We have landed in In Doha after 16 hours in the air. Our three hour flight from Doha, Qatar to Jordan was uneventful.

Qatar was founded on Sept. 3, 1971. During the last part of the Christian era, Qatar was known as ‘Beth Qatraye’ or “region of the qataris”. It also included Bahrain, Tarout Island, Al-Khatt, and Al-Hasa.

There were around one hundred people on our flight.

We landed in Jordan and had to line up to get our visas. We were told it was much easier than doing it from the U.S. The process was organized if not quick. It cost $40.00 Jordanian dollars per visa.

After the Arab revolt against the Ottomans in 1916 during WW l, the region was partitioned by Britain and France, with the Emirate of Transjordan created in 1921 and becoming a British protectorate in 1946.

Before the modern era nomadic tribes of Ammonites, Moabites and Edomites and the Israelites lived in the areas of Jordan.

Our taxi ride to the hotel was interesting. The lines on the roads seem to be rough guidelines rather than hard and fast limits to each lane. Some cars raced past us at breakneck speeds while we plodded on with the herd. Some cars just stopped in front of us for who knows why. The taxi ride was thirty dollars including a tip.

The taxi driver was unsure of where the hotel was so we saw a bit more Amman than we had planned on.

We arrived eventually, at the security gate at the entrance to the parking lot. There was a manned shack there as well. The stout man checked out trunk before allowