In Jordan

The trip from the Nuweiba port to Aqaba, Jordan was a little scarey. At the port there was a male-female ratio of about 30 men to every woman. Men stared at us and clicked as I made my way to the boat. When I was boarding, the passport man said something like, "anti-american" which freaked me out a bit. On the boat, however, everyone was very friendly. I was falling asleep because I hadn't had much sleep the night before and the Jordanian guys behind me went and got me a coffee - it was really sweet. Everyone here has really been kind, friendly and has made me feel very comfortable.

We spent Monday afternoon in the desert traveling in open-air trucks. It really is like riding in a boat. We climbed up the moving sand and a number of the oddly shaped rock formations. In the evening, we camped in camel-haired tents at the Boudouin campsite. The Boudouin are poor, happy, nomads that live in the desert. They are known for their honesty and their goodness. At night we all sat in a large tent smoking hooki sheesha and drinking turkish coffee. We boudouin danced, sang and played drums. I got up to dance several times as well as Aaron, a guy on my tour. Aaron was braver then I though, because the men are much more intimate...touch and kiss each other much more here then in the states. It's actually really refreshing that they can be affectionate with each other, but maybe a little scarey for an American male.