Bedouin Experience in Wadi Rum, Jordan

A Bedouin is any member of a community of Arabic-speaking desert nomads of the Middle East. Ethnically, the Bedouin are identical to other Arabs. Bedouin traditionally have made their living by animal husbandry, and social rank among them is determined by the animals that they herd: camel nomads enjoy the greatest status, followed by sheep and goat herders and, finally, cattle nomads. Traditionally, Bedouin would migrate into the desert during the rainy season and return to cultivated areas during the dry season, but since World War II (1939 – 45) the governments of many countries have nationalized their range lands, and conflicts over land use have arisen. Many Bedouin have since adopted sedentary ways of life; most, however, retain pride in their nomadic heritage.

Wadi Rum also known as The Valley of the Moon is a valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock in south Jordan at 60 Km to the east of Aqaba. It is the largest wadi in Jordan. The name Rum most likely comes from an Aramaic root meaning 'high' or 'elevated'. To reflect its proper Arabic pronunciation, archaeologists transcribe it as Wadi Ramm.

Wadi Rum has been inhabited by many human cultures since prehistoric times, with many cultures — including the Nabateans — leaving their mark in the form of rock paintings, graffiti, and temples. As of 2007, several Bedouin tribes inhabit Rum and the surrounding area. In the West, Wadi Rum may be best known for its connection with British officer T. E. Lawrence aka Lawrence of Arabia, who based his operations here during the Arab Revolt of 1917–18. In the 1980s one of the impressive rock formations in Wadi Rum was named "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom" in memory of Lawrence's book penned in the aftermath of the war, though the 'Seven Pillars' referred to in the book actually have no connection with Wadi Rum.

When we arrived in Wadi Rum, we were pleasantly surprised to meet Hanim Benziane, a Malaysian living in Doha, with her Husband Karim, and kids, Ryan and Louisa. We had a great night camping in the desert and were visited by wild dogs overnight. The next morning however, we got bogged down in the sand and as were were digging our way out, met some Bedouin, in a 4WD who offered to let us attach our winch to their truck, for a fee.

Desert dining
Wadi Rum, Jordan
21 Dec 08

The desert is one big sandpit
Wadi Rum, Jordan
22 Dec 08

Tuah gets bogged down
Wadi Rum, Jordan
22 Dec 08

We need to dig Tuah out of the dunes
Wadi Rum, Jordan
22 Dec 08

Adrian and his Bedouin friend
Wadi Rum, Jordan
22 Dec 08

What's left of what was supposed to be Lawrence of Adrabia's house
Wadi Rum
Jordan

Plants growing in the middle of the desert
Wadi Rum
Jordan

Running wild in the desert
God's idea of a giant sand pit
Wadi Run
Jordan

Nabatean Stone Drawings
Wadi Rum
Jordan

With Hanim, Karim, Louisa and Ryan
Wadi Rum, Jordan

Sleding on the White Sands, NM, USA

Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world's great natural wonders - the glistening White Sands National Monument of New Mexico. Here, great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert and created the world's largest gypsum dune field. White Sands National Monument preserves a major portion of this unique dune field, along with the plants and animals that have successfully adapted to this constantly changing environment.

Unlike dunes made of quartz-based sand crystals, the gypsum does not readily convert the sun's energy into heat and thus can be walked upon safely with bare feet, even in the hottest summer months. In areas accessible by car, children frequently use the dunes for downhill sledding. Sliding downhill is an exhilarating sport. The proper position for sledding is to sit or lay on your back on the top of the sled, with your feet pointing downhill. Sledding head first increases the risk of head injury and should be avoided.

The white sands dune field is an active dune field. The dunes move from west to east as much as thirty feet per year. Many species of plants and animals have developed very specialized means of surviving in this area of cold winters, hot summers, with very little surface water and highly mineralized ground water. Most desert animals are nocturnal, coming out to feed only at night when temperatures are cooler. Every animal in the white sands makes tracks on the dunes as it moves, leaving clues to its nocturnal activities.

