I had not eaten all day since leaving Beirut, so was understandably ready to start gnawing at my wrists by the time I arrived at the White Rose Hotel in Dera’a…
The White Rose Hotel in Dera'a... Unforgettable...!!
People that know me will tell you that I am one of the fastest eaters they have seen… I do this to save my teeth for my old age, and rely on my digestive juices to do most of the work…!! Chewing is such a boring exercise…!! But I digress…
The spaghetti I ordered (no chewing required…!!) was delivered to my room by a smartly dressed guy who wished me a pleasant meal and a peaceful night… If only his wishes had come true…!!
I thought the mince smelt a little strange, but figured it was just a Syrian version of Bolognaise sauce…
I wolfed the meal down and then settled in the horizontal position to watch the news on CNN…
Barely an hour after the last string of spaghetti had made its way (intact) down my throat, an ominous rumble from my engine room alerted me to the fact that all was not well…!!
I spent the next few hours on my hands and knees in the bathroom, shouting obscenities into the big white telephone…!! Needless to say, sleep was something I could not afford, as there was a certain set of muscles over which I no longer had any control whatsoever…
The path from my bed to the bathroom was kept well cleared, and I daresay the carpet in this area has now been worn thinner than most other sections in the room…!!
It was the first time in almost ten months on the road, that I had been “illâ€â€¦ Which is not a bad statistic, but I use the term “ill†loosely… In actual fact, near the end of my ordeal, I fully expected to begin ejecting a few vital organs…!!
Sizing up the Syrian Border Post... Passport control...
In the early hours of the following morning, I lay on my bed, feeling as weak as a kitten, and wondering if I’d have the strength to push the starter button on the Big Fella, let alone hold the darn thing up…!!
Breakfast consisted of a cup of black coffee and three Winston’s… I avoided looking in the general direction of the buffet, as any thoughts of food made my stomach cramp painfully…
My meal was the only complaint I have about this hotel… It is a modern, clean and well positioned establishment, right on the main street that runs through the town, and is in walking distance of a newly built mall that houses up-market boutiques and such…
The staff were caring and friendly, and there is 24 hour security in the parking area in front of the hotel… The flushing mechanism in room 313 works perfectly…!!
I always find that getting to a border post in the early morning makes for a far less stressful experience than arriving there at any other time of the day… Clearing out of Syria cost the usual taxes and other barely identifiable charges, and then I was free to enter country 63… The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan…
Into Jordan... Up ahead, Ist security check...
I parked in the large area designated for private vehicles and strolled across to the Compulsory Insurance Office, paid R260.00 (27 JD’s) for one month’s insurance, and then a further R96.00 for the visa and finally R192.00 for Customs Clearance… And that was it… I was shown the various offices to get all the above by the shopkeeper where I bought a Jordanian sim card, and he insisted on walking me the few hundred metres between Customs and Immigration…
Money changers by the dozen, but only one choice for Insurance...!!
He then donated a bottle of water to me, and wished me a pleasant stay in Jordan… It was one of the friendliest border posts that I have passed through…
By midday I was bustling through the madness of Amman traffic, having missed the turnoff to the district which the kindly shopkeeper had directed me to…
Following the taxi enroute to my hotel...
A taxi driver saw me scanning for signposts that would get me back into the area I wanted to go to, and pulled up in front of me to assist…
Minutes later, I was following him through the winding streets near the citadel and near an overpass that cut directly through the mountain that the citadel sits on top of… He pulled over in front of the New Park Hotel, and I was lucky enough to find a parking spot right outside the front door… A security camera was permanently focused on the spot, and monitored from the front desk… Perfect…!!
The hotel is on the first and second floors of the building, and the friendly staff got me settled into my room within a few minutes…
From my balcony, I look directly into the mouth of the tunnel...
The hotel is clean, affordable and has free Wi-Fi, satellite TV, and a large lounge area where businessman meet for coffee and idle chatter… I sat watching the comings and goings while I checked my mail and made plans to visit the Embassies on my list of “things to do in Ammanâ€â€¦
It is a long list, and I am resigned to spending the next few weeks in Jordan, getting it all ticked off…
And down onto the Big Fella parked below...
©GBWT 2010
Thats part of the trip … watch the world go by !!!!!
Wish i was there and gossip about anything and everything 🙂
Uh oh… some of my body parts are suddenly in sympathy with yours.. that’s gotta be one of the worst ordeals to endure… and then in a foreigh pozzie with a porcelain telephone that might not acually work. So thanks to the hotel maintenace staff who kept that one in good repair.
Eish!! From now on, your nose is your friend!
In this post one can see the second tunnel entrance since you have stepped on European soil. The Amman is not bad, but I preferred the Amsterdam one.
We agree with Carnivore, go with your nose in future! Ha ha Tibor, we remember that particular bridge!!!
Looks like it’s going to be Jordan for Christmas and New Year; try and make the most of it.
Big hugs and kisses,
Dad, Mom and me
Even though the facility’s were not the best the beauty of Wadi Rum was worth every minute. Darek and I chose the 5 hr camel ride to our camp, yes it hurt while on board, but it soon went away.You look great and healthy, stay that way. Happy Christmas and a very happy and safe New Year..
Yeah, Ken… It was beautiful…!! How are your plans to finish the “Africa Leg” coming along… No pun intended…!! Ha-ha…!! Make sure your timing allows us to meet in South America or the USA somewhere…!! R. (Mr. Wolf…)
Much better – looks like a place to spend some time looking at the country.