Travel Info
I have been travelling to the Middle East since 1958 and running tours since 1976, so I bring to the tour a wealth of experience. Some of my favourite places are in the countries of Jordan and Israel and I will delight in sharing them with you. I am sure that I can take you to places that no other tour will go and show you things the other tour operators don't even know about.
For example: if you are planning on going with anyone else, ask them how many Crusader castles there are in Petra? The answer is two and neither of them is on the High Place - and I'll show you both of them!
Security
The first question that comes to anyone's mind when thinking about a trip to the Middle East is, "Is it safe?"
It is impossible to guarantee that there will not be a road accident or terrorist incident anywhere in the world these days, but we will not knowingly take you into danger and we work with our local tour organisers to keep up-to-date with advice on security. In all the years since 1976 we have never had any bad experiences on our tours.
The much publicised unrest of the "Arab spring" seems to be dying down and although Egypt is possibly less stable than it used to be, I am not aware of any attacks on Western tourists. Jordan remained unaffected and is as friendly as ever. Although the press occasionally reports rocket attacks in Israel, they are well away from anywhere we shall be visiting. Likewise the intifada does not affect the places we visit.
Insurance
For your own protection, please take out comprehensive travel insurance to cover medical expenses, including repatriation to your homeland if that should be necessary. (And please don't keep anything back from the insurance company if you have any pre-existing health problems. There is nothing worse than to be stuck far from home with a policy that is useless because you didn't tell your insurers that you suffer from angina!)
Your insurance should also cover cancellation or alteration of the trip for any reason, including war or terrorism.
Clothing
This trip is taking place in the middle of summer and it is going to be hot! Particularly when we are down in the Jordan Valley, 1,200 feet below sea level, the sun is going to pressing down on you with a heat that can be felt! I recommend light coloured cotton clothes with long sleeves and long legs (or long skirts for ladies). Sun screen will only make you feel hotter as you trudge up to the High Place in Petra!
In addition I recommend a hat with a broad brim (not a baseball cap, please, which only shades your eyes and leaves your ears to fry to a crisp) and ladies in particular may wish to carry a small, collapsible umbrella for additional protection against the sun. If you don't like a hat then you can wear a scarf if a lady, and men you may wish to purchase a Jordanian headdress. You should wear shoes that are comfortable for walking, as we are going to be doing a fair bit of hiking around.
However as we are, for most of the time, 2,000 feet above sea level, the evenings are likely to be cool and in any case, the hotels are air-conditioned, often to near Arctic temperatures. A cardigan or light jacket will not come amiss!
Please remember that you will not be allowed in any churches we visit if your legs or arms are bare. In addition, ladies, you will be putting yourself in danger of harrasment, if not actual assualt, if you wear clothing considered indecent by the Muslim culture in Jordan.
You will need a swim suit if you intend to get wet in the Dead Sea or down by the Red Sea at Aqaba. In addition shorts and footwear that can get wet are needed to pass through Hezekiah's Tunnel. It will be no fun going round the rest of the day in wet jeans and soaking shoes.
I cannot imagine why anyone would want to bring priceless jewellery or heirlooms on an archaeology tour, but there is no accounting for tastes. If you do bring anything like that, please insure it well and be prepared to deposit it in the office safe at every hotel we visit. Under this heading come items of male jewellery such as expensive watches.
Obviously you may bring as much luggage as your airline allows, but those who carry the least will enjoy the trip the most. (Oh, and don't forget to leave room in your suitcase and weight allowance for souvenirs, including heavy books.)
Money
And speaking of souvenirs, what is the best way of carrying money?
In the past there was only one way - Travellers' Cheques. Following a spate of frauds in the 1990s, these fell suddenly and drastically out of favour and you will be hard pressed to find anyone who will accept them these days. That leaves you with the choice of cash or cards, as personal cheques will not be accepted anywhere.
Most tourist shops and businesses in the Middle East now accept a wide range of credit cards - usually Visa or MasterCard, with American Express a poor third (they charge a higher handling fee than the others!) Be aware that you will be charged a handling fee for transactions outside your home country and many cards also charge a conversion fee for transactions in a foreign currency (ie, not the currency of your home country). Clarify these charges with your card provider before you leave, as it may be better to apply for some other credit card whose charges are lower.)
Note that any cash withdrawals will attract the same fees as purchases and you will be charged interest from the moment you make the withdrawal.
You can usually find an ATM (cash machine) somewhere in the cities we visit and many of these will accept your bank card (also known as a Debit Card). This is the cheapest way of obtaining cash while abroad. Some hotels will also provide cash against a Debid Card as part of their service. Please check with your bank before you leave, to make sure that the card will work abroad.
