My Diary Travelogues | The Levant | 1996 | May 09 to May 15 | Part 2 – Jordan

Hi Friends, this is the second part of an account of some of my travels from 1996. I kept diaries for many years and they are now enabling me to revisit the past and bring it back to life on the pages of Steemit. It is a most enjoyable undertaking for me.

If you are just joining in, you may first wish to read:

• Travelogues | The Levant | 1996 | May 05 to May 08 | Part 1 – Egypt

If you are following along from the first part, I appreciate your company and I thank you for your attention.

Namaste.

Thursday, 9th May 1996 | 15:15 | Amman (Jordan)

All a muddle and I'm busy sorting out what to do!

Rather a weak, negative impression of the Jordanians. Had to pay £23 Sterling for the visa – nothing to do but accept. Then found myself on a 6.30am bus to Amman with lots of Egyptians from the boat. The driver was an aggressive, pushy character, snubbing the humble Egyptians. Slept the three and a half hours on the bus. Said goodbye to my last direct contact with Egypt whose friendly openness I now realize I had begun to take for granted, and got to the centre of Amman.

First thing I did after finding a hotel was to visit the Syrian embassy, where I found the country to have been closed to foreigners for some time. Returned, mulled over things for a bit and decided to try and get to Turkey through Iraq. Again, the Iraqi embassy was a non-starter as they didn't seem to want any foreigners. I could fly to Turkey for around £90 Sterling and carry on from there. Pity about Syria, had looked forward to a couple of weeks in which I might even have got my 3000 word essay written. I could fly either tomorrow, or wait another week. I do want more time in the Arab world though! I could get a boat from Israel to Turkey, but that would work out at least as expensive. If I stayed a week, I coud either look for somewhere quiet and at least make a start on the essay, or I could go to Palestine! Ok – I could buy a ticket, leave tomorrow for Turkey and try and get into Syria from the North, although there's no guarantee of success and I dislike rushing things or giving up everything as easily as that! I'd like at least the compromise of some compensation over the next week!

...later | 20.25

So, I've decided not to leave tomorrow. A stage had arrived when I got up with the intention of buying a ticket for tomorrow. Went to yet another travel agent where I spoke to Mohammad. £79 + 10 (tax) for the flight. Gave myself half an hour in which to decide, half looking for a sign to help me along. Had to rely on reason eventually; I don't like rushing things and I also want to make an effort to get my essay written and, as long as I'm in an Arabic-speaking country, should be able to find that little bit of enthusiasm with which to build up enough momentum to get at least a rough draft done! Besides, I might as well visit Jerash and the Dead Sea whilst I'm here!

Walked around and felt glad to have decided as I did. Whistled and sang to myself and climbed the amphitheatre. This is how ruins should be preserved – not artificially, but free to the public, open, where kids can scramble up and down and I can sit in peace! Beginning to discover a character in Jordan and lose some of this morning's negative impression.

Sunday, 12th May 1996 | 08:35 | Amman (Jordan)

Didn't do much the day before, but I did start writing my 3000 word essay and got approx. 200 words written. It's going to take a while and a good deal of concentration, but I really must try and get at least 1500 words written before I leave Jordan.

Yesterday I went with some others from the hotel to the Dead Sea. I enjoyed the 5 hours we spent there. It's an amazing place, in a huge valley with mountains around; barren, sandy land, and then this enormous lake! Just floated, impossible to sink, but I foolishly did a somersault and despite having them closed, got salt in my eyes and had to wash them. Wonderful just foating and bobbing up and down effortlessly. Had some beers when we got back. Dreamt of India last night.

Tuesday, 14th May 1996 | 11:20 | Amman (Jordan)

Right! - I'm waiting now for an interview with the Lebanese Ambassador, as he seems to want to clear all foreigners entering his country personally. I've grown to like Amman and Jordan and most of the Jordanians (who are mainly Palestinian anyway).

Haven't really done an awful lot. Went to 'Salt' for a few hours yesterday with Tina, a German girl from the hotel. Pleasant place. Later, walked round Amman by myself, not sight-seeing, rather atmosphere-soaking.

At the moment the position is that I could get a lebanese visa for 14JD¹, a flight to Beirut for 55JD, and then an uncertain 50% guarantee from the Syrian embassy of getting a visa at the Lebanese-Syrian border. It really is a bit of a risk as I've had conflicting opinions on that possibility and if I cannot get a Syrian visa, the only way out would be to fly - or else a boat to Cyprus, and another to Turkey! I'm going to ask the Ambassador himself what he thinks. An adventure nonetheless!
_{1. One Jordanian Dinar was worth a little over £1 Sterling at the time.}

Wednesday, 15th May 1996 | 07:45 | Queen Alia Int. Airport, Amman (Jordan)

So that at least is settled! Mr Lebanese Ambassador, although he didn't know whether I could get a Syrian visa at the border - and who was asking me quite a few questions including why I used to keep a beard, gave me a visa after all. Had a nice night last night. Went up to the citadel again – enormous, sprawling ruins overlooking the city – for sunset, with Catrin and Tina (the 2 German girls) and Simon and Sarah (from London, been to India a few times). Nice pleasant atmosphere and we had a picnic, smoked cigs and talked.

Had a few drinks on the roof when we got back, and said our farewells. There was an Irishman there, Carl, who said he fancied a few days in Lebanon. He's going to get his visa and I said I'd meet up with him in Beirut in two days' time.

Depart in less than an hour!

• Travelogues | The Levant | 1996 | May 15 - May 18 | Part 3 – Lebanon