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Kilometers covered: 427 kms
Customs formalities: Tourist Police
It was easier and faster on the Jordanian side than its neighbor Syria. We were not sure which queue to choose until an officer waved at us. He quickly checked inside the van and handed us a paper. Then, another customs agent came to us. Following his instructions, we parked the vehicle in a shed, above a hole in which a policeman had slipped to check underneath. We were then directed to the tourist police building. - “Are you the guide?" - “No, we're not”. - "Where is your guide?" - “We don't have any” - "Why are you coming to Jordan?" - “Well, to visit.” - "Welcome to Jordan!" An officer was asked to help us with formalities. We went to various offices to get visas and car insurance. Half an hour later, we had insured the Gypsy van for three months (132 euros) and paid our consular fees (40 euros) for a one-month visa that can be extended later if needed. "Welcome to Jordan!" - "Chocran"
We stopped in the first town, Ramtha, a few kilometers after the border. We had a shawarma sandwich, looked for a bank to get dinars, as well as internet cafe to contact our friends in Amman. The sweet man from the internet place didn't want us to pay, he smiled and pronounced the sentence we were about to hear a lot in coming months: “Welcome to Jordan!”. He even asked one of his son to walk us to the bank. It was already past 4pm when we drove to Ajlun.
Ajlun Castle: first impression of the Tourist Police
We crossed Ajlun to take the road that leads to the castle. The slope was steep and it was already dark. We arrived on a small platform where it was forbidden to park. We stood on the side, a little further, by the cliff. A man in civilian clothes approached and spoke to us in English. We explained we wanted to spend the night here. He pulled out his cell phone, presumably to convey our request to his superior ... Two other men joined us, one in military uniform, the other in a
blue police uniform. Laurent stopped the engine. They said it would take 5 minutes but an hour later we were still having tea in their office, waiting for a confirmation! They took our passports and reported the license plate of the Gypsy van. After giving our identities and precise description of our vehicle a dozen times by phone, we were told that a police car was on its way to escort us 200 feet down the road where we were allowed to park for the night, at the visitor center. While expecting this to happen, we talked with the three men. Two of them were teachers before entering the police. They changed jobs because wages were too low, between 250 and 300 euros per month (for a teacher). They were friendly but we were exhausted and looking forward to the intimacy of our comforting home. When the blue and white 4x4 Chevrolet finally arrived, we were happy! One of the officer had to ride with us, that was also part of the procedure... Were they afraid we try to escape? We followed the procession and 2 minutes later we got to final destination! The guard opened the visitor parking barrier. There were seven police officers (we should be safe!) We were surprised by this behavior, we expected it more in Syria... They agreed with us, there is no danger but that's the way things work here, the tourist police must watch over foreigners. The security manager, embarrassed we had to wait so long, proposed a free tour of the castle for the next day. “Good night everyone!”
In the morning, the sound of a gigantic flag shaken by the wind resonated over our heads. Outside, the excitement was growing. Buses caring all nationalities were arriving. Laurent didn't feel like going up to the castle. Hélène joined a group of French fellows so she could listen to the guide. Meanwhile, Laurent was worrying about our broken dipstick, trying to find an alternative solution. Several men intrigued questioned us "Do you have a problem?" We showed them the
broken dipstick. Lots of Arabic words came out and we understood they all agreed we can still ride (which we knew anyway). Gradually, they lost interest except for one of them. Khaled seemed determined to help us, he understood it was important to us to be able to check the oil level. A few minutes later he came back with an ingenious idea. Turning to our toolbox placed on the ground, he looked for something to cut. He went to the metal mesh of the parking lot, smiling and putting his finger to his lips as to buy our silence. Laurent helped him to cut one meter of iron rod. It was perfect, thick and flexible at the same time. Thank you Khaled!