Another popular payment method is by means of pre-paid (pre-loaded) cards. Enquire at your bank for information about these.
The easiest, but also the most insecure, method of paying for things is, of course, cash! American dollars are accepted everywhere, with major European currencies such as the British pound or the Euro accepted in most places. In major tourist centres you can probably even pay for taxi rides and refreshments with dollars, but you will never receive change in dollars and will almost certainly be offered a highly unfavourable exchange rate.
Our hotels will offer a currency exchange service, exchanging dollars for the local currency. The rate is not likely to be brilliant, but that's life. If you can find a bank the exchange rate will be better, but you will have to queue for ages and fill out lots of forms and none of the staff will speak English and they may inform customs if you have an exceptionally large amount of cash. They are best avoided. A commercial money changer is better, if you can find one. At one time such people had little offices all over the place, but the rise of electronic money transfer has tended to drive them out of the market.
Never, ever, not ever ever ever, use the black market. Although the rates offered will be unbelievably good, your chances of being cheated are so high as to be almost certainty. In addition the transaction will be illegal and can get you into serious trouble if you are caught.
Finally, once you have your money (in whatever currency), please be careful about where you carry it. If you put it in your wallet and your wallet in your hip pocket - and shirt pockets are almost as bad - you might as well drop it in the street with a big fluorescent sign saying "Free cash. Help yourself". A day pack carried on your back is equally insecure. A money-belt, an inside zippered pocket, a small bag that you wear in front of you, are safer options. Ladies, make sure that your handbag closes with a zip and that you carry it in front of your body and with your arm across the opening. Oh, and keep your passport and other travel documents in the same place.
Most people are honest, some - considering the poverty in many Middle Eastern countries - incredibly so. However it only takes one dishonest person to totally ruin your trip. As in most things, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Photography
You will want to bring back memories of all the places you have visited and fortunately photography is permitted everywhere we are going, with the exception of some of the museums.
If you are buying a new camera for the occasion, please buy it at least a month before you leave and make sure that you know how it works (and if it works!) We have once or twice had someone on our tours who bought a brand-new super-duper camera in some duty-free stopover, only to find that it was faulty!
More common, however, is the person whose battery runs out on the second day and the they are stuck because they left the charger at home! In the old days we frequently had someone who brought two films because he normally only uses one a year and then used them both on the first day! Fortunately this isn't so much of a problem with digital cameras that can fit thousands of pictures on a single memory card, but it is still a good idea to bring a spare battery and memory card for your camera (and don't forget the charger) and a spare battery and plenty of spare tapes if you have a video camera.
Other equipment
Obviously you will want to pack personal toiletries, but a travel plug to fit a variety of plug holes might be useful. Even though we will be staying in 5-star hotels, it is surprising how often a plug is missing from the bath or washbasin. And speaking of plugs, a travel adaptor for your electrical plugs is a good idea. Both Israel and Jordan use sockets that require two round pins and supply 220 volts.
European and Australian mobile phones will work in both Israel and Jordan (but be aware that roaming charges can be eye-wateringly expensive!) American mobile phones will not unless you have a quad-band phone. I am not sure about Blackberries and other mobile devices. Contact your supplier in case of doubt. If you anticipate using your phone a lot, it may be worth purchasing a local SIM card. These are available at Ben Gurion airport during office hours (approximately 8.30 to 5.30) and from various places in Jordan.
You may wish to pack a few simple medical supplies such as aspirin in case of headaches, plasters and disinfectant for blisters, and, of course, any medications that you normally require. Make sure that you have a sufficient supply before setting out. If you have to see a doctor to renew a prescription we will do our best to accommodate you, but you may miss out on a day's sight-seeing and have to take a taxi at your own expense to catch up with us at the next hotel.
One important medication is something to cope with "Pharaoh's Revenge" or "Delhi Belly" or "Montezuma's Revenge" or whatever name you are familiar with. The change of climate and bugs may mean that you come down with an attack of diarrhea. Only rarely is this serious and usually a prompt dose of kaolin and morphine is enough to have you fighting fit in no time. Some swear by charcoal tablets, others by honey, but the surest remedy is not to get the problem in the first place, so see below.
If you should get a severe case the biggest danger is dehydration while your body marshals its defences to deal with the infection. The recommended treatment is to take frequent sips of a rehydrating fluid made up of the following:
Salt, orange juice and water are readily available in any hotel, but baking powder might be more difficult, so a small plastic container of the stuff may not go amiss.
Sanitation
One hears horror stories about sanitation in some countries and I assure you that they can be true. The toilet at the ferry across the Suez Canal, for example, was a room literally ankle-deep in urine! The hotels where we will be staying will be equipped with gleaming western toilets and you could eat your dinner off them, as the saying goes. The same cannot be said about the facilities in some of the tourist sites we visit, so it is a good idea to bring a packet or two of toilet paper and carry it with you in your day pack. Disinfecting handwipes are also a good idea.
