Walking the Wadi

So we left Eilat after swimming in the Red Sea and doing some sweet shopping in a makeshift bazaar.
I met some awesome girls at the hostel from America, they are super cool! There was a guy at the hostel who was a Druce, so we were talking to him and discussing our different world views. He used to be an officer in the Army and caught countless terrorists, and they are Mennonite(one of their foundational beliefs is non violence, so interesting.
Then we crossed the boarder into Jordan, there was someone gaurding the boarder and Micah(6) decided to announce really loudly that he had a big gun! AHAH.
As soon as we crossed the boarder two things happened.
First the guys were VERY forward. Paying us special attention, sometime traveling with 5 girls has its ups and downs. Second, after hours of driving in the desert with several signs telling us to watch for camels and seeing none, two camels just casually saunter across the road. Crys of joy came from all around.
Petra is about a 2 hour drive in the desert from the boarder. You might think that we would be sick of driving in the desert, but I for one was fascinated, there were Bedouin tents everywhere with their animals grazing along side(on what I have no idea, but grazing none-the-less). Half way there we stopped at a shop that was selling all sorts including coffee. It was very strong but you could get used to it. It was at that shop that it happened, something I have been preparing myself for a time for. A marriage proposal, as I said Jordanians are very forward and the shop keeper decided to ask my mother how many camels I was. SCORE. So if I don't find anyone at home I decided that I'll just move here :P

Then we arrived, Petra is breathtaking. Words and pictures do no justice. We climbed to the top of the monastery, a mere 905 steep steps up. When we got down it was getting late so our donkey owner(we got a donkey for Micah, a lifesaver) took us to the Bedouin village. Nothing really sets it apart as Bedouin anymore as they all live in houses except for the fact that they used to live in the caves of Petra and now all work there. Either giving donkey, horse or camel rides or selling jewelery and wares along the path.
That night we stayed in Little Petra, which is a Bedouin camp ala hotel. An experience I will never forget, sleeping in tents, eating Bedouin food. In the morning we saw a baby camel, only a week old, its owner taking it for some food, so gorgeous. But probably our favorite thing was theg Bedouin tea. Seriously, this tea is SO GOOD, it comes in little glasses, is strong, sweet and minty. We left promising to make lots of it at home.
On the second day we went to the Royal Tombs, the Byzantine church and the High Place of Sacrifice. While at the Royal Tombs dad decided to climb to the top for panoramic views, and mum and Micah went somewhere. So Selah and I hung out, as it was the middle of the day and getting very hot, one of the donkey owners(who we had quickly become friends with) invited us under the shelter of one of the jewelery shanties. The girls there were hilarious, they made us more tea and talked with us as we teased the donkey owner about liking one of the girls. The girls were Miriam 16, who was engaged and will be married in 4 months. I found out that her fiance had been her secret boyfriend and had her parents found out she could be killed, and Hannan 17, who we teased about liking the donkey boy but we found out that she had a secret boyfriend by looking on her phone( They all have cellphones!). Then we climbed up the minuscule 720 stair to the High Place of Sacrifice and saw Arron's tomb. Half of the way down we got Camels to almost the begining. One of the most terrifying and exciting things of my life!
As we were leaving I found out that Wadi Mousa translates into 'The Valley of Moses' and there is a place called 'The Spring Of Moses' too. Apparently I had been told this but had forgotten.
All the time I thought that the only real Biblical value was the Edomites(Esau's descendants) who lived on one of the hills. But they believe this is the place that Moses struck the rock and brought water from it.
I was kinda frustrated that I had forgotten it and walked the whole thing without that knowledge haha!
This trip is already starting to bring the Bible alive!
Now we are staying at a pokey little hotel and about to leave for the boarder again.
Sorry for all the grammatical errors, haha, this is done in a rush!