Natural Reserve of Dibbin
In search of nature and tranquility, we drove to the Dibbin forest reserve. En route, we were stopped by the police (they're everywhere!) The entrance fee to the park is 2JD and the officer handed us a garbage bag. Good initiative, it must be clean if they apply such policy. Well, we soon found out some visitors had not grasped the concept yet, what a pity! We stopped into the pine forest. Apart from the scattered pieces of glass, our camp was nice. We heard birds singing and the night was peaceful. The next day we relaxed doing some reading and writing. Around 7pm, while we sat at the table for diner, three men knocked at the door. Dressed in civilian clothes, they showed us their police cards. They didn't want us to sleep here, claiming some unlikely dangers such as wolves or lions! They insisted and we ran out of arguments. We asked if we could at least finish our diner (which was already cold by the time they left). After cleaning up the table and clearing everything, we drove in the direction they had given us to find their office. Three men were there but not the same as one hour earlier. No one spoke English and we had difficulties in making them understand that we wanted to park on a flat area (they asked us to park in a slope!). Laurent did various maneuvers around the flattest spot and we ended up in front of the building, right under the artificial light. Even though we felt quite irritable, we accepted to sit for a short moment to have a tea. The conversation was very limited. One of them called a friend who spoke English so he could translate a few things. The voice over the phone explained to us that this forest is managed by Jordan Dubai Capital, which invested in the region. This development project includes the creation of a tourist complex, while preserving the environment they say ... Hopefully, because Dibbin is one of the largest forest in a country that only has 1% of it! He said that trees should be replanted all the way to Irbid. We went to bed, less than a meter away from the three men who kept talking. The next day at 6am, knock knock! They asked us to move because their boss was coming. We were getting upset. One man walked to our window, offering coffee. No thanks, it had been enough, we left to park further down, under the pine trees and finish our night. Half an hour later, a huge construction truck came. Earplugs on, we continued our readings until we couldn't support it any longer. Around 8am, we left to drive to Amman where our friends were expecting us.
A comfortable week of pleasure at Irène and Alex
Around 10 am, we were already in Amman. We stopped by a specialized store to look for a 12V LED bulb. We didn't find it but instead we made three friends! They invited us for coffees and we ended up talking about all sort of things for almost three hours! They helped us get a sim-card for our cell, let us
used their internet and their phone to contact our friends. They even drove in front of us to show us the way. All three are Palestinian and they all lived abroad for some times, in the U.S. and in Australia. Highly educated and open-minded, it was a pleasure to exchange with them we met with Nidal again for some drinks few days later. We arrived at the second circle right on time, Irène and Alex recognized the Gypsy van and came straight to us to welcom us.
For one week, we stayed in their apartment which was a real treat after these many months in the Gypsy van! Irène and Alex made us discover the city and its local flavors. We also met several of their friends. In sum, we were having a social life similar to what we had when we were sedentary people. Irène works for the German cooperation while Alex was employed by the French embassy. They both work on the same project, related to a water supply seriously threatened in Azraq region. As the days flew by,
it became more difficult to get back on our nomad mode!
Weekend in Little Petra
Three guests arrived from Germany so it gave us incentive to take the road in order to leave some space in the apartment. Alex, Irène, and two of their friends will join us tomorrow in Petra to spend the weekend. We parked near the site and saw another camper. It was Michel and Chantal, the retired French couple we had met in Syria! We were delighted to see them again.
Hélène had visited Petra three years ago but prices almost doubled now that it's officially one of the seven new wonders of the world! It's a huge and there's so much to explore that we didn't feel like rushing, so we decided to keep it for some
other time (especially because it's Easter holiday and it's packed). We parted from our friends during the day. We took our bikes to
travel 10 km up and down to reach Little Petra (free entrance). On the way, we observed lots of Jordanian families having picnics in the shade of the rocks. Some children ran toward us, shouting many “Hello! Hello!" and “Welcome to Jordan!” We let them try our bikes. It was a beautiful day.
In the evening we met with our friends for drinks and diner. Irène and Alex had a surprise for us, a lovely cushion covered with a cloth embroidered by hand to put in our little home! We were touched. Then they returned to their hotel while we went back to our Gypsy van. The next day we had breakfast with them before heading to Quwayrat where we were expected to be around 12pm...
It's official, we have become WWOOFers!
Have you ever heard of wwoofing? No? It's a very good concept whose practice is getting popular among backpackers. In short, it started in England in the 70s, following the wave of humanistic and ecological reflexion. The idea is simple: you help in exchange for accommodation and food. Wwoofing is sharing the life of a family or a community and learn many things about their work, their language, their culture, etc.. Very much the kind of experience we are looking for! WWOOF also aims to promote sustainable development and organic farming.
For the record, WWOOF originally meant: Working Weekends On Organic Farms. Gradually the movement grew and developed throughout the UK and then throughout the world. Over the years, it has adapted to the needs of both hosts and volunteers. Today, there are opportunities in over fifty countries. WWOOF now stands for: World Wide Opportunities on Organics Farms.