Incidentally, most toilets at tourist sites have an attendant who will expect to be tipped or who may even make a charge for admission. Keep some change in your purse for such emergencies.
The most common source of intestinal upset is food. Although the hotels are clean and kept to western standards, my recommendation is always to steer clear of cold food like salad (vegetable or fruit). Stick to food that is hot. I am a vegetarian, but even if I ate meat, I would not do so anywhere in the Middle East, where abbatoir inspectors are bribe-able and standards are different. If you do indulge, make sure the meat is well-cooked. No rare steaks! Oh, and no ice-cream purchased from kiosks at tourist sites.
By the way, I should point out that both breakfast and dinner are buffet meals and the range of food available is mind-boggling. (It also means that there will be something edible for all but the most stringent of diets.) I am confident that you will put on some serious weight during the tour - but on the other hand, we will probably walk it off you as we hike around Petra and some of the other sites, so you should come out about even!
When it comes to water, I drink it straight from the tap - but then, I've been travelling to the Middle East since 1958 and have had everything that's going - twice - and have built up immunity. You can probably drink the water from the tap, but if you wish to be sure, you can purchase bottled water just about anywhere we will be going. Be warned, however, that it will not be cheap!
You can purchase filter bottles in most camping shops. They look like plastic water bottles but when you unscrew the lid you discover that they have a filter between the water and the mouth piece. These come in different standards, from single-stage activated charcoal that copes with most common bugs to triple-stage filters that will turn raw sewage into sparkling water you could use for a transfusion. The price varies accordingly, of course. Get as good as you feel you can justify and filter all your drinking water - and don't forget to filter your toothwashing water as well!
Courtesy
Jordan is a Muslim country and Israel a Jewish one. Both have their own cultural norms and expectations and, as a guest in their countries, you should try to conform as far as possible.
When visiting holy places please behave with courtesy and respect, both towards the place and towards the worshippers. It is not acceptable to march up to someone saying his prayers and fire off your flash to get a close-up picture. It is not acceptable to talk or laugh loudly. You must remove your shoes when entering the site and, if required, cover your head. In Christian churches, of course, the opposite is the norm and gentlemen should remove their hats. In short, behave as you would wish them to behave when visiting a church in your country.
A note for the scrupulous: to show respect for the holy places of another religion is in no way to participate in the worship or reverence the god(s) of that religion. It is merely common courtesy. In any case, both Muslims and Jews worship a God they identify as "the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob", which means they worship the same God as do Christians. The rites they follow and the theology they profess may be different but the God is the same.
Dress should be modest in most places, but especially in Jordan, where both sexes are expected to cover up. (The only exception is down at the beach, where people have become innured to the strange Western passion for acquiring a sun tan. Full nudity or topless - for women - is still not permitted.)
The food will, inevitably, be different from what you are used to at home. Both Muslims and Jews loathe the pig, so ham, pork and bacon may not be available. Muslims are forbidden to use alcohol and although it may be available to you as a tourist, you will be more warmly welcomed if you abstain.
Friday is the Muslim holy day and though they do not keep it as strictly as the Sabbath, it is not uncommon to find that some sites are shut on that day or close earlier. The Jews, of course, observe Saturday, and in Israel public transport comes to a stop on that day, lifts stop working = or go into continuous Sabbath mode - and the kitchen will serve a cold collation prepared the day before.
While I'm talking about this, may I ask for especial consideration towards Christians in these countries. Most of them belong to one branch or another of the Orthodox church and their customs and rites may be different from those with which we are familiar. I have occasionally noticed a tendency on the part of some visitors to look down their noses at them.
Please remember that in Egypt, Jordan and Israel Christians are a persecuted minority and have been for 1,400 years, yet they have maintained their faith and continue to do so today. They deserve our admiration and praise.
Romance
The answer is "No" - at least, not in Jordan and probably not in Egypt. Israelis tend to be rather more relaxed about such matters - the Israelis more than the Egyptians - but in Muslim countries the rules are very strict and extremely one-sided. If you are of the female persuasion most Arab men will be happy to pay you attentions, either in hopes of getting something out of you (money or a visa to your country) or simply so that he can put another notch on his bed post. If you are a man and pay attentions to an Arab girl - and most of them are extremely beautiful - her father or brother will likely kill her (whether or not she has welcomed your advances) on the grounds that she has compromised the family honour.
Local agent
Our tours are organised on cooperation with Christos Tours, a Jordanian company with a branch in Israel. They offer a range of tours, including a cycling tour for those who want to combine sightseeing with strenuous exercise.
