Immediately upon stepping foot on Jordanian soil after crossing the Red Sea by ferry from the Sinai Peninsula to Aqaba, it becomes apparent the difference between the two countries. The most obvious is wealth. Jordan does not have the geographical size, population or natural resources of Egypt, yet manages to have a strong currency and a middle class majority. The resort city of Aqaba and the capital city Amman are cleaner, well maintained and more modern than any Egyptian city. However, travel into the rural communities and a different story emerges.
Jordan is both a historical and newly minted nation which starts to explain the differences seen on the ground. The demography is comprised of a number of people groups which settled in the country at different points in time. The Bedouin have the longest connection with the lands and live a confusing existence between urban wealth and nomadic impoverishment by driving pimped out Toyota Hyluxes and living in tents. The other people groups emigrated from various countries in the general vicinity meaning that the skin tones are significantly more diverse; although luscious, long, blonde hair still attracts self-esteem boosters and photo queries.
The Kingdom of Jordan is very much a modern day monarchy, with photos of the ruling family gracing the walls of restaurants, hotels, government buildings and humble souvenir shops. The streets on the other hand are dominated by political posters vying for prominence and competing with road safety signs. These posters proudly display the portraits of a collection of colourful candidates making a stroll down the road a veritable game of Guess-Who. Some drivers also adorn their vehicles with these posters making their cars both unroadworthy and hard to clean when the elections wrap up. Interestingly, the range of characters presented reveal the diversity in the Jordanian political landscape even if the legislative system is only a faux-democracy.
The geography changes rapidly from one section of the country to the other. Amman sits 1400m above sea level, yet within an hour drive, one can reach the lowest place on Earth at the Dead Sea (-400m). The area around Wadi Rum is reminiscent of the red soil and rocky outcrops of Monument Valley, while Petra is a fascinating ancient city set in a Grand Canyon-esque landscape. In this country where Laurence of Arabia is a national hero, the rugged natural beauty is complimented by the pleasing sight of completed buildings. Pay attention Egypt!
Jordan has issues with water; in terms of both the lack of it and how to handle large quantities of it. In addition to having large swaths of desert, apparently the region has been in drought for some time meaning water restrictions are a way of life. However at the time of visiting, the country had been hit with 24 hours of continuous rain - nothing outrageous - yet the roads quickly turned to rivers, revealing one serious lack of drainage. Maybe this could also explain the reason why toilet paper is to be placed in a waste basket rather than part of the regular flushing regime.
Next stop: Israel.
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