Al Jalilah: a few weeks in the desert
General: Wadi Rum
The camp where we are heading is in the desert, 5 km from the town of Quwayrat, about fifty kilometers north of Aqaba. Al Jalilah is on the fringes of an area called Wadi Rum (Wadi means valley in Arabic). It is not a flat and monotonous landscape as one might imagine when we speak about desert. Instead, relief is the beauty of the place. The Wadi Rum is made from cliffs, rocky peaks and sand dunes with a variety of colors. It
is often associated with Lawrence of Arabia who described some of these rocks as "overwhelming greatness”. The name Al Jalilah refers to the shape of a woman who appears certain night, depending on the position of the moon but Mursraq is the official name of the rocky mountain where the camp was set. We are housed in a green tent behind the horses. Other tents, more spacious and better equipped (ceramic and carpet floor for example) are used to accommodate the customers.
Our hosts: Brenda and Jon
Brenda and Jon are from Holland. Like many of their compatriots, they are tall with blond hair! Brenda is been around Jordan for approximately seven years. She previously practiced as a massage therapist, specialized in Arab massage and beauty treatments. She no longer wishes to exercise every day but still organizes training sessions. She also sells cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Al Jalilah is the realization of her dream. She felt in love with the place. She dresses and eats like locals, respecting the traditions, including tribal laws. Her will is to create a peaceful oasis where guests could spend time in the desert. All the Bedouin camp in
Wadi Rum propose to spend a night or two. Brenda is offering people to immerse themselves for a longer period. She offers all sorts of activities such as making jewelry, riding horses, massage treatments and care, etc.. The project is evolving, there are still a lot to be done and they need help.
Her son Jon is 20 years old. Here since 8 or 9 months, he usually manages the farm. Brenda is often in the village because she needs electricity and Internet connection to develop her website, handle the promotion and deal with a whole lot of administrative or commercial tasks. So, we spend most of our time with Jon. He didn't know much when he first came but he learned the job and he's doing well. He is definitely gifted to care for horses for whom he is full of affection. He is an
interesting young man and we're having a good time with him. Every day, we get to know each other a little more. Things happen quite naturally. Brenda and Jon are making us feel at home, and it works! We're taking a great pleasure in investing ourselves in these various tasks, the atmosphere is warm and friendly.
Animal Boarders
We live here with eight horses (well, there were only seven when we arrived ...), two dogs (Wolfie and Pixies), a cat (Cat), thousands of flies and other insects of all kinds, not to mention the daily visit of hundreds of camels who live in thesurroundings. Over the days and weeks, we get to know each horse better. The relationship develops between the horses, but also between them and us. We feel more and more affectionate and we begin to anticipate their reactions, knowing what they like and dislike.
Sahim, the King
Sahim appears to be the leader. He has a light brown coat, with a magnificent mane. He is by far the one we fear the most! He is quite big for an Arabian horse and his posture is majestic. When he expresses his discontent, it's better not to get too close! He is no less pleasant to ride (especially for Hélène) because he doesn't start gallop or trot without being asked (what all the others do!)
Malou, the dethroned
His color is darker. He was the first resident of Al Jalilah but then, he spent several months in Aqaba. We don't know the details but apparently he returned weakened with a lot of injuries ... Sahim had taken his role and Malou isn't really fighting to get it back. He tends to isolate himself from the group or perhaps others keep him away? He is extremely docile and predictable, so we quickly felt we can trust him. It's a pleasure to look after him because he would not hurt a fly.
Once, he even protected Laurent from the others who were aggressively trying to get the food he was caring to the stable.
Sarah, the impetuous
Sarah is gray. Jon rides her every day because she really needs to be prepared if she is ever to be ridden by novice tourists. She just does what's on her mind, so Jon is forced to get more work on her than others. Sarah is the mother of Musraq. We had to separate them because he's still trying to drink milk but he's getting too big for that. Sarah is the only one we attach to a rope so that she is out of reach for her foal. She doesn't have access to water so we untie her regularly to take her to the water supplies. Unlike Malou, Sarah is rather unpredictable and difficult to understand.
