Camping trip

Okay.

So sometimes the Bedouin invite some of their coworkers out on camping trips. This is good fun and everyone has a jolly time. However, some of the Bedouin think white girls are "loose" (movies and the odd hook up when they guide a group in Wadi Rum on an overnight). This means some caution is required. The Bedouin who were leading this charge were generally seen to be legitimately good people, but Jordan is a funny place.

City and village and Bedouin are very different things with one not always trusting the other. Amer, our rep from the department of antiquities for instance does not trust the Bedouin terribly well. Therefore he wasnted to put the kaibosh on the whole camping trip. It was meant to be 2 girls and 2 younger fellas. The solution to make the trip happen? Bring in the old guard (ie me). Supposedly I have more life experience and would therefore be able to battle any attacking bedouin.

Whatever.

I went and it was awesome! I can't go into all the fantastic details but I will say we hiked down into a canyon (wadi). ALong said Wadi, observing the amazing colours and patterns that slowly emerge from the sandstone as well as cool rocks and formations. It made me think about how easy it would be to develop a pantheon and a mythology there. Just so much raw material abounds in the rock face. This is something I intend to think on more fully in the weeks month and life ahead.

We climbed back out of the Wadi over the crumbly sandstone, guided by the ever present and agile Bedouin. I shouldn't over generalize, but I have to say that some of them (particularly a fellow named Salime) were amazing. Barefoot scampering over sheer rock faces always tend to leave me a little impressed.

Various tours here and there, stopping for tea and nargil;a (flavoured tabacco) from time to time. Very nice.

Skipping a bunch.

Our campsite was tremendous, in another valley and just perfect. They made bread (houbs) on the fire and in the fire. After starting the cooking on a pan they actually cover the bastard wuith embers and cook it inside the fire for a while. very delicious. The night was spent with more nargila (not too much for me), food, singing, dancing etc. Bedouin hospitality at its undeniable finest.

Great tiems had by all and no untoward groping that I had to scold (as expected). Super fun.

The best part was we got some awesome stars for a while before the moon rose. Then we had an awesome moon rise and the opportunity for some amazing long exposure shots featuring profiles of a camel...Boyman, the racing camel of Salim's.

I should say, if you've never seen a racing camel in full flight, you haven't really lived.

And, work the next day went well. A bit tired, but more than worth it.