Jordan

Jordan is home to Petra, and in my opinion, it’s the most breathtaking of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Seeing an entire ancient city carved into sandstone cliffs is something I’ll never forget. My favorite memory, though, came from meeting an Australian traveler named Alex, who was exploring Jordan after losing his mother to cancer. We quickly became friends, and while wandering through Petra, a group of local Bedouins invited us to climb a steep cliff to a small tent overlooking the ancient city. I attempted the climb in flip-flops, nearly slipping more than once before finally making it to the top.

Over tea and music, Alex and I bonded. I think, in many ways, we were both searching for something. Alex was trying to make sense of losing his mother, while I was still carrying the weight of years spent battling OCD and the distance it had created between me and many of the people I loved. Travel had brought us to the same place for very different reasons, but that conversation connected us in a way neither of us expected. Before we parted ways, Alex asked if I’d ever traveled through South America. Just a few weeks later, we were beginning an adventure across a new continent together.