I slept in a luxury Wadi Rum bubble tent, then ended up lost in the desert with a Bedouin. Both were real. Only one showed me what Wadi Rum actually feels like.

I went to the Dead Sea expecting salt, heat and not much else. Then I found Wadi Mujib, a freshwater canyon where the “hike” turns into ropes, waterfalls and a fight against the current.

I followed a stranger who looked like Captain Jack Sparrow into an isolated part of Petra, used an animal because I was tired, and nearly treated an ancient city like a quick stop. These are the Petra mistakes I would not make again.

I tried to visit the Amman Citadel and accidentally walked into a hostel with the same name. One confused elevator ride later, I finally reached the Roman ruins, sunset views, and Temple of Hercules above Amman. Here’s the story, plus the practical links to plan your own visit without booking a bedroom by mistake.