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Post by onlyMark on Nov 3, 2014 10:22:34 GMT
So, here’s the plan. (Accidentally) Go on an organised a walk on one of the hottest days of the year so far, forecast to be over 30 degrees in Amman and around 40 degrees down at the Dead Sea. Fortunately it only reached 34 degrees down there as we slipped away a little before the hottest part of the day. When I say ‘organise’ I mean more get some others to organise it when the initial idea (“Hey! Let’s go for a walk next weekend. I’ve no idea this time but I’m sure one of you can think of somewhere!”) is mooted to a group of work colleagues. As there were no other suggestions a walk in Wadi Numeira came up and was agreed upon. I’d not been here before so I was looking forward to it even though I knew there was little if no greenery to be seen. We set off bright and early armed with a packet of crisps and a sandwich each plus plenty of water. When I know it will be hot for the walk I tend to freeze several bottles the night before so throughout the day they gradually unfreeze and give lovely cold drinks. It takes just under an hour and a half to get there from Amman and the wadi is located as per the following map, south of the main part of the Dead Sea and adjacent to the area now used industrially for potash and salt -
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 3, 2014 10:23:52 GMT
Parking just off the main road a number of us made our way to the entrance across the run off area and across plenty of rough walking with fist sized and above rocks – there is no ‘path’ as such - A stream does run through the wadi most of the year. It isn’t clear water due to the deposits but it is warm, about 28 degrees or so, and not polluted – It soon narrows down – Then around the first corner –
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 3, 2014 10:24:54 GMT
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 3, 2014 10:25:43 GMT
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 3, 2014 10:26:26 GMT
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 3, 2014 10:27:06 GMT
Then takes a ninety degree bend to the right – Claustrophobia anyone? – Look young lady, I know you’ve not fallen over, you just wanted to sit in the water – Passing the paddling daughters the wadi carries on – But then dramatically narrows yet again – Then decides to do another ninety degree turn, but this time to the left –
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 3, 2014 10:28:15 GMT
Here it opens out and become a quite pleasant walk again dipping in and out of the stream – This was as far as we walked this time, we will return, but on a cooler day. Several others continued, never to be seen again (by us anyway) – Just at the point of turning around I spied a bit, the only bit really, of green stuff and we retraced our steps. More next time. Bye for now.
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Post by bjd on Nov 3, 2014 11:41:36 GMT
Would those canyons have been carved by water over the years? Is there a rainy season during which the water in the wadis suddenly creates flash floods?
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Post by questa on Nov 3, 2014 12:28:02 GMT
Fantastic! onlyMark you have given me itchy feet again...I'd love to see this for myself. These formations have taken thousands of years to make when the climate there was wetter and a real river ran through making those gorgeous carvings. "wadi" means 'Dried up river bed' and in some places they can flood. T.E. Lawrence tells of an encampment of mixed Arab tribesmen which was pitched too close to the opening of a wadi when a flash flood caused damage to part of the camp. I forget the full details but it is in his book 'Seven Pillars of Wisdom'
OnlyMark, Do you know what types of rocks the walls are? I am fascinated by the different striping and carving, specially on the 90 degree turns.
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 3, 2014 13:00:11 GMT
bjd, Yes and half yes. There is a height difference between the high ground to the east and the Dead Sea of up to 1600m, over a distance of about 10km. Water will rush down there quite fast and there are many flash floods. There isn't a rainy season as such, we have the normal four seasons, but we don't get that all day drizzle. We tend to get a series of short powerful storms between November and April that saturate the ground quickly and then runs off. Funnily enough, we've just had one half an hour ago.
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 3, 2014 13:18:25 GMT
questa, I've read T.E. Lawrence and in a small report I have it mentions the rock outcrop of that name in Wadi Rum. I will post it at some time. Even though we think of the interpretation of the word to mean a dry wadi, these are not dry wadis. I understand the word more means a ravine/valley that is normally dry - but can have water running down it during heavy rains. In Jordan they are frequently wet and some have a stream running down them virtually all year long. A famous example in Jordan is Wadi Mujib, which I think doesn't dry up at all and the water is quite deep. Wadi MujibI'm no expert at all on rocks. My first thought is it is sandstone but I'm actually leaning towards travertine.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2014 13:45:41 GMT
I've been to Wadi Rum, and the defile there is just as narrow as what you've shown. Unfortunataly, there was no stream running through it when I was there -- I believe it was the beginning of October so the storm season had not arrived yet.
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Post by tod2 on Nov 3, 2014 16:44:07 GMT
Truly awesome Mark! I love rocks and if I could lift the 'stepping stone' one, would love to show it off here! What gorgeous rings of different colours. I admire you for dealing with the heat - that's a real killer for me. From my experience of The Dead Sea and Sea of Galilee, it is pretty darn humid sapping every ounce of strength from your body. Like Questa, I feel an instant beckoning to places such as this - naughty boy, you are tempting us!
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 3, 2014 17:59:41 GMT
Thanks Tod. Being away from the forum means I have a couple more reports that can be posted when I get round to it. Hopefully they will tempt you as well, though they are of minor sights/sites and another wadi walk.
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Post by mossie on Nov 3, 2014 19:42:17 GMT
Reminiscent of the Siq at Petra, I kept expecting to see the Treasury appear as you rounded each corner. We used to fly over that area on our way to Iraq via a refuelling stop at Mafraq in north Jordan, it is one of the most godforsaken parts of the world that anyone could wish for.
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 3, 2014 20:51:12 GMT
You liked it then.
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Post by lola on Nov 4, 2014 2:12:45 GMT
Wow. Beautiful, onlyMark. Artistic abstract.
In the Southwest US, we might call a wadi an arroyo or a wash. Of places I've been it most resembles Canyon de Chelly in Arizona.
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Post by nycgirl on Nov 4, 2014 14:31:25 GMT
Beautiful place. It reminds me of the Southwest U.S., too.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2014 14:35:23 GMT
Like where James Franco had to cut off his arm!
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Post by amboseli on Nov 4, 2014 15:47:48 GMT
Nature is so very beautiful. Sigh ... We have been to Wadi Rum too. I could have stayed forever! Same for the Pink Desert in the South Sinai/Egypt. I believe this is all (pink) sandstone, just as in the South Sinai.
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 4, 2014 18:03:24 GMT
I know of the White Desert in Egypt and the Black Desert. And also the Western Desert. The pink one must be the white one but at sunset/sunrise when the rocks glow pink. That's all I know. I'm just about to post a little report from Wadi Rum.
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Post by amboseli on Nov 4, 2014 19:34:08 GMT
It was definitely not the White Desert. WD is not in the South Sinai. I thought it was called Pink Desert but I was wrong. As per my trip report, it is called the Coloured Canyon which is between St. Catherine's Monastery and the town of Nuweiba.
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 4, 2014 21:32:21 GMT
Yep, been there. I know where you mean now. Excellent place. I remember walking a long way down from a car park.
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