If you’re a hiker and/or in pretty good shape, do yourself a favor and climb Table Mountain via the India Venster Route. It is not for anyone with a fear of heights, or for beginner hikers. I wouldn’t recommend completing it without a guide or a local (thanks Alison!). It’s a stunning hike and must be started as soon as the sun is in the sky because the sun is STRONG!
The India Venster Route is considered the most dangerous and exciting route up Table Mountain. There are three main scrambles and, let me tell you, being only five feet tall is a major disadvantage. Nevertheless, I maneuvered myself up and through the scrambles, and had a blast while doing so. Even though there are only three scrambles, there are many large gaps and high steps. Expect to be on your hands and knees at places. Expect to do some rock climbing and rock scaling without the help of rails. Expect fantastic, rewarding views.
Three hours later, we completed the India Venster Route! Conquering Table Mountain was a powerful feeling, as it looks treacherous from a distance. Once at the top, you’re rewarded with remarkable views and a complete 360 degree view of Cape Town.
Travelers Tip: Take the cable car back down Table Mountain. Not only is it iconic, but the downhill route is steep, dangerous, and tough on your knees.
David and I were up early to get ready to cross the border into Jordan. We were given adorable to-go breakfasts and our driver was right on time at 7am. We drove to Israel’s southernmost border with Jordan and waited to cross. While we were waiting we chatted with some Israelis inquiring about birthright and at 8am we were let in the gates.
The passport guy took one look at my passport and screamed “that smile!” He cracked up and showed the other person in the room with him who started laughing. He told me it was a great photo and let us through immediately. There were many different security checkpoints like at an airport. In one of the lines we were talking to the people in front of us who said they’re from NYC and I asked where. One of them said she lived in Chelsea and I mentioned that I used to do trapeze over there. To make a long story short, I knew their daughter and we knew some mutual friends involved with flying trapeze. It really is a small world. After a bit of time we finally crossed the border into Jordan!
We met up with our guide, Mohammed, and bussed for 2.5 hours to Petra. I was exhausted and it was really tough to stay awake during the drive. We pit stopped at a great lookout point and were first exposed to the Arabian feel of Jordan from the clothes to the jewelry to the tchotchkes.
The journey to Petra begins in the Bab as-Siq, a gravel road running alongside Wadi Musa. There are some major monuments on this path, as it is all part of the necropolis, with the two most well-known being the The Obelisk Tomb and Bab as-Siq Triclinium. The Obelisk Tomb (upper half), naturally, contains burial sites. The Bab as-Siq Triclinium (lower half), was used as a dining room where feats were held in honor of the dead.
To reach Petra, you have to walk through the Siq, an immense, breathtaking gorge that make you feel so small and insignificant. It’s insane to think that tectonic forces caused the dramatic split in these rocks. After the split, the waters of Wadi Musa flowed in, which gradually rounded the sharp rock edges into smooth curves. We hopped from shady spot to shady spot all while trying to avoid the horse poop and all the nasty flies that surrounded it.
At one point, Mohammad told us to look up at a tree wedged between the rocks, way high up. We couldn’t see it so he told us to back up. We all backed up and couldn’t see it. Then he told us to look to our left – and there was the Treasury. We gasped. He did such an amazing job of surprising us with that view.
The treasury was built 2000 years ago, and when it was found, it was in perfect shape with the exception of the third pillar. Pretty remarkable.
We continued to walk around Petra, viewing family plots and royal plots. It was all unbelievable. We walked down the beautiful Cardo Maximus on our way to the 900-stair Monastery climb. Keep in mind, it was 108 degrees (42.2 C). We were drenched and dehydrated. I was a bit nauseous from lunch and lack of water, so half of the climb up was pretty miserable. Halfway up I bought another liter and a half of water and felt much better. Our poor legs were getting such a workout.
We made it to the Monastery and were in awe – no one was there, it was just us and this ginormous monument. We were able to climb inside the monastery – David climbed up first to pull me up and John, our new American friend, lifted me up. The inside was really cool – both in the sense of “wow this is neat” and “wow a break from the sun.” To be somewhere so isolated, alone with this gigantic Monastery that was 200 years older than the Treasury, was remarkable. I was in awe.
