Officially past the halfway point on the Jordan Trail Thru-Hike, Andrew has shared with us many breathtaking photos and exciting and heartwarming tales of adventure. He has been documenting many of these through his blog, but Jordan Tourism Board North America would like to share with you some highlights of his trip so far.
“Climbing higher, past chickpea fields and olive groves, we smelled the fragrant smoke of outdoor barbecues—whole families gathered round a fire, grilling kebabs on this weekend afternoon. An hour later, we all gathered around our own fire, grinning from the day’s good hike, sipping smoky cups of tea and basking in the afterglow of physical strain—rewarding our bodies with rest.”
“Every day the path turns greener, as if some divine hand has Photoshopped the landscape, dialing up the brightness to an implausible green that demands sunglasses and a long afternoon rest in the shade of a jujube tree. Already, we have enjoyed a few passing moments of rain and watched the land respond with life and a million rustling leaves. At times, the sky resembles a grey watercolor of swirling clouds—at other moments it glows empty and blue.”
“One by one, small children descend from the upstairs balcony, surrounding us and welcoming us with shy smiles, leading us indoors and urging us to sit, relax, to have a drink and cool off. We are a massive group of hikers, and within minutes our dusty boots fill up the outer hallway. To plop down on a floor draped with carpets and lined with soft embroidered cushions feels like one of the greatest luxuries I have known. After a day’s hike, my happiness is bare feet and mint tea.”
“Milking sheep is not the kind of craft you can just pick up and suddenly go pro. These Bedouin girls had been milking sheep for years, and I watched their deft hands get to the task where I had failed, filling up the foamy bucket and then releasing the patient sheep, who quickly ran away from us like kids released from school.”
“‘A puppy!’ we cried, quickly scanning the area for any sign of a mama dog, but she was not there, and there were no other puppies around. The constant sound of a lost and lonely puppy howling out in pain was too heartbreaking, and though we had not even hiked our first mile that morning, I dropped to my knees, pulling the small and scrappy dog up into my chest.”
Andrew has many miles left to travel, and we hope you are as excited as us to follow along for the second half of the Jordan Trail Thru-Hike. If you're not signed up to receive updates from Andrew, check out the Andrew Walks Jordan homepage! By signing up, you'll also be entered to win a FREE trip for two to Jordan with airfare included!