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Old February 23rd, 2013, 10:13 AM posted to rec.travel.europe
David Horne[_2_]
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Default What is your favorite European megalithic? (other than Stonehenge)

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

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