One of the aspects we have become more Jordanian is that we are WAY more spontaneous than we used to be.
It turned out that we were NOT the only family in my son’s class that had not taken their kids to Petra. Humph. Well, they had been, but at 1-year-old, hardly recent memory. This family also happens to be one of those families where I love the wife, The Hub likes the husband, and the kids really like their kids. Also, Al Mafruud, we are on the same kind of ghetto budget 
This doubled the excitement level.
Fa, the mommies talked and planned and set up times. I checked out places to stay. She found out that two other way-cool ghetto-budget families were ALSO planning a trip to Little Petra the same time, so why not combine them and do the caravan down the country? This just quadrupled the excitement level.
One rule with kids (and some adults) Anticipation is Half The Fun! We had some pretty high levels of anticipation happening. Eight parents, one single gal, nine teenagers, two under-teens. We menu-planned, brushed the dust off our ancient copy of Lonely Planet Jordan, The Hub did the car check-up. Deciding on a rendezvous point (MacDonald’s past the Foreign Ministry), we met from four corners of Northern Jordan and Off We Went!
Well, for about ten minutes. The Hub checked tire pressure at that gas station and discovered we had not one, but two screws perforating a rear tire, plus a sharp piece of metal.
Are we the only ones who pick up screws in tires on a regular basis? It’s not like I am 4-wheeling around, and I am very careful near construction sites, and, well, where does one use screws in cement/reinforced steel construction anyway? Do we have an Abu-Mussmar out there, messing with the tires of the populus like the (urban)legendary Abu Shakoosh?
Choosing to thank God we did not notice this halfway down to Petra
Fixed, and off we went again. Note, this would be becoming a theme of our trip, the rest of the caravan waiting for Daar Kounouz to get moving.
For about ten minutes.
On the new section of the airport road, there are new sets of AWFUL rumble strips. Two sets of yellow bulbous plastic, then a set of squared off steel, then a segment of un-destroyed pavement, then another set. After the third set, we heard a BOOM and Pfffffttttttt, and one of the back tires went ka-thunk, ka-thunk. We pulled over to discover – a blow out.
The tires are only three years old (remember our last blow-out on airport road?)
The Hub had a great attitude and used it as a teaching moment for the boys, who had never seen a tire changed before.
Choosing to thank God it had not happened halfway to Petra. And that we had a real tire for a spare, not a temp-tire. The rest of the caravan were kind to wait, again.
Fixed. But not off.
The car wouldn’t start, the battery died. I guess lights and flashers were too much for the aging battery.
Sigh.
We thanked God that we were within pushing distance of the last gas station for a fair piece. It was a good time to have a bunch of strong teen boys in the car.
The caravan used the time wisely to check out the castle at Qatrawneh, and we met there again.
Then…
Nothing happened all the way!!
I guess that’s something to remember
adds us to the fun. I can imagine the excitement to finally get there, especially the little ones, a couple of delays and disappointments on the way may seem so frustrating. But you know, this gives me quite an encouragement. We set goals, we want to reach for destinations, and we stumble along the way with scattered screws bumping our wheels, and with blow outs. But God is good enough to place “help stations” along the way, until He makes sure we are there. All we have to do is adopt thankfulness and put on eyes that see God working through.
Tires and battery problem then driving for hours along with crazy truck and bus drivers. I am sorry but I have to sympathize with Abu Kunuz the most!
Please tell me you don’t have to pay $50 tourists entry fee although you are residents?
Being a ghetto-budget family you are now an average Jordanian family with blond hair
Waiting to hear all about Petra trip. I myself never been there as well.
I watched a documentary about Petra and what I learned made me very proud that this astonishing architecture was built by Arabs. Although not explained in this film or anywhere else, as far as I know, is the transition from tents dwellers to this wonder land and vice versa. It is a mystery, no?
Shatha, I wrote you a nice long reply then must have clicked off before send!
You were totally in tune with me here, even with those frustrations, God was so there. It wasn’t even a temptation to grumble, as the help was always visible.
Jaraad, The Hub smiled when I read him your comment. Because I love him so much, I drove home so he could sleep on the way – until a truck swerved into our lane to avoid a pothole, necessitating some quick manuevering on my part. He didn’t sleep after that adrenaline-rush.
Do be proud of this national treasure. I will ask a researcher archaeologist friend about that mystery. I hope you can see it next time you are ‘home’.
Kinzi! I’m glad I’m not the only one who gets screws in their tires
I’m also glad that you did make it safely to Petra!
I dig your ghetto-budget family…Very good stuff! The prices for tourists are INSANE!
You only had 2 screws… before our big end-of-Ramadan trip to Aqaba, we got our tires checked and had NINE! in one tire… You got off easy with only 2. Oh, and I’m convinced we get them parking in/near empty lots… Sigh.
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