Tuah in the White Sands
Alamogardo, NM
11 August 2009

Adrian seeks shelter
White Sands
Alamogardo, NM
11 August 2009

Adrian in the White Sands
Alamogardo, NM
11 August 2009

Adrian in the White Sands
Alamogardo, NM
11 August 2009

Ghani makes his way up the dunes....slowly
White Sands
Alamogardo, NM
11 August 2009

...and he's up...
White Sands
Alamogardo, NM
11 August 2009

....and he's on his way down!
White Sands
Alamogardo, NM
11 August 2009

Ghani, Adriani and Tuah in the White Sands
Alamogardo, NM
11 August 2009

Adrian in a Junior ranger vest and a Park Ranger
White Sands
Alamogardo, NM
11 August 2009

The Pyramids Of Giza, Egypt

If there was one thing Adrian was looking to, it would have been this - to see the great Pyramids of Giza! He had in fact a little more knowledge about Egypt than Ghani and I did, thanks to the educational DVDs he had been watching in the back seat!

Upon arrival at Giza, we were told that we were too late to enter, as the ticket office had closed 5 minutes before hand. The next morning though, much to his disappointment, Adrian wasn't feeling too well, a side effect from the Lariam, which we just started taking in preparation for the rest of Africa. A good rest helped and we headed out to the Pyramids again after lunch.

Being told we can't go in, as the ticket office closes at 4pm
Giza, Egypt
28 Dec 08

Adrian not feeling too well
Cairo, Egypt
29 Dec 08

Despite being told by several touts along the way that it was forbidden to drive further, as they did everything they could to get us to park Tuah in the car park and take a ride on one of their camels, we carried on, prepared to mow anyone in our way and drove right up to the foot of the Pyramids.

It's certainly a sight to behold and seeing the Sphinx was like meeting an old friend. The Great Pyramid of Giza (also called the Pyramid of Khufu and the Pyramid of Cheops) is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis bordering what is now El Giza, Egypt. It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact.

It is believed the pyramid was built as a tomb for fourth dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops in Greek) and constructed over a 20-year period concluding around 2560 BC. The Great Pyramid was the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years. Originally the Great Pyramid was covered by casing stones that formed a smooth outer surface; what is seen today is the underlying core structure. Some of the casing stones that once covered the structure can still be seen around the base.

There have been varying scientific and alternative theories about the Great Pyramid's construction techniques. Most accepted construction hypotheses are based on the idea that it was built by moving huge stones from a quarry and dragging and lifting them into place.

There are three known chambers inside the Great Pyramid. The lowest chamber is cut into the bedrock upon which the pyramid was built and was unfinished. The so-called Queen's Chamber and King's Chamber are higher up within the pyramid structure. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only pyramid in Egypt known to contain both ascending and descending passages. The main part of the Giza complex is a setting of buildings that included two mortuary temples in honor of Khufu (one close to the pyramid and one near the Nile), three smaller pyramids for Khufu's wives, an even smaller "satellite" pyramid, a raised causeway connecting the two temples, and small mastaba tombs surrounding the pyramid for nobles.

Adrian's been wanting to see the Pyramids for the last 3 weeks! Finally, the day has come!
Giza, Egypt
29 Dec 08

It's a little bigger than I thought...
Adrian at the Pyramids
Giza, Egypt
29 Dec 08

My pyramid is a lot smaller than the one over there..
Adrian at the Pyramids
Giza, Egypt
29 Dec 08

Tuah has made it all the way to the Pyramids
Giza, Egypt
29 Dec 08

Ghani gets a camel kiss
Giza, Egypt
29 Dec 08

We put up with the madness of Cairo to see the last standing wonder of the ancient world...it was the one thing that Adrian had looked forward to for weeks and his happiness made it all worth it!
Giza, Egypt
29 Dec 08

Sudan's Ancient Nubian Pyramids, Jebal Berkal

Jebel Barkal or Gebel Barkal is a very small mountain located some 400 km north of Khartoum, in Karima town in Northern State in Sudan, on a large bend of the Nile River, in the region called Nubia.

