The flight here to Amman took some five hours, but with the time difference it wasn't until the early hours of the morning that I had cleared customs and immigration and was through to the arrivals lounge where the guide for my trip, Omar, was waiting for me. I was absolutely shattered and it was a struggle to keep up with his cheery chat. He told me that the rest of the group were due to arrive 24 hours later and that I had the day to myself tomorrow, or if I liked, he could organise something for me, I told him that I was happy to see the city via my own hapless wanderings. It was 3am local time when my head finally hit the pillow.
Got a good seven hours sleep, rose this morning, showered and went in search of sustanance. Got a super-strong coffee and a couple of pastries in the hotel's cafe, then went to check out the city. During the flight I'd scanned through the section on Amman in my guidebook and found it didn't promise much. It started; 'Amman isn't the prettiest or most historic city in the Middle East ... ' But I have to say I've had a rather mellow time strolling through the busy streets and poking into the markets and the old souk - which was fabulous - an assault on the senses, the noises, the smells, the colours - amazing. The city itself is quite striking - with few exceptions, no building is allowed to be more than four storeys high, and all must be built with the white limestone quarried from the hills surrounding Amman. The people are super-friendly as well, this may have been because when asked if I was American or English I shook my head and told them Irish (I have an Irish grandmother) - this seemed to be a good move! The majority of the city is ultra modern - spread out over the surrounding hills - and is apparently seen as a showpiece city for the Middle East. It's slightly odd to see women wrapped in dark gowns, their heads covered walking past stores with the latest western fashions in their windows. For (a late) lunch I was ushered into a sidewalk cafe where I ate falafel surrounded by old men wearing keffiyas and smoking shisha pipes. Strolled back to the hotel at dusk, serenaded by James Blunt's 'You're Beautiful' - is there no escape - coming from the doorways of the shops and cafes. I lounged by the pool until after dark, sipped a Coke and took dinner (mezze) at the hotel.
It's 11pm local time now, I've just come up to the room, plugged in my laptop and read my emails - lots of nice messages, thanks guys. Tomorrow we head out into the sands to see the Desert Castles - they date back to the time of the Crusades - we then head on down to Aquaba on the Red Sea coast. Finally Petra, can't wait. Going to read a little now (have with me TE Lawrence's account of his desert jolly!), and then to bed.