Posing in Petra

I have to say from the outset that this photo wasn't taken by me. I tried to take this photo numerous times but it just didn't work out as well as my friend Jeremy's did. So thanks to Jez for taking this fantastic photo, I'll make sure he gets some percentage of any future book sales...

I'd wanted to go to Petra in Jordan ever since I first saw Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade as a kid, and then found out that the magnificent structure at the end was a real place. Funnily enough, many of the people I've met who've been there had the same inspiration. Jez and I, along with our friend Emma went to Jordan on holiday from Bangladesh and I was giddy with excitement at the thought of seeing the Treasury building (the one from the movie). After we'd bought our tickets, a bus load of ageing European or American tourists pulled up in matching white caps. We took one look at them and rushed towards the Siq, the long rocky corridor that leads to the Treasury, not wanting our first view to be masked by all the white caps. As we came around the last corner and got our first glimpse of the Treasury, through a narrow opening at the end of the Siq, my heart skipped a beat. It was absolutely stunning.

After admiring the view for quite some time, and throwing off attempts from the Bedouins to check out their merchandise, we headed off through the ancient city and started the ascent to the Monastery. Side note: have you ever noticed how so many wonderful places sit atop hundreds of steps? It was a long trek up, I think over 400 steps, and the summer heat was almost unbearable. But we made it in the end, and the Monastery was quite a sight to behold. While not as ornate as the Treasury, it was much, much larger. And there stood this donkey, perhaps taking a breather in between lugging unfit tourists up and down those 400 steps.