Adventures in Asia: 1916 Train, Wadi Rum, Jordan

We had originally intended to spend Wednesday morning in Petra, but we both agreed we were satisfied with our visit yesterday afternoon, so after a nice breakfast at the hotel we got in the car and headed up out of Wadi Musa. Along the road out of town there are spots to pull over and look back over the valley. It is quite something! Petra is within the mountains below and you can see how it managed to remain hidden, more or less, for centuries.

Our destination was Wadi Rum, about two hours from Wadi Musa. Roughly half of the drive is on the Desert Highway, which is divided, four-lane road and allows for faster driving than most of the highways we have driven on so far.

After 90 minutes or so we reached the turnoff to Wadi Rum, and even before the park itself you encounter some spectacular scenery. Also, some great road signs!

The Jordan Pass includes the entrance fee to Wadi Rum, but you need to check in at the visitor's centre to get your ticket, so that's where we headed first.

Wadi Rum is stunning, but sadly the wonder of being here is significantly detracted from by aggressive, rude, dishonest Bedouin, many of whom stake out the visitor's centre. It took some equally aggressive "nos" from me, but eventually we were left alone and Diana and I found a spot to eat a bagged lunch and enjoy a view of the "Seven Pillars of Wisdom."

After lunch, we headed seven kilometres south of the visitor's centre to Wadi Rum village. This is a pretty cool drive as well, with gorgeous scenery and grazing camels on either side.

We ordered coffees at a rest house in the village and sat outside watching life go by. In summer I understand the heat can be unbearable, but it was lovely on this day in the middle of winter! 

I gather from this water truck that many or most of Wadi Rum village's water is trucked . . .

. . . but there is also evidence that that will change soon!

Back behind the rest house is a short trail that leads you to Nabataean ruins. Not Petra, but still cool to explore.

From the village we drove back northwards, out of the park proper, and further east to the camp where we are staying the night.

We checked in and dropped our bags into our dome "tent."

Before we explored much here, however, we walked half a kilometre to where there are train tracks running through the desert.

Every few days a group of enthusiasts organizes a "1916 train."  This is also included as part of the Jordan Pass, and the schedule happened to align nicely with our itinerary. At 15:00 a group gathered in what is pretty much the "middle of the desert" along the railroad tracks.

And then, somewhat slowly, a (restored historic) train appears around the bend . . .

The train is made up to be an Ottoman troop carrying train from 1916, and there are machine guns mounted on the flat beds.

Actors dressed as Ottoman soldiers are guarding the train, and tourists load up on the benches behind them.

After getting settled, we set off. On a hot day I cannot imagine this would be the most comfortable spot to be, but on a gorgeous day it is a really lovely way to see Wadi Rum! The acting continues after about 10 minutes, with Arab rebels attacking the train.

Eventually the rebels win, stopping the train and taking the soldiers into custody.

The whole thing is quite well done, although honestly the train itself and of course the setting are what really make this memorable. They let me walk through the train cars before we had to disembark. 

The ride ends at a real railway station--obviously the tracks are still in use for activities besides tourist trips!

We were driven back to the starting point in the back of a truck and were back at camp shortly after 16:00. The 1916 train was a fun way to spend an hour and it is definitely a great activity to do if one's itinerary allows for it!