I’ve only written one article about Jordan so far, and using the word ‘written’ doesn’t even do it justice.

It was a photo essay. And that’s because it was the easiest.

Now this isn’t because I’m lazy, it’s because I didn’t quite know what to say.  I still don’t exactly.

How do I start to summarize a week that I don’t even completely understand? For one, I still can’t even believe it happened.

For the four of us, going to Jordan was our little group baby.

Something we dreamt of happening, worked hard on and then put out into the universe and hoped for the best. Even when we all arranged dates that we could agree on, and even after the Jordan Tourism Board told us they wanted to have us, we still second guessed it.

Only on the flight from JFK to Amman did it really sink in that it was actually happening: I was flying to Jordan to reunite with some of my closest friends who I met exactly a year before (and spoke to almost every day since). That’s bizarre in itself too, isn’t it?

Fast forward to the actual trip and it was 8 days of non-stop incredible sights, eating, laughter, (more eating and more laughter) mini-road trips and incomprehensible history.

While we savored every minute, and did more in that one week than I usually do on my own in 2 or 3, it flew by. Look up ‘whirlwind’ in the dictionary and you’ll find the #GirlsGoneJordan hashtag.

Photo by Julika

So overall, I’m still decompressing. I’m still figuring out what exactly happened. I’m still internalizing what I saw. Maybe it is too soon to still really know exactly what life lessons from Jordan I took away. Still, there are a few travel lessons I can point out already.

Sometimes the most memorable parts of travel, aren’t about the location at all

While places like Petra and Wadi Rum will be forever etched into my memory, the ones that come next happen to do with the company I was with.

From hushed innuendos while exploring the ruins of Jerash to dissecting the never-ending topic of dating over mezze, we talked and laughed a lot. What would you expect from a girl’s trip anyway?

You can always count on Ashley Abroad to do something random. Here she is taking some macro flower shots.

There was this one time when Amanda fell off a camel as it was in the process standing up. There was another when Julika cut her toe (somehow) in the 5 star resort spa spewing blood all over the squeaky-clean tile.

I also can’t forget about the time when Ashley had to be rescued by not one, but two, lifeguards in the Dead Sea after a rogue wave splashed the incredibly salty water into her eyes. One lifeguard was there to bring her to shore and the other was there to violently splash a liter of water in her face.

Good thing you can’t drown in the Dead Sea since it makes you so buoyant. If so, I would have from debilitating laughter. 

Photo by Julika

Nothing ridiculous happened to me though. I’m pretty well behaved.

While I might not remember the name of a certain restaurant or the rate at which the Dead Sea is evaporating, I‘ll always remember those moments.

Organized tours aren’t the enemy

Going on an organized tour used to be something I’d swear against.

There’s a problem with that, because if you remember, I’m about to train to be a tour guide.

If I couldn’t relate to being a passenger on a tour, how could I ever be a good guide? If I only swore by independent travel, aren’t I being a hypocrite by leading groups?

Oh how I miss rides in that van actually!

Jordan, being that it was basically all planned out for us, was going to be my test.  I really wanted to see what it was like to be on a tour, and I hoped for my future’s sake I would enjoy it.

Now I’m not saying tours are now my personal preferred way of travel, but experiencing one opened my eyes to a few things.  There are actually a handful of things about organized travel which I think really works.  There were even a few things which I preferred!

It’s a relief to not have to worry about any of the logistics of travel. Instead of constantly figuring out how to get from point A to point B, where to stay and where to eat …I just got to enjoy myself. I focused more on what was actually going on then how to figure out my next move.

I also think I learned more. I’m not the best at meeting locals in a new country, so when I’m traveling alone I sometimes go with unanswered questions about a country. It’s amazing to have a local around constantly to ask questions to.

I also really like asking people personal questions about their life (yeah, sometimes it’s creepy), so we got to know our tour guide pretty well.