We decided to climb up to the very top breathtaking viewpoint. We could see the preserved city in broad daylight with the Jordanian flag swaying above us. It was truly amazing.
After completing the Monastery steps, we started on another path to the royal burial site – the site of the most important king after Mohammad. By then it was about 18:00 and starting to get a little shadier, which was a much needed break after 6.5 hours in the sweltering heat. Petra had completely emptied out and we felt like the only people there. We trudged along back to the Treasury to find no one in front of it! It was that much more unbelievable – truly an incredible piece of architecture.
We took off back through the tourist-less gorges and finally made it to our hotel. We were so exhausted, we barely made it to dinner. Halfway through our meal we heard the nightly call to prayers come on the loudspeakers all over the whole city; it was absolutely fascinating.
After 9.5 sleepless hours on the plane, the sun began rising in an astonishing display of blues, oranges, and yellows, getting brighter and brighter under the wing of our plane. Witnessing such a beautiful moment, while approaching the Promised Land, was moving – leaving my eyes welling with tears during the sun’s ascent and our descent. David and I made it, made it to the City of David. As the sun began to rise higher and higher in the sky, it met us eye-level above the clouds. The beams of sunshine began to pierce through the clouds; they reached far away from the distant sun and shone directly into our window. God’s way of wishing us a beautiful good morning.
Upon arriving in Israel, we grabbed our bags, boarded our bus, and took off for Neot Kedumim, the Biblical Landscape Reserve located between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. We stepped off the bus at Neot Kedumim and realized just how hot it was in Israel. The landscape was beautiful, and we learned about the history of Israel and it’s connection to the Bible. After wandering around the trails for a while, we were taken to plant our own trees. David and I each decided to plant two trees, so that our four soon-to-be trees could represent our immediate family. In planting a tree, we were solidifying our roots in Israel.
“Just as I found the world full of trees that my grandparents planted for me, I am planting for future generations” (Babylonian Talmud, Ta’anit 23a)
After Neot Kedumim, we headed to the Haas Promenade for a Panoramic View of Jerusalem. It finally felt real as we stared into our destination and saw Temple Mount/the Walls of the Old City in the distance. We stared in awe for a bit, snapped some photos, and played a quick ice breaker with our group.
We left for the airport at 5:45am Wednesday morning and were on-the-go nonstop until getting to the hotel Thursday night, making for quite an exhausting first day. Hitting my pillow at 21:30 had never felt better.
Installment #5: NEW YEAR’S EVE. RIO DE JANEIRO, BRASIL
From Christ the Redeemer to Sugar Loaf to ringing in the New Year on Copacabana with fabulous new friends, Rio de Janeiro definitely didn’t disappoint – despite being 114 (46) degrees. FELIZ ANO NOVO!
From frigid Antarctica to sweltering Rio de Janeiro. I arrived at 2am and was immediately dragged to a favella party. Within an hour of arriving in Brasil I had a caipirinha in hand and was staring at an illuminated Cristo Redentor. Quite a beginning to the last leg of my journey.
I slept in a bit and, being the adrenaline junkie that I am, headed straight to go hang-gliding over São Conrado. Within minutes of getting to the top of the mountain we were to fly from, I was all geared-up. The instructor and I attached ourselves to the hang-glider and were ready to go. Without hesitation, I ran and jumped off the mountain, instantly feeling the wind catch our wings. We were flying, soaring high above the beaches, mountains, houses, and people. It was surreal and reminded me just how much I love being in the air – seeing the world from a different perspective. My instructor had been flying for over 30 years, so I felt safe and secure and, naturally, we chatted as we watched the coast of Rio de Janeiro unfold beneath us. The view was spectacular, as I saw Sugarloaf Mountain straight ahead and, in the distance, Christ the Redeemer! There was something so special about seeing such an iconic symbol while flying through the air. Before I knew it, 25 minutes had passed and it was time to land on the beach. After a smooth descent, my instructor bought me coconut water (out of a real coconut!) and I chatted with some new friends. Hang-gliding was definitely the perfect way to kick off Rio de Janeiro! We spent the rest of the day relaxing on the beach, trying not to melt since it was about 114 degrees and humid.
The Five Foot Traveler 