People often ask me how I choose my destinations and the boring answer is that there really is no methodology to it. I have been interested in visiting the Middle-East for a while now which has been heightened by the ‘BackStory’ programme on CNN which I regularly watch. It often has reports from that part of the world which I have found fascinating. So having decided that I would visit this part of the world for the first time I had to decide which parts to visit. I’d love to do Iraq actually but that might be a step too far. Likewise regarding Israel & the Palestinian Territories although I may still yet visit there.

It soon became apparent that Jordan was the easy and safest option. For starters it has one of the new Seven Wonders of the World in terms of the ancient city of Petra. On top of that it was also featured in a famous international film. That is of course ‘Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger’ from 1977! Only joking! Whilst that was filmed there, its the appearance of it at the end of ‘Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade’ which has added to its fame. On the subject of cinema, it is ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ (yes, I know its based on a book) which first brought Jordan to the screen with its breathtaking Jordanian desertscapes amid the spectacular red cliffs of Wadi Rum in the very south of the country. I should add that I have rarely ever (besides Tunisia) gone to a country just for film locations.

Furthermore, the country also has the Dead Sea; the lowest point on earth. This featured recently in the ‘An Idiot Abroad’ Sky One TV series with  Ricky Gervais’ mate Karl Pilkington (as did Petra) and floating on a sea of salt is something I’d like to experience. With these things and more you can (maybe) see why I decided to make Jordan my next travel destination.