Also, not to forget, we saw more in one week of travel than I would have on my own in two.  While this is for multiple reasons (one being that I just like seeing places slowly), if you’re short on vacation time like most Americans, I can understand the appeal of a tour.  It’s your one stop shopping for getting an entire overview of a country.

I need to stop sticking my nose up in the air about the organized tour way of travel. If it’s done correctly, it can be a really amazing way to see a country.

I’ve had misconceptions about the Middle East for far too long

I wasn’t nervous about going to Jordan as I knew there wasn’t a reason to be. Still, I expected a few surprises since I’d be exploring a whole new part of the world.

When in South America I know cat calls might come my way and bag snatchers could be frequent. As with certain places, I figured Jordan would have its fair share of certain pitfalls itself.

Turns out, I felt exceedingly more comfortable than expected.  Walking around Amman I was never hassled. I was never uncomfortably stared at. I never really felt too out of place. In fact, I get more attention walking around Tijuana, a 30 minute drive from my home, than I did in the middle of this Arabic country.

There were a few times when groups of Muslim teenage girls in their hijabs would bombard us asking for photos. Feeling kind of like celebrities, we took turns taking individual photos with the girls for their smartphones.

Those are also moments I’ll never forget.

Sure, I only got a glimpse into the country, but I want people to know one thing: Jordan is hands down a completely safe and a completely comfortable place for men AND women to travel.

On top of that, the history is incredible and the food is a glutton’s dream.  I can’t believe I went this long in life until becoming completely interested in exploring this area of the world. I can’t wait to go back, now I just have to figure out how and when to do so.

In the world of my dreams I’d travel like this

I’m not talking about the organized trips and nice hotels. I’m talking about the company I had and the way we managed our time together.

This past year has given me a lot of my first solo backpacking trips. And while I loved it, there were still rough times. I got lonely. I questioned why I was traveling alone. I felt sad and sometimes too unmotivated to make new friends. Solo travel can (sometimes) be rough.

At the same time, traveling with friends (or even a significant other) can be a disaster. The smallest things can become annoying.  The stress of traveling can put stress on relationships.

Jordan showed me the travel style of my dreams: traveling with friends but having individual rooms to retire to at the end of the night. Sure most nights we still all hung out together chatting or editing photos late into the wee hours, but it is amazing what just a few hours of solitude each day can do.

Photos by Julika

I’d wake up and have a pre-breakfast coffee in my robe. I’d slowly do my hair. I’d listen to some of my music. I’d send some messages to my friends and family at home. Then I was officially ready for a day of non-stop companionship.

Although I’m sure it’s not something I’ll be able to afford in all my travels to come, it was amazing to experience.  I’d recommend considering it if you’re planning an extended group trip with friends any time soon.

Girly travel doesn’t have to mean a certain thing

Enough of thinking a trip to Vegas or a week in Paris is the only way to travel with girlfriends.

If a more expensive plane ticket isn’t the problem and you can find the time, then I urge the adventurous females out there to consider some more interesting options. Seriously, do it. Call your best girlfriends now and put it on your mutual bucket list.

There is nothing more fun than exploring a foreign place with girlfriends. Sure, maybe one of you might be more timid than the others, or one takes the longest to get ready, but exploring something completely new to each of you is bonding like no other.

It’s also a blast.

So instead of spending hundreds of dollars on spa treatments and clubbing in Ibiza or Miami, spend it on a plane ticket to somewhere more unique. Take cooking classes in a less expensive country. Watch the sunrise over ruins. Hike to the top of a mountain. Float in the Dead Sea (or tumble around like us if the waves are too big).

Head out on the town in a country where no one knows any of you.  (And where you are also the only people of your nationality in that bar.)

My time in Jordan will forever be one of my favorite trips. And while I’m now ruined for good when it comes to trying to get back to budget solo backpacking, I’m forever grateful for what I saw, what I did and who I got to do it with.

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