Mar 1

Mar 1 "Dos and Don’ts for Adventure Seekers Outside Amman" by Veronica Tis

As I was walking around Rainbow Street for the last time of my semester, glancing at the beautiful lights strung above the street and the people smoking shisha inside the cafes, I began reflecting on my experience living and studying in Amman these past four months. I asked myself, “what is it that you will remember the most when you look back on this important time of your life?”. I had a hard time answering this honestly. There were so many aspects of my experience that I wanted to dive into, or more so, that I will dive into on my own time once I am home. What my thoughts kept going back to the most, however, were the many unique experiences I had outside Amman, engendered by my urge for adventure and exploration. I wanted to use this last blog post of mine to describe the activities I participated in outside of the city of Amman so that students in the future can embark on their own adventures as I did or avoid some of the mistakes that I wish I had known about beforehand.

Veronica sits between two other young women on the ground in the dark. All three smile to the camera. There are city lights in the background. — Veronica and her friends one night camping. Photo credit: Tis, 2021.

Tents are set up on a sloping hillside. In the mid-ground is a snaking river between hills. The sun is low on the horizon. — The campsite at King Talal Dam. Photo credit: Tis, 2021.

There are tables set up outside at a campsite with dishes of food. Several students are filling their plates. It is dark. — The delicious meal prepared while camping. Photo credit: Schmida, 2021.

Veronica, in Scuba gear, poses for the camera underwater above a reef. — If you are not as comfortable scuba diving, you can also snorkel and see many of the same things as diving. Photo credit: Bedouin Garden Village Scuba staff, 2021.

Dos

Veronica and her friend at Aqaba. Photo credit: Tis, 2021.

A wooden sign reads "Rum Planet Camp". The sign stand in the desert. — For our Fall Break, my friends and I in the Amideast cohort booked a desert trek in Wadi Rum with Rum Planet. Photo Credit, Tis, 2021.

Go camping while it is still warm (September, maybe October)! I camped twice, in King Talal Dam and in Dibeen forest. I highly recommend going with JoNavigators. You can find them on Instagram. They run several trips on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and charge very little. Their camping trips usually include a delicious dinner cooked over the fire and breakfast is usually at a local place in a town nearby. You can carpool for transportation if it is not offered. They also provide tents for 5 JD extra. As the weather gets cooler, they offer more hikes which are also super fun.
Go snorkeling and scuba diving in Aqaba! For someone who had never gone scuba diving before, Aqaba was the most beautiful first time for this experience. I went scuba diving with the Bedouin Garden Village. They offer Scuba diving lessons for around 30 JD a dive. I felt comfortable diving with them because the instructor was extremely patient and kind. If you are not as comfortable scuba diving, you can also snorkel and see many of the same things as diving (rainbow reef, Japanese gardens).
Desert Trekking: For our Fall Break, my friends and I in the Amideast cohort booked a desert trek in Wadi Rum with Rum Planet. This trip was by far, the most memorable trip for me and for many of the other students. Amideast staff helped us find a driver to bring us to Wadi Rum. The rest of the trip was super easy. They provided us with blankets, water, and all of our meals for 2.5 days. The trek included a 2 hour jeep tour deep into the desert, where we set up camp under the stars and ate delicious maqluba. We then had time to explore and lay out under the stars at night, playing games and telling stories. The second day, we drove to Jabal Umm ad Dami, the tallest mountain in Jordan. The views from the top of the mountain were breathtaking. The last day included a camel ride back to the camp.

8 students sit on cushions on the ground, leaning against the side of a canyon. They have blankets and hot tea. — This trip was by far, the most memorable trip for me and for many of the other students. Photo credit: Rum Planet staff, 2021.

Veronica stands on a rock outcropping overlooking a canyon and rocky desert scene. — The views from the top of the mountain were breathtaking. Photo credit: Tis, 2021.

Don’ts

When in Aqaba….I would recommend staying in South Beach. Photo credit: Tis, 2021.

When in Aqaba….I would recommend staying in South Beach, but do NOT assume that you can easily buy things at a nearby store. If you are not staying in the resort village, there are not many options for food and stores until you go to downtown Aqaba. We stayed at the Bedouin Garden Village. You will notice many other foreigners staying at the hostels around this area. You can easily book on Booking.com. There are meals offered here, but to save money, try stopping beforehand to get everything you might need. Taxis to downtown are pretty cheap though.
Downtown Aqaba is more conservative than the resort village area. With that being said, do NOT dress like a tourist (please wear appropriate clothing) to avoid unwanted attention.
Do NOT go hiking in the Scandinavian Forest without a pre-planned ride both there AND back. My friend and I booked an Uber ride to the forest to enjoy a nice hike, but we assumed that we could call an Uber back. To save yourself time and stress, you can try arranging the trip with a driver who will bring you there and back.