Sharouq, the nonchalant
Sharouq has a gray coat with red mane. When we arrived, she was pregnant and she was just dragging around all the time. She always keeps her head down while moving slowly. At first, we thought it was due to her pregnancy but Jon confirmed that she was always like that. She seemed tired and subject to mood swings. We knew that she could give birth any time (see below) ... Now she is a mother, developing new instincts. She keeps her nonchalance but she also responds effectively when it comes to protecting her child!
Rim, the mischievous
Physically, Rim looks like Sharouq, gray hair and red mane. Rim is not so easy to understand either. In general, she is pleasant and docile but she has her moods too! When we observe her among the other horses, we are sometimes surprised by her reactions. Although she appears calm, she's not letting anyone on her way! Sarah being attached on a rope and Sharouq being pregnant, Rim was the courtesan! Even young foals are going after her, attempting to imitate the adults perhaps...
Nadjim, the rope eater
It's simple, Nadjim is the name most often pronounced in the camp! He's always doing silly things so we are all yelling at him! He is rather small but big. Maybe he will gain a few centimeters, he's only one year and a half. He's very malicious and we always talk about his “evil eye” when he gazes at us with madness. When we attach him to brush him, his greatest pleasure is to eat the rope! Besides, he chews anything he finds. Even though he drives us crazy sometimes, we like him very much. He is different and endearing in his own way.
Musraq, the colt who wants to be a horse
Musraq was the youngest, until the arrival of the filly. The first time we met him, we felt like hugging him because he is so cute. Hélène loves to care for him, his hair is soft and he is small enough to be caught in her arms! But his attitude has changed tremendously since we arrived! Like children who want to be considered adult, Musraq is the story of the colt who wants to be a horse. He is the first born in Al Jalilah, therefore he was named after the rock. When we met him, he had just been separated from his mother. Nadjim is always teasing him. Today, he begins to defend himself and sometimes, he's going to bother Nadjim too! He's following Nadjim around and the two of them are quite a team!
The filly
She was born on April 17 and has not been named yet. Meanwhile, we refer to her as "the baby". She is brown, a shade between Sahim and Malou, which does not help us to know who is the father ... yes, we speculate three against one! Brenda is the only one thinking that Malou is. Sahim has a very protective attitude toward the filly who has had a difficult first day (see below)...
Volunteers and guests
During our stay, we met two other volunteers. Oyama is a mature aged woman from Tokyo. She had come to attend a conference in Palestine but was denied the entry by Israeli soldiers. It's Florian who told her about Al Jalilah, they met in Petra few days ago. Florian is a thirty years old German who's traveling for a long time. We have a lot in common. Both have touched us with their stories, their experiences and humanism. It was a real pleasure to have them for a few days in Al Jalilah.
A typical day
Although every day is different, we entered quickly into a routine with the daily tasks required, mostly related to horses. This is how we would describe a typical day. We live with the sun, waking up and going to sleep early. Around 7am, we go greet the horses. Our tent is right next door and we regularly hear whinnies or moves. Over time, we can even recognize their steps and their actions ("Sahim is still trying to get to the other side to find Rim!"). Our first job
is not the most appealing, we collect the dung! Using a wheelbarrow, a shovel and a rake, we clean the paddock. Sometimes there is also excrement from camels who came during the night ... The wheel of the wheelbarrow being broken and the sand making its use very difficult, we carry it at arms length. Generally it is quite full when we transport it to the field to spread the substance... Sometimes, dozens of pigeons are on the field, they take off quickly and harmoniously.
They all fly in the same direction, then turn away to the shadow of the rocks. The decor is beautiful and we're not getting tired of this fabulous show! Once this task is accomplished, it's time for horses to exercise (they are intended to be mounted by tourists). Nadjim and Musraq are too young whereas Sharouq is on
maternity leave. Only Sahim, Malou, Rim and Sarah must be ridden. Hélène didn't feel confident at first, she stayed in the camp preparing breakfast while Laurent, Jon and Brenda went galloping through the desert. Back from the morning ride, we feed all the horses with dried grass dipped into water and served in nets. It slows down the swallowing, and thus facilitate digestion. It also avoid the grass being mixed with sand (yes, we are in the desert). After, we have
breakfast: tomatoes, cucumbers, hummus, cheese and eggs (boiled, scrambled or in omelet). Seated on thin mattresses on the floor, we use bread as a plate, cover and support. We learned how to prepare the Bedouin tea (with tons of sugar!)