The mountain, together with the historical city of Napata which sits at its feet, were considered by UNESCO, in 2003, World Heritage Sites.

Around 1450 BC, the Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose III extended his empire to that region and considered Gebel Barkal its southern limit. There, he campaigned near the city of Napata that, about 300 years later, became the capital of the independent kingdom of Kush. The 25th Dynasty Nubian king Piye later greatly enlarged the New Kingdom Temple of Amun in this city and erected his Year 20 Victory stela within it.

The ruins around Gebel Barkal include at least 13 temples and 3 palaces, that were for the first time described by European explorers in the 1820s. In 1862 five inscriptions from the Third Intermediate Period were recovered by an Egyptian officer and transported to the Cairo Museum, but not until 1916 were scientific archeological excavations performed by a joint expedition of Harvard University and the Museum of Fine Arts of Boston under the direction of George Reisner.From the 1970’s, explorations continued by a team from the University of Rome La Sapienza, under the direction of Sergio Donadoni, that was joined by another team from the Boston Museum, in the 1980’s, under the direction of Timothy Kendall. The larger temples, such as that of Amun, are even today considered sacred to the local population.

The mountain is 98 m tall, has a flat top, and apparently was used as a landmark by the traders in the important route between central Africa, Arabia, and Egypt, as the point where it was easier to cross the great river.

Jebel Barkal served as a royal cemetery during the Meroitic Kingdom. The earliest burials date back to the 3rd century BCE.
Bar. 1 King from the middle of the 1st century BCE.
Bar. 2 King Teriqas (ca. 29-25 BCE)
Bar. 4 Queen Amenirenas (1st century BCE.)
Bar. 6 Queen Nawidemak (1st century BCE.)
Bar. 7 King Sabrakamani (3rd century BCE.)
Bar. 9 King or Queen of the early 2nd century AD
Bar. 11 King Aktisanes or Aryamani (3rd century BCE.)
Bar. 14 King Aktisanes or Aryamani (3rd century BCE.)
Bar. 15 King Kash (3rd century BCE.)

Nuri is a place in modern Sudan on the south (east) side of the Nile. Close to it, there are pyramids belonging to Nubian kings. Nuri is situated about 15 km north of Sanam, and 10 km from Jebel Barkal. All these remains belonged to the ancient city Napata, the first capital of the Nubian kingdom of Kush.



The earliest pyramid at Nuri belongs to king Taharqa which measures 51.75 metres square by 40 or by 50 metres high. His successor Tantamani was buried somewhere else, but all following Nubian kings and many of their wives till Nastasen (about 330 BC) were buried here.The pyramids at Nuri are in general smaller than the Egyptian ones and are today often heavily destroyed, but they often still contained substantial parts of the funerary equipment of the Kushite rulers who were buried here. During the Christian era, a church was erected here.The church was built of many old stones, including several stelae originally coming from the pyramids.

The pyramids were systematically excavated by George Reisner.
The pyramids of Nuri together with other buildings in the region around Gebel Barkal have been placed on the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage sites since 2003

We had no photos of the Pyramids at Nuri, as just as we whipped out our cameras, we were confronted by an armed army officer, waving his Kalashnikov at us.

There is another site of such Pyramids in Meroe, which we did not visit

The Pyramids in Jebal Berkal
Karima, Sudan
17 Jan 09

Alison at the Pyramids in Jebal Berkal
Karima, Sudan
17 Jan 09

Ghani at the Pyramids in Jebal Berkal
Karima, Sudan
17 Jan 09

Ghani at the Pyramids
Karima, Sudan
Sudan

Adrian in Karima
Sudan