Pirates, Camels and Pharaohs - Whisper - Mahe to Aqaba

[TLCOhio]

1 minute ago, Silver Spectre said:

Great day in Petra today

 

Wonderful news!!  Hopefully you will be able to share some visuals and added details.  Did you walk all of the down and back?  Or, use the carts?

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

[Silver Spectre]

39 minutes ago, TLCOhio said:

 

Wonderful news!!  Hopefully you will be able to share some visuals and added details.  Did you walk all of the down and back?  Or, use the carts?

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

Walked all the way down and all the way back until I got a horse ride back for the final mile, even so it was exhausting on the way back up.

[TLCOhio]

14 minutes ago, Silver Spectre said:

Walked all the way down and all the way back until I got a horse ride back for the final mile, even so it was exhausting on the way back up.

 

Agree that it can be exhausting coming back.  It's uphill on a hard, challenging surface.  Not always cool and comfortable there.  We rode on a golf cart-like device with a friend who had some physical limitations in going down.  Then, we walked back up, UP, etc.  Great experience.  Not always easy for those us in "Middle Age" demographic!

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

[Silver Spectre]

[Randyk47]

1 hour ago, Silver Spectre said:

Walked all the way down and all the way back until I got a horse ride back for the final mile, even so it was exhausting on the way back up.

The walk back up was probably the hardest tour, or at least end of a tour, we’ve ever taken.   Having read it was difficult we actually had been working out at home for several months before the cruise.   We did two to three mile power walks every other day plus laps in our pool.  We even did treadmill time on the Spirit two or three times before we got to Petra.   We made it and though it’s only been four years since not sure we could do it again if at all without months of prep.

[audobon_tx]

The Siq, opening to the Treasury, a few years ago.  We made it both ways but 3 in our party took a ride back up.

[Randyk47]

47 minutes ago, audobon_tx said:

The Siq, opening to the Treasury, a few years ago.  We made it both ways but 3 in our party took a ride back up.

Have to say when you get that first glimpse of The Treasury it is one of those moments that takes your breath away.   

[Silver Spectre]

Day two in Aqaba and time to leave the WC. We had another dinner under the stars last night accompanied by a real damp squib of a Voices show. They only used 3 of them and sound was not good.

Fernando left late last night to go Istanbul then onto Alison for the Dawn naming ceremony. He will be back in 3 days.

 

Not looking forward to a 4 hour ride to Amann on roads that are as bumpy as hell.

[Silver Spectre]

After an interesting drive, allowing for a couple of coffee etc stops, we have arrived in Amann at the Grand Hyatt. After a break we will go exploring.

[TLCOhio]

14 hours ago, Randyk47 said:

Have to say when you get that first glimpse of The Treasury it is one of those moments that takes your breath away.   

 

YES,  agree that "first glimpse of The Treasury" is amazing!!  Our best to Silver Spectre for safely returning home.  Appreciate all of the posts, visuals and details.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

[Stumblefoot]

On 3/29/2022 at 10:58 PM, Silver Spectre said:

…a real damp squib of a Voices show.

Had to look “damp squib” up. 😉

 

Hope the return home was efficient and smooth. Spring will surely be well underway by now.

[Silver Spectre]

2 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

Had to look “damp squib” up. 😉

 

Hope the return home was efficient and smooth. Spring will surely be well underway by now.

It was a bit of an early start this morning but the flight was on time and we got home by 1am. Also got through immigration super fast for a change. It has been snowing in parts of the U.K. today and that is a shock from 25c yesterday down to zero tonight.

Edited March 31, 2022 by Silver Spectre

[Stumblefoot]

4 hours ago, Silver Spectre said:

It has been snowing in parts of the U.K. today and that is a shock from 25c yesterday down to zero tonight.

Woah!  I bet.

[Fletcher]

Snowing, yes, and our electricity has shot up from about 6p an hour when just coasting to around 18p an hour. My smart meter is the scariest thing I've seen since The Exorcist.  I figure it's far cheaper to switch everyone off at home and get on a cruise ship.  

[Silver Spectre]

Crossing the Line ceremony, a little tame in comparison with years ago

 

[Silver Spectre]

Slumming it at the Tour Desk, with a 90 degree twist

[Silver Spectre]

Not quite sure why, but this door was changed from opening out to opening in, and I watched a couple try to ignore the notice and get out!

Apologies, CC strikes again.

[Silver Spectre]

The ‘dry’ Bar in Yanbu

 

 

[Silver Spectre]

Sunset at Yanbu

[Silver Spectre]

Wear and tear above La Terrazza 

[Silver Spectre]

Sunset over the Sinai

[Silver Spectre]

Petra ready to go

[Silver Spectre]

Sunset over Amann

[hoya68]

On 3/16/2022 at 11:22 AM, Silver Spectre said:

We have an overnight in Jeddah.

Second prize is two nights in Jeddah.

[hoya68]

On 3/20/2022 at 12:15 PM, TLCOhio said:

 

Super appreciate all of these great details and the follow-up from audobon_tx. Very interesting and informative, especially about how these British commandos operate, the steel plates, etc.!!  Had not consider why and how the pirates might prefer the slower freight vessels versus the faster cruise ships.      

 

Continued excellent postings by Silver Spectre.  Understand your frustrations.  

 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio 

 

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