Road To Jordan: I went to the Dead Sea and I hated it
Once in a while, I am reminded why this blog is called The Rookie Road. I subscribe to the philosophy that the less you know about a place, the more enjoyable it'll be to discover it. I'll read about a location or see an enticing picture, do the least bit of research (mostly to make sure I'm not about to enter a warzone or be kidnapped by drug cartels) and then set out on my journey. That, is the essence of being a Travel Rookie. I cultivate that ignorance, because for me, the joy of travelling is the thrill of not knowing what's around the next bend. It's served me well so far. But once in a while, everything goes terribly wrong. This post isn't so much a rant as a reflexion on every bad decisions I made that day which ultimately resulted in one of the worst experience I've ever had. Still, I started this blog to document my travel journeys in the hope that someday, someone will read it and learn from it. Someone's misfortunes is somebody else's lesson, so here's a detail account of everything that you SHOULD NOT DO if you're planning a trip to the Dead Sea. Enjoy!
Before I start, I think it's important to point out that the Dead Sea is a really cool location to visit, and that you should make every effort to experience it for yourself if you happen to be nearby! I had a crap experience mostly through mistakes of my own. Done well, this can be a fun and exciting adventure!
A BIT OF BACKGROUND EXPOSITION FIRST...
The Dead Sea is actually a huge salt lake bordering the countries of Jordan the East, and Israel and the West Bank to the West. What makes it a unique place is its low elevation - it's actually 423 metres (1,388 ft) below sea level, making it Earth’s lowest elevation on land - and it's high concentration of sodium chloride (a.k.a salt), which is 9 times more elevated than ocean's level. This high salt content is responsible for yet another unusual feature of the Dead Sea: try hard as you may, it's physically impossible to sink into its water. With that in mind, you can understand why I was so keen to visit it when I looked at a map and realized that it was less than an hour away from Amman!
Alas, what should have been a fun day spend bobbing along the water covered in magic mud turned out to be one of the worst day I've had in my life. Below are X reasons why I made a mess of things, and more importantly, X lessons for the wary traveller on how to NOT have a crap day at the Dead Sea.
1. I TRIED TO GO THERE ON MY OWN
I'm not a big fan (read "I really hate") tour groups and organized travel in general, mostly because I love the freedom of exploring everything at my own pace without the compulsory visit to the souvenir shop at the end of the trip. So naturally, I tried to make my own way to the Dead Sea. That was my first mistake. Public transport in Jordan is chaotic and unpredictable as a whole, but particularly when it comes to go there. Finding the bus stop took me the best part of an hour, then once I got there I was told that 4 different buses were stopping there. The next hour was spent playing the bus version of musical chairs: the drivers would argue on whose bus had the most passengers, while their assistant would get into the competitor's bus to "poach" passengers. I changed bus 4 times before we miraculously filled one bus and we were on our way. The fun doesn't stop there though: the bus seemed to stop randomly and without any apparent frequency for undetermined periods of time.
My advice: I can't believe I'm saying this, but if you're looking to go to the Dead Sea on time and without any hassle, use a bus service that caters to tourists and spare yourself a few hours of torment.
The upside: I did vodka shots with 5 Iraqui who were also kind enough to point me in the right direction.
2. I GOT OFF AT THE WRONG TIME
I finally found someone on board who spoke English so I could ask them to ask the driver to drop me at the Dead Sea. I think he forgot because he stopped in the middle of the motorway, open the door then pointed at a large body of water and said: Dead Sea. He then kicked me out and i had to cross the road (the highway really) and do the rest of the journey on foot. Fun times.
3. I PICKED THE WRONG BEACH
There are a number of beaches along the shores of the Dead Sea. There's too many to mention in this post, but it's roughly like on the Titanic: you got your 1st class (luxury spas), 2nd class (beaches that charge an entry fee, usally 20JD) and 3rd class (public beaches). True to my buddhist roots, I picked the middle ground and went for the beaches that charge an entrance fee. That was my second mistake. I paid 20JD to a surly cashier who gave me a towel the size of a post stamp and which felt as soft as a scourer, then made my way down the beach. Christ on a bike, that was a shock to the system. To say that this beach looked like a landfill would be an insult to landfills... plastic bags fluttering in the wind, rubbish strewn across the ground, used nappies, leftover food from picnics... the list goes on. I even almost impalled my foot on a chicken bone. A total nightmare. I hear that the public beaches are even worse, even though I really can't picture what's worse than a used OPEN nappie lying on the sand. Yuk.
My advice: don't be cheap! Splurge a little on a decent beach or spa, least what's supposed to be a plesant experience turns into a nightmare!
