The capital of Jordan is a perfect mix of old and new. With incredible historical sites such as the Citadel and Roman Theatre to the bustling downtown area with it's malls and shops, there is a little of everything. Not to mention an amazing food scene that is not to be missed. For my first couple of nights in Amman i stayed at the luxurious Kaya hotel. Which is a lovely 4 star hotel with restaurant, spa and pool. They went above and beyond to make me feel welcome, even upgrading me to a suite free of charge on arrival. And to top things off i even had a great view of the iconic blue mosque. Overall it was a really pleasant hotel with exceptional staff. On my first day in Amman i started off with a sightseeing tour of the city. The day started with my driver/guide Omar picking me up from my hotel. He was friendly, polite and wanting to make sure he gave me the best experience. First up on the tour was the blue mosque with it's impressive appearance and interior that didn't disappoint. Omar gave me a little of the history of the building as we entered and i was given a hooded robe to enter. The mosque was really lovely to explore, and it was really nice for me as there were very few people around. However this did mean that they were slightly pushy when trying to sell me souvenirs in the gift shop, but this didn't bother me. you only need around 20mins to half an hour here as it is not a big site, but it is worth a visit. Next up on the tour was the Roman theatre. I didn't realise that there was a smaller one next to the main one which was a nice surprise for me. Especially since i was the only one there when i was looking at the smaller one. As for the larger one it is really impressive in terms of size. I was told that it could hold at least 6000 people and the views from the top were really good. You could see most of the old town including the Citadel. Just be careful when climbing up as it is steep in places and the steps are very uneven. After admiring the view i headed in to the small museum to the side of the main theatre. Which was very quint and the ac was a welcome break from the heat of climbing up the steps. In total you need to give yourself 20- 30mins to fully explore both theatres and the museum, and definitely is one of the top sites to see while in Amman. Last up on the tour was the Citadel. Which in my opinion is the top site in Amman. It is a large site, with ruins from Greek, Roman and Byzantian periods. It's home to the imposing Hercules gate and perfect for photo opportunities. While exploring the site on my own i came across a lovely older gentleman with his two cats and enjoyed a short conversation with him before heading on my way. There is also a small museum on the site with artifacts dug up from the site. At this point in the day it was starting to get a little warm for me so i didn't stay too long. Ideally you want to give yourself at least an hour to fully explore this wonderful site. After being dropped off at my hotel and having a brief rest, i headed to Rainbow street ( a touristic street full of restaurants, cafes and shops) to meet my local guide for a walking culture tour of the downtown area. My guide Majd was a young, friendly man, who made it feel like i was being shown around by a friend. He took me to the local fruit and veg market, a local perfume shop, a local falafel shop (in his opinion the best in the city), the local meat market (best not to go if you are screamish as there are many sheep's heads, testicals and other innards) and the main mosque in the city centre. The tour was really lovely as he explained about Jourdain culture, bought me food and drink to try (my favourite being a desert called Knafeh made from cheese, fine pastry and a sugar syrup). It was the perfect introduction to the city and the culture. It was then back to the hotel for a bite to eat and to bed ready for what the next day had to offer. The next day saw me start of the day with a short food tour of the downtown area. I was picked up at my hotel by my guide. We started of a visit with a knowledgable historian of the Citidale. Having the guide this time really added to the experience for me and because we went at a cooler time of day i was able to fully enjoy the experience this time. Next up was a walk through the local market tasing different nuts and dates along the way while chatting with stall owners. Then it was on to try some sugar cane juice from a small shop, which was really refreshing and not as sweet as i thought it would be. We then went on to Amman's oldest falafel restaurant, which was really popular with locals. And after tasting there food i could see why, the owner even came over to have a brief conversation with us which was really lovely. After our falafel and mint tea it was of to get Knafeh. We went to the same place i got it from the day before since it was the only place in the city that used the traditional Palestine cheese and a top spot for locals. After making a quick stop for some fresh juice. I was told that the one they gave me was avocado, but all i could taste was mint, it was a quick drive to grab some beef shawmer. This was from the oldest shop for shawmer in Amman and the first time i had had beef and not chicken. It was really tasty and definitely worth trying. Then after a quick Turkish coffee (too bitter for my liking, but i did like the cardamon flavour) it was back to the hotel feeling very full. After a quick rest i headed down the road to my new hotel for the night where i would meet the rest of my group for the trip. The hotel was called the Toledo and was a nice mid range hotel. After meeting with the rest of my group and our guide for the week we headed to a local restaurant (about a 10min walk from the hotel) where our guide organised an array of local dishes for us to share. This included salads, shawmer, falafel, hummus bread and more. After having our fill and getting to know each other a little it was back to the hotel for the night ready to leave for Wadi Rum in the morning. Overall Amman is a vibrant city fully of history, great food and warm and welcoming locals. It's a city where i was made to fell safe and welcome and somewhere i would recommend anyone the visit. On another note just outside of Amman there are two sites not to be missed. The first of these is Madaba, which is home to the church of Saint George and a mosaic that used ton depict the biblical sites of Jordan, Palestine and Israel. It is also close to Mount Nepo (where Moses saw the promised land for the last time) and fully of biblical history. It is also home to several mosaic workshops and souvenirs. I visited one of these workshops and am amazed at the skill of the people. If you are interested in biblical history this should defiantly be part of your trip. You only really need half a day maximum here but if you want to explore more it is a good day trip. The second site just outside of Ammand and my personal favourite is Jeresh. These are the largest Roman ruins outside of Italy and are surprisingly in good condition. The site is quite large and really amazing. We were even treated to someone playing the bagpipes when we visited. You need at least a couple of hours to fully explore this site and it is a must visit for any history buff.

