Unplanned Petra:
Herein lies: Just a silly blog post from a silly person.
I was flying through Jordan and had a long layover in Amman. Decided to go exploring, off to Petra on a whim. This turned out to be a several-hour long road trip with a "taxi" driver, I was pretty sure was not going to kidnap or murder me. Gut instincts/safety red flags for the win!

I wouldn't recommend the way we did this trip, especially when it's so much easier and safer to just do a bit of planning, organize yourself, and really get to take in the sites. As it was, we ended up walking past everything in pitch black, illuminated by wayward gypsy flashlights and the cacophony of Cujos alerting their owners to our presence.

It was surreal to be surrounded by these infamous images, as the dogs' barks faded and the donkeys and horses kicked off into the still night. Only the sounds of our footfalls in the soft sand, plying up dirt and cushioning the echoes surrounded this odd trio of travelers.

As the first gypsy approached, we could see him, wide-eyed, the white glowing orbs surrounded by thick eyeliner. His layered robes billowing out comically large like a cartoon character, his feet telling his steed where to guide him, silent as he eyes us down, strange ships we are, passing in the dark chasm. 

I deleted the nothing/dark photos, I did take a lot, and then tried to feed a stray dog on our way out. This dog was the only one not snarling, growling, or barking at us. He made eye contact, then began to lead us out. It was odd, honestly. He made sure to stop when we did if we were looking at something, or slowed down to match our pace. He barked at the gypsy dogs and protected us; and disappeared when we exited the cliff-maze, like some generous guardian angel dog. So, all in all, great, memorable experience and layover. Take my word for it, plan ahead and book your stuff for the more pragmatic travelers out there!