It was day three into my trip into Jordan and I was scared.  I had forgotten an important lesson about manners and customs in different countries. Sitting in a Bedouin tent in the desert of Wadi Rum as guest of the family, I had dined on lamb and rice and drank sweet tea. Fortunately I had remembered to eat only with my right hand from the communal platter, the left is used for toilet purposes in Jordan and it is considered both unhygienic and rude to use it.

What I had forgotten is that sitting cross-legged is also important because if you show the soles of your bare feet to a Bedouin it is the greatest insult you can offer. Fortunately I remembered in time and the incident passed away with no more than a shaking of the head by the old man opposite. An offer to let them view the hills through my powerful binoculars soon rectified the situation!

Jordan is a place where you can walk all day alone in a peaceful environment with stunning scenery and history. It is actually a benign dictatorship ruled by the King who everybody loves and despite the troubles of the Middle East, the country is still regarded as “The quiet house in the noisy neighbourhood”.  Jordan has much to offer the travel enthusiast simply because it is so big and has vast areas of virtually uninhabited mountains and deserts.......................

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