News
A Day in the Desert – Landscape, Culture & Adventure
Sean Chinn takes a break from diving in Aqaba, Jordan to spend a day in the desert…
Wadi Rum is a protected desert wilderness covering 278 square miles. It’s a vast wilderness featuring dramatic sandstone mountains, roughly an hour’s drive from Aqaba. Wadi Rum is a perfect destination to add to any dive trip while visiting Aqaba, Jordan.
Our transport of choice for our day in the desert was a selection of 4WD pick-up trucks with makeshift but comfortable bench seating in the back for an open air adventure. It really was as fun as it looked as we sped and bounced our way through the sandy, uneven terrain. The vast landscape really took my breath away as we made our way past the sandstone mountains that towered above. We made a quick stop along the way to take a short walk up a sandy hill to gain a panoramic view of the dramatic landscape. The views were reminiscent of the pictures you see of the surface of Mars and this is one of the reasons numerous film directors have used this location to represent Mars in films.
We stopped to sample tea made in a traditional way by the Bedouin who have called this place home for many years. Now you might think being an English bloke I might be partial to a cup of tea or two; however, I’m really not a big tea drinker but I have to say the tea here was really tasty and something I could get used to.
After another short jeep ride we reached our lunch destination. Rahayeb Desert Camp was beautifully laid out with the decor being quintessentially Arabic. It is a luxury tented camp that allows guests the option to stay overnight. Unfortunately my trip was only a day trip but I will be back to enjoy the night sky in the desert with an overnight stay.
Our lunch was a delicious treasure of the Bedouin culture. Zarb is the process of cooking the food underground in earth ovens. The food is cooked on a barbecue rack inside a metal oven casing placed in a pit in the ground. A metal cover is placed on top and it’s covered in a blanket to stop the sand that is placed over the top getting onto the food. The food was truly flavoursome and plentiful, leaving me comfortably full.
Our last adventure of an amazing day came courtesy of a camelback ride into the sunset. It wasn’t completely as glamorous as it might sound. I nearly went headfirst over the front as the camel stood up and I must remember to stretch next time I get on one. My legs were starting to feel it a bit as I’ve never been the most flexible of people. It was, however, completely worth it. The camels had a great character about them with mischievous personalities and taking a slow walk with them, while admiring the stunning sunset, topped off a great day.
I’ll be back!!
News
Dive Worldwide Announces Bite-Back as its Charity of the Year
Over the next 12 months, specialist scuba holiday company Dive Worldwide will be supporting Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation with donations collected from client bookings to any one of its stunning dive destinations around the world. The independently-owned operator expects to raise £3000 for the UK charity.
Manager at Dive Worldwide, Phil North, said: “We’re especially excited to work with Bite-Back and support its intelligent, creative and results-driven campaigns to end the UK trade in shark products and prompt a change in attitudes to the ocean’s most maligned inhabitant.”
Bite-Back is running campaigns to hold the media to account on the way it reports shark news along with a brand new nationwide education programme. Last year the charity was credited for spearheading a UK ban on the import and export of shark fins.
Campaign director at Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’re enormously grateful to Dive Worldwide for choosing to support Bite-Back. The company’s commitment to conservation helps set it apart from other tour operators and we’re certain its clients admire and respect that policy. For us, the affiliation is huge and helps us look to the future with confidence we can deliver against key conservation programmes.”
To launch the fundraising initiative, Phil North presented Graham Buckingham with a cheque for £1,000.
Visit Dive Worldwide to discover its diverse range of international scuba adventures and visit Bite-Back to learn more about the charity’s campaigns.
MORE INFORMATION
Call Graham Buckingham on 07810 454 266 or email graham@bite-back.com
Gear News
Scubapro Free Octopus Promotion 2024
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
with every purchase of a regulator system!
Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with A700
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with S620Ti
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with D420
MK25 EVO Din mit S620Ti-X
Get a free R105 OCTOPUS with purchase of the following combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with G260
MK25 EVO or MK17 EVO with S600
SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
More information available on www.scubapro.com.
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