In Jordan!

A quick note to let you know that I successfully crossed the dusty border into Jordan. The El Al flight was thankfully uneventful (although the guy behind me moaned with every dip as if we were about to crash). El Al, for all its great security, is a little rough around the edges. Plane was beat up, and the flight attendants looked a little worn too. I love their inflight service. Some guy walks down the aisle and tosses a granola bar into your lap, followed by another ambivalent attendant with cups in one hand and a bottle of water in the other. Only an hour flight, however.

Eilat is windy, hot, and dusty. And a resort town on the Red Sea. Lots of kids on my flight headed for a loud family holiday. Fortunately I was headed for the border. And it was also fortunate that I clarified which border, because the taxi almost took me to the egyptian border. It was only a few minutes ride. He stopped, I got out and began about a 200 yard trek from the Israeli side to the Jordanian side. The israelis hit me with a 101 shekel charge on the way out. After I passed a few more Israeli flags, I walked through a final gate and found myself in a no mans land between countries. This stretch run about 100 yards. Nothing but me, the desert, the sun and a little barbed wire. As I muled across it, I passed a few folks, mostly older women on their way to israel.

Once on the other side, I was waived into Jordan, or it's security apparatus. Of course, everyone had a gun, but that's a sight you get used to in israel. I got my visa, had a scan made of my retinas, chatted up the goofy clerk who, I think, was making fun of my first name, and then walked into Jordan, where i was met with a fleet of taxis. Made my way to my hotel (what they politely call a 3 star, a real tourist hotel which, while not the nicest accommodation, also seems to have the most interesting travelers.

I get picked up at 9 tomorrow morning and head to Petra. Given the heat and sun already, I've decided I will take Chen's advice and sport my short set in Petra!