words. 🙂
  
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