First off, I should probably start by saying I hate cycling. I mean I really, really, really hate cycling. The last time I’d been on a bicycle was a disastrous cycling trip around Richmond Park in London five years earlier. So when I was asked if I fancied spending the morning cycling around the countryside near Hue, I hesitatingly agreed. I was promised quiet, empty, flat roads, which didn’t sound too daunting. Fast forward to the cycling trip, when it soon became clear we were setting off from our hotel. In the middle of Hue. Which meant I’d have to…

On my second day in Hue, I headed back towards the citadel as I was keen to check out a few museums there that had been mentioned in my guide book. Top of my wish list was the Royal Antiquities Museum, which is said to house some fabulous pieces that once belonged to the Nguyen dynasty. I was really keen to see some of the treasures from Vietnam’s imperial period, but when I eventually found the museum, the guard wouldn’t let me in. I couldn’t buy a ticket on the door and if I understood correctly, I was only allowed…

Vietnam’s old imperial capital Hue is home to an enormous citadel, which counts the Imperial City within its walls, and the delightfully-named Perfume River, which cuts a swathe through the city centre. The historical city’s a fascinating place with its mix of modern, traditional and French-style buildings, while the citadel has an impressive feel to it, despite its faded glory. On my first day in Hue, I was up bright and early to visit the citadel and the Imperial City. The citadel, which was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, is surrounded by a moat and to get…

A bustling, vibrant capital city that’s home to more than one million people, Amman is a modern metropolis with ancient roots, having been inhabited in some form or another for millennia. Its former incarnations include Ammon, the capital of the Ammonite people during Biblical times, and the Greek and Roman city of Philadelphia. And it’s where I spent my final day in Jordan. My first destination was the Jordan Museum (above), a small museum dedicated to the country’s history and culture. Its exhibits cover much of the region’s early history, from its early settlement by prehistoric hominids to the introduction…

The port of Aqaba lies on the southern tip of Jordan and is the country’s main gateway to the sea as it’s the only large town on Jordan’s small strip of coast. As such, it’s a popular destination for Jordanians hoping for some sea with their sun and sand. Aqaba was much more touristy than the other parts of Jordan I’d visited, and with palm trees lining the roads, the rich blue expanse of sea, packed beaches and countless families milling about, it had a holiday vibe to it. After checking in to our hotel, we made our way to…

In the run up to my trip to Jordan, I began reading TE Lawrence’s The Seven Pillars of Wisdom, in which the former British army officer recounts his time in the region supporting the Arab Revolt during the First World War. In his memoir, Lawrence also raves about the beauty of Wadi Rum, a vast desert in southern Jordan that boasts astonishing rock formations and the place I planned to spend a night in a Bedouin camp. Unfortunately, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom turned out to be a crushing bore and I only got halfway through before my trip (I…

On our second day in Petra, we set off at 7am to hike to the Monastery, an enormous monument cut into the rose-red rock, high on top of one of Petra’s many mountains. Having learned our lesson about hiking in the searing midday sun the day before and with temperatures set to be even hotter (33°C), we were keen to leave as early as possible to complete our hike before noon. It was quiet and peaceful as we strolled along the Siq (above), the narrow canyon that leads to the ancient capital, and in the stillness, I found myself noticing…

After our wonderful introduction to Petra via the Siq and the Treasury, we continued exploring the ancient Nabatean capital via the Outer Siq. The Outer Siq is a large path that leads to the heart of the City of Petra, and the rocks surrounding it are home to countless tombs and dwellings. As we walked along the Outer Siq, we passed a number of Bedouin stalls lining the route, as well as a few Bedouin offering camel, horse and donkey rides. Just beyond the tombs, we reached a staircase carved into the rock, which led to the High Place of…

I don’t mind admitting I’ve been dreading writing this post, not because I didn’t enjoy Petra or because I had nothing to write about, but because it’s such an extraordinary, unique place, it’s almost impossible to do it justice in a blog post. How do you succinctly sum up one of the great wonders of the world in less than a thousand words? There are so many captivating parts to the ancient city, it’s hard to know where to begin, what to include and what to leave out. But here goes… The ancient Nabatean capital of Petra lay undiscovered for…

Regular readers of my blog may have noticed that I really, really love a castle and so it goes without saying I was very excited at the prospect of visiting Kerak Castle during my week in Jordan. The Crusader castle at Kerak is an enormous white limestone fortress, perched high on a hill overlooking its modern-day namesake town. It was built during the Crusades, in 1142, by Pagan the Butler, lord of Outrejourdain – one of a number of castles built by the Crusaders across the Levant. The castle’s extensive walls extend across the hill top, dominating the town, and…