4. I DIDN'T LISTEN TO PEOPLE'S ADVICE
I mean, up till this point I hadn't listen to a single piece of advice and it'd worked out so well for me so why stop there right? As I said above, the Dead Sea is so salty that nothing can live in it (hence the name). The water is so rich in sodium that it has this weird oil-like texture that sticks to everything, especially the skin. Knowing this, you'd think one would be careful about getting water in one's eyes or mouth. Nope, I managed to do both and let me tell you, this stuff burns like acid. I also forgot to remove accesories, like bracelets, caps, etc... and they turned to solid rock when they dried.
5. I TRIED SWIMMING
They say that it's impossible to swim in the Dead Sea. So obviously I had to try. I'm fairly certain that you'll try too if you go there, but I'll do my best to discourage you anyway. Firstly, because it's physically impossible to sink into the water, so every attempt to do so will send you back to the surface like a champagne cork. Secondly, because you'll probaly end up with your head under the water and it'll be like dipping your face in battery acid. I'm no exagerating, it's really uncomfortable, and super hard so get off your skin. Your first impulse will be to rub your eyes. For the love of God don't do that. I did and it felt like someone was squirting tabasco sauce into my eyeballs. Just grab a book, sit (yeah, in the water. you can literrally sit on it/ in it) and bask in the sunshine.
6. I TRIED GOING BACK TO AMMAN ON MY OWN
This was the salty cherry on top my my shitty cake of a day. In my defense, I'd been dropped off in the middle of the highway and i had no clue where the actual bus stop was. I was wet, salty, in a foul mood and in a hurry to get back to my hotel room, so when I asked the surly cashier information on how to get back and he chose to call a taxi without asking, I didn't put up too much of a fuss, even though it costed me 40JD. I got in the taxi and that's when the dance started... "so 50JD ok?" "erm... no? we agreed on 40JD before i got in." "Ok then, 40JD but we stop at the arts and craft shop" "No, I'm cool thanks. I'd rather go straight to Amman like we agreed?" *long uncomfortable silence, then the driver stops the car on the shoulder, get off and flag another taxi* he has a quick chat with the other driver, come back to the car and tells me "this driver is my friend and he's going to Amman. Give me 10JD now and the rest to him at the end of the journey".
At that point, I know he's pawning me off to a stranger, but I don't really care as long as I don't have to hear about arts and crafts shop. I pay the guy, get in the new car and breath a sigh of relief...then the dance carry on. "so 40JD ok?" "erm... no? we agreed on 30JD before i got in. I gave the other 10JD to your mate, didn't tell you?" "Oh right. ok then, 30JD. Would you like to see some local arts and craft?" "No, I'm cool thanks. I'd rather go straight to Amman like we agreed?" *long uncomfortable silence, then the driver stops the car on the shoulder, get off and flag another taxi* he has a quick chat with the other driver, come back to the car and tells me "this driver is my cousin and he's going to Amman. Give me 10JD now and the rest to him at the end of the journey".
In total I got passed around like a std 3 times that day, and somehow I managed to shell 60JD in the process.
My advice: use a tourist bus. At least you know where you're going and how much it'll be. Flat out refuse a taxi that has been called without your consent, because it's most likely the receptionist's brother or uncle and they'll drop you off in the middle of nowhere if you refuse to haggle the price up.
SO DEAD SEA...YAY OR NAY?
Well strangely enough it's Yay for me. Ok, not the day that I had, that was totally nay and i wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. But I have seen the vlogs, read the articles, and skimmed through the reviews, and there s no way that thousands of people are all wrong. A trip to the dead sea is a lot of fun if planned well, and I hope this post serves as a cautionary tale for other rooky travellers out there. Would I do things differently? Probably not, because that would imply revisiting my entire approach to travel. I know this isn't the last time I screw up massively, but in the grand scale of things, mishaps like these mean little compared to the hundreds of times where I've discovered a place with fresh eyes and mind, unburdened by someone else's take on it. Also, these kind of days make for great stories later on :p I will go back, eventually and this time I will do things properly.
YAY: IT'S TRUE, YOU CAN REALLY FLOAT
I am so proud to be one of the select few who understand this concept now. Before I went to the Dead sea, all the water that I'd ever seen was like... well water. So the idea that it's impossible to swim in the Dead Sea was kind of an alien concept to me. It's not something that can be explained, it has to be experienced. And I'm so glad I can finally cross this one off my list.
NAY: TRASH ON THE BEACH
That was so gross and dissapointing. I still struggle to understand how regualr people can just leave all their rubbish lying around after they've had their picnic. There isn't many things in life that can make me lose my cool, but littering is definitely one of them. Such disrespect. The Dead Sea is a fragile ecosystem. Please be mindful and respect the environment!
HUH: THE AFTERMATH...
One thing they don't tell you in the brochure is how corrosive and hard to wash away the water is! My baseball cap turned to stone when it dried. And my skin would sweat out salt for days after. The consistency is really weird as well, a bit like olive oil.
What's your Jordan experience? Did I miss anything? Will croc sandals ever make a comeback? Should I stop writing and throw myself off a bridge (a dangerous question to ask on internet)? Leave your comments below and happy travels! x