Then, Hélène does some cleaning and often feed the dogs. Meanwhile, Jon and Laurent start doing other tasks (repair strings, refill the water trough, etc..) Having successfully managed to take the Gypsy van through the sand, Laurent earned a reputation! Consequently, he's been assigned driving through the desert to get water! It takes about one hour and half, using an old tractor. Manage water supply in the camp involves moving the water pump constantly to fill the various
tanks. In the early afternoon, we feed horses again with grass. We have lunch and then we brush and cuddle all the horses. Jon sometime rides one of them. Then we prepare their evening meal consisting of a mixture of seeds, oats and straw (sometimes corn) to which we add water. At the end of the day, we collect dung again. You have no idea how much fertilizer is produced daily at Al Jalilah!
As required, we work on other projects. For example, we water the baby olive trees, wash the linens, fix the tents after a sandstorm and strong winds, etc.. Hunting camels has also become part of our routine! It's fun the first few days but eventually, we got tired of it! One morning, Hélène found 14 of them eating from the bins at 6am! She would have preferred to start the day in another way! This problem will be solved as soon as the fence is completed. Yes, we are trying to
install a fence around the camp to prevent them from coming. When Florian and Oyama were here, we all worked on this project, taking advantage of the workforce! We have since stopped because we're missing some tools and materials. The electric generator stopped working and we need to drill into the rock. Digging holes in the sand wasn't easy, it was rather discouraging! As Brenda and Jon always say, “little by little, step by step "... Each task requires more time and effort than usual, it is also what life in the desert is about...
Entertainment: evenings around the fire and days off in Aqaba
One of the pleasures that life in Al Jalilah offers us is being around a fire. The Bedouin have always used the flames, either to get warm (nights are cold), to cook or to prepare the traditional sweet tea with herbs for healing. Brenda likes to light a fire. It usually means that we're having chicken for dinner. Sometimes we use the traditional cooking method: a large metal can is buried in the sand, a fire is light inside (at bottom) and outside (on top). The food is on a metallic basket over the inside fire. It cooks for about an hour. Then, the chicken and vegetables (potatoes, peppers, onions, peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, garlic) are placed on a large platter around which we sit down, sharing the meal using fingers. Sometimes we use a barbecue (faster). Often, we are joined by friends of Brenda. We usually drink a beer. It doesn't take much to be happy! These moments are always very pleasant.
When we take our day off, we go to Aqaba. Brenda drives us to the village in 4x4 and we wait for a bus. This may take several minutes or hours, depending on our luck! The journey takes less than an hour. Aqaba is a duty free zone, so we must pass through customs checkpoint . Generally, all the men get off while women and children remain inside. In Aqaba, we go to an internet place and treat ourselves with a special meal.
April 17, 2010: a day like no other...
April 17, 2010 deserves to be marked in our calendar, this was a very special day for all residents of Al Jalilah... It began early in the morning. Hélène got
used to get up first because she likes to have a cup of coffee before starting the day. That morning, she had passed the paddock without paying attention because it was so quiet. Only when she heard Jon yelling "Mooooomm!" she realized that something very important had happened ... When she joined him, she discovered to his side a small filly who could barely stand on her four legs. She looked just like Bambi in its attitude! As we marveled at this baby girl, she slid under Malou's legs. Panicked, he
began to gesticulate. Bambi lost her balance and fell on the ground. Then it all happened so quickly, all the horses went kind of crazy. By that time, Brenda had walked out of her tent and suggested to let all of them out of the enclosures which we did. All this craziness got Laurent out of his sleep so he joined us. The filly was born during the night and none of us heard anything. She was already clean and the placenta was left in the middle of the paddock. Just released, the horses began to gallop around!
We stayed a long time to observe the new girl, she is so cute! Then we worried because her mother didn't seem to care much and she wouldn't let her drink the milk. A few hours later, all was fine. Sharouq had officially become a mother. Seeing all this energy, Brenda decided after breakfast to take the horses out of the camp. At first, Sarah and Malou were pulled by the car, Sahim mounted bareback by Jon and the others in total freedom. It was amazing to see them galloping freely in the desert! Back at the camp, everyone went about his business. The arrival of the filly had really disrupted our routine. By late afternoon, Laurent had gone one hour or two walking in the desert to take pictures. Brenda had began to prepare a cake and pancakes which the four of us devoured for dinner!
