On Saturday, February 23, 2013 9:13:21 AM UTC, David Horne wrote:
Surreyman wrote:



[]

Eilat/Aqaba is a great centre for all. Eilat is more 'developed concrete'

but has better transport links throughout area than Aqaba. The surrounding

mountain scenery from both is delightful. Aqaba is good old L of A country

of course! :-) Egypt/Israel/Jordan border crossings were easy, but that

was some time back - best to check current situation. (A local, easily

obtained visa was then needed from Israel into Egypt). Day journeys easy

into southern Sinai (St. Catherine's, Mount Sinai etc. - plus,

particularly, beautiful desert areas). Petra possible on an organised day

trip but leaves short time, as above. Overnight (or longer if you choose)

trips possible from Eilat to Jerusalem, Jeddah, Dead Sea, Masada, Negev,

Bethlehem, Suez/Cairo/Pyramids (again, I'm not sure re current travel

hang-ups). Even Luxor/Aswan is possible, I believe but, as you're probably

aware, that's far better done within its own entity. So an Eilat/Aqaba

hotel could be a one-stop for much. Re Petra we took a normal day trip

coach from Eilat, but let them return without us, joining another day trip

coach for the return journey next day. We could have (should have, in

retrospect) stayed 2 nights to investigate Wadi Rum far more. I think it

was the Movenpick hotel we stayed in, right by the Petra entry gates,

which I think opened around 6 a.m. (We were the only people in the hotel,

let alone the Petra valley!). It's very much day trip country, so staying

locally beats all the crowds. Suggest, in the early morning, you walk

right through the Petra valley (alone, absolute magic) to the far end -

there, donkeys are available for the (quite precarious!) climb up to

Monastery etc. But more than well worth it!



Thanks for the information, and the tips. We've been to Cairo and the

Nile Valley before, but weren't planning to go to Sinai. We plan only to

exit Israel into Jordan at Eilat/Aqaba and then back into Israel at one

of the border points further north. Don't know if you're in the UK at

the moment, but last night's programme on BBC HD was terrific and

included a short bit on Petra:



http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...ia_Sand_Wind_a

nd_Stars/



David



--

(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate

www.davidhorne.net (email address on website)

"[Do you think the world learned anything from the first

world war?] No. They never learn." -Harry Patch (1898-2009)

Well, Catherine's/Mount Sinai/Desert is a very easy day coach trip (if that's how you want to do it). It was our introduction to the south Sinai desert some 20 years ago now, and we've specifically returned to that region numerous times since (inland, not the plastic coast resorts). If you like desert scenery, it's beautiful.
If you're going up from Aqaba to Petra, strongly also recommend spending time in Wadi Rum en route (again, if you like desert scenery).
Thanks or the link - knowingly had to miss it last night but intended to take a look.