Jordan; country of friendly people, natural beauty and kick ass falafel.

After a pleasant flight on Royal Jordanian, we arrived wide eyed and bushy tailed to Amman Airport, where we queued up for Visas amongst a plane load of meticulously made up Russian models (seems the white skin with red lipstick look never goes out of style in Moscow). Then we were immediately searched by the formal and thorough customs officers (professional camera equipment will do that, we'd better get used to it). Finally, we got a ride into Amman along the dead straight desert roads, by our friendly driver who gave us a super useful 20 minute lesson in Arab phrases.

Next day we made it to the southern town of Wadi Mosa ('Dried river bed by Moses'), from where we had the rare pleasure to see the magnificent splendour of Petra, well deserved of it's place amongst the Seven New Wonders Of The World (the others are, in case you wondered, The Great Wall of China, the Christ statue in Brazil, Machu Pichu in Peru, the Colosseum in Italy, the Taj Mahal in India, Chichen Itza in Mexico, and, the honorary candidate, the Great Pyramid in Egypt). Petra is a breath taking and fantastic ancient town, almost completely carved out of rock. Despite being hammered by earthquakes, floods and other elements it still is absolutely amazing. Remember that Indiana Jones movie? That was Petra.

Some strenuous climbing, several litres of water and one wobbly donkey ride later, we headed back to our not quite as awe inspiring hostel.