A relatively short drive along the old kings road takes you from the desert of Wadi Rum to the coastal city of Aquaba. Sitting on the coast of the red sea with both Egypt and Israel in sight, Aquaba is the perfect beach get away with a little added history and culture. On arrival to Aquaba we dropped our bags off at the City Tower hotel. A mid range hotel with beautiful sea views, a short walk from Aquaba castle and surrounded by shops and restaurants. Once we had dropped our bags off we made our way to Aquaba castle. Which although small is worth a visit. We then made our way to the main square and along the sea front. Enjoyed a lovely ice-cream while we admired the views of Israel and Egypt in the distance. We then headed back to the hotel briefly to grab a few bits before heading to one of the many beach resorts. Once we arrived at the resort we were treated to a buffet style lunch with both western and middle eastern dishes on offer. We then made our way to the beach where we relaxed, some went snorkelling and we enjoyed the sun. The resort also had several swimming pools, which was nice. Since there were so few people around, it felt like it was our own personal resort, which really made us feel special. After our beach trip we headed back to freshen up before heading out for dinner. For dinner a few of us found an English style pub called the Rovers Return (yes it was in the theme of Coronation street) where we enjoyed great hospitality (we were even given free shots at the end of our meal), good food and a great view of the sun setting over the red sea. After it was time to turn in for the night, ready to head to Petra the next day. A fairly warm start to the next day saw us make the few hour drive to Petra, making a quick stop at a view point on the way. Once we arrived we dropped our bags of at our hotel, which was only a three minute walk away from the Petra site. We had time to freshen up before heading to the famous site. We were given a two day pass for Petra which was definitely needed. For the first day our guide gave us a tour of the most famous sites such as the Siq (famous for Indiana Jones) and the treasury. The treasury was so grand and beautiful. Even though it was the middle of the day when we were there there still wasn't many people around so it was really easy to get good photos and to really see it in all it's glory. We were told about how the area gets flash floods every year and honestly it is hard to imagine that when seeing it so dry. We were then given free time to explore as we like. I stuck to the main path, seeing the roman theatre, Greek temple, royal tombs and more. I then made my way back towards the hotel as it was getting too warm for me. I then met up with the rest of the group for dinner, where we were treated to yet another surprise. This time it was that we were eating our dinner in a cave attached to our hotel, which had been done up into a really nice eating area. After dinner i turned in for the night as i planned to get up early to go to the monastery at Petra with a couple of others, in order to beat the heat. The next morning was an early start, leaving the hotel at 6:30, but it was worth it. Seeing the treasury in the early light was really special on the way to the monastery. As we made the hike up the 800ish steps (politely declining donkey rides) and watching shop keepers pass on the way up to set up their shops, i was really glad to have done it early in the day. The hike is quite difficult, but there are plenty of places to rest and shop keepers who will offer mint tea and water along the way. But it is definitely worth it when you reach the monastery. Which to me was more impressive then the treasury. Probably because i didn't have any expectations and had just made the trek up to it, but it felt grander. After spending sometime resting at the coffee shop and admiring the view we headed down and made our way to the royal tombs for a closer look (via a back way with a dodgy bridge). We then grabbed a little lunch from one of the coffee shops before making the crazy desion to head up to the place of high sacrifice. Which was about 400 steps up, a slightly easier climb and less travelled by tourists (not that there were many). Once at the top we were greeted with some of the best views at Petra and a single lady selling jewellery. After heading back down we headed to the cave bar at the entrance to Petra. Which as the name suggests was a bar in a cave and a welcome way to cool down. We then decided to go to the Movenpick hotel for happy hour. Which was really decadent, the staff were amazing and up for a laugh. We were given a whole array of snacks (for free) and generally a really good atmosphere. It was a little pricy when compared to other places, however it was worth it for the great experience. We then made our way back to the hotel for a quick shower and to meet up with the rest of the group for dinner. Dinner was another highlight of the trip. We were treated to a visit to a local Bedouin woman's home where she cooked us a brilliant meal of Maqluba (a must try when in Jordan) and where introduced to her very artistly talented daughters. It was a really lovely evening with amazing company. We then headed back to the hotel ready to leave the next morning for the dead sea. The next morning saw us have a relatively early start where our guide decided to give us another surprise. Which was a short trip to little Petra. A small site next to the main site with a few tombs and other ruins. This was a really nice surprise and we all enjoyed the little detour. Next up we headed to a crusaders castle ruin, where our guide gave us the history of the castle and of the crusades in Jordan. Next up was a little lunch while heading back towards Amman. However not before one final bucket list destination. The dead sea. The dead sea was rather warm, but as was the case with everywhere else we had been the resort we visited had very few people. this made it a good experience for me as i think if there was a lot of people it would spoil it. On the way down to the dead sea there were several signs depicting where the edge of the sea was in previous years. Which really put into perspective how quickly it is evaporating. The dead sea itself was a strange experience, since you are not really in control when your in it and can't swim as much as you naturally want to. It also left me feeling a little slimy, however well exfoliated. We also tried the black mud which is meant to be good for the skin. I'm not sure it actually did anything for my skin but it was still a nice experience. Overall it was a really nice way to end an incredible trip, and as we headed back to Amman for one final meal together we were left apricating what an amazing time we had had and how incredible this small middle eastern country is. Honestly it truly is a shame that not many people are going to Jordan at the moment. But their lost was defiantly my gain and i would defiantly go back. P.S our final meal together is another must try for those visiting Jordan. Mansaf, the national dish of Jordan is a lamb dish in a fermented yogurt dressing on rice. It doesn't look great, but it taste great.