Petra: Land of the Nabateans

The city of Petra is located in Wadi Musa at about 4 hours’ drive from Amman in the southern direction and the best and the most economical way to get to it is through JETT bus service. One-way ticket to Petra costs around 11 JOD (Jordanian Dinar) and a return one costs 18 (though the price may have gone up in the last six months since I was there but I doubt it, and even if it did, it could not have increased more than one or two dinars).
The daily Jett bus to Petra leaves fairly early in the morning. It has three stops within the city of Amman. First stop: Abdali at 6:30 am, Second Stop: in front of Intercontinental Hotel at the second Circle at 6:45 am, then last and final stop is at the Jett bus station itself near the 7th Circle at 7:00 am. From 7th Circle the bus leaves for Petra sometime between 7:15 - 7:30 am. If one misses catching the bus at either of the two earlier stops, one can always take a cab to the next station and hop on (provided one has a ticket) but once the bus leaves from the 7th circle, it is gone for good and does not stop, except for a midway break between Amman and Petra. The Jett bus station at Petra is right next to the entrance of Petra visitors' center which is the gate to the ancient historic site. Arrival time here is sometime after 11:00 am. For those who plan a day trip, the same bus returns to Amman at 5:00 pm (summer time) on the same day but one has to be at the station by 4:45 pm at least (preferably 4:30 pm). Reason being that a lot of non-ticket holders also hover around the station near departure time and if the regular ticket holders are missing, the seats are sold to the ones in the waiting line. The age old saying that time and tide wait for no one can be modified a little to say that the Jett bus also waits for no one. It departs at 5:00 pm sharp even if there is no waiting line and it has to go back with empty seats.
A five-hour duration between 11:30 in the morning till 4:30 in the afternoon can be enough time for the excursion of the ancient city of Petra but only if the main trail is followed. A more detailed exploration requires more time. I personally think that a master piece of ancient civilization like Petra deserves more than a hurried tour.
An overnight stay at one of the local hotels gives an extra day plus the opportunity to start early the next day. Also the entry ticket to Petra is quite on the expensive side, about 50 JOD per person per day but an extra 5 JOD gets one a two-day access to the site. (It is possible to buy a Jett bus return ticket which takes one back to Amman on the next day instead of the same one but that has to specified at the time of purchase as the travelling dates are mentioned on the tickets).

The "Siq"

If one does plan on staying overnight, then while picking hotels, it is essential to pick one near the Visitors’ center as the town of Petra is situated on a hilly terrain that has different elevation levels. Walking long distance on the up and down roads can take its toll on one. Some hotels located further away also provide free shuttle service to the site for their guests so they can be a good option as well.  Hiring a taxi is not advisable. Only to be considered if no other option is available. Taxis cost about three times more in Petra than they do in Amman plus sometimes it feels like that the sole purpose of taxi drivers’ in Jordan is to rip you off. They invent the most unethical and scary tactics to do that. These tactics include not just quoting exorbitant amounts for brief journeys but also stopping taxis in the middle of nowhere, demanding to be paid more than the initially agreed about amount. If you happen to find a driver who agrees to go by meter than there is more than a distinct possibility that he will try to take you by the longest and most outlandish route to increase his fare. Under the circumstances it is safest and wisest to stick to Uber which is readily available in Amman. Whether Uber service is available in Petra, I do not know.  Since our hotel was right in front of the visitors’ center, we didn’t need one.
Nick named the Rose city because of the rose coloured stones, Petra was most probably the capital city of the Nabatean Kingdom, a nation of trading Arabs who constructed buildings by digging into and carving the surrounding stone structures.

To get to the main structures of Petra one has to pass through the "Siq": A Narrow passage way that leads to the Treasury. Not only is first sight of the Treasury, as you come out of the narrow passage, incomparable but the 20 or so minutes’ walk through this narrow gorge to reach the Treasure is also truly amazing. 

Al Khazneh: The Treasury 

The treasury or “Al Khazneh” is one of the most celebrated structures at Petra. It is one of the wonders of the modern world and has been portrayed in several films including "Indiana Jones and the last Crusade". The area in front of the Treasury is almost never empty. Since it is one of the most photographed sites in the world, there is always a horde of tourist clicking away at its impressive stone façade.
For those who are not much into walking, several different modes of transportation are also available. Horse drawn carriages that take one from the main gate till the Treasury and back, camels along the main path and sturdy mules that can take one up all the way to the Monastery. Like in all other places in Jordan (other than branded shops in malls) bargaining is a must, and nothing short of one third of the price quoted should be settled upon. And no matter what ever amount is settled upon, be prepared for a “tip” request in the end as well.
From the Treasury, the main path takes one through a multitude of ancient historic structures that include the Ancient Nabatean theatre, Royal Tombs and the Roman era ruins among others. There are many side trails leading to less popular sites but unless one is of an adventurous nature and has ample
time, like more than one day, only then these should be explored.
The ascent to the “Monastery” starts where the main trail comes to an end. One can either choose to return form this point or climb the stairs all the way up to the Monastery. The stairs are actually steps cut into stone and t
here are a 960 of them in total. ( I used to think that the 300 something steps to Batu Caves in Malaysia were tough but they are nothing compared to the ones leading to the Monastery at Petra). It takes at least 45 minutes to an hour for a hale and hearty person to go up those steps. For the not so hale and hearty, the option to go atop a mule is available for a price of 10-12 Dinars. At regular intervals throughout the climb, local Bedouins have their makeshift stalls set up that sell trinkets, souvenirs and even cool water to the tourists.

Al Dier: The Monastery 

The Monastery on top of the Mountain, also known as Al Dier in the local language was featured in the 2009 Hollywood movie, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, so the younger generation would be pretty familiar with it. Being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, entry inside all structures at Petra, including the Treasury as well as the Monastery is prohibited, but one can take as many photos outside of it as one likes. The air on top of the mountain is crisp and cool even in the middle of summer. The openness and the stark beauty of the landscape alone makes the climb worth it.

To sum it all up in one sentence, Petra is a place that someone like me can easily fall in love with.
To be honest, I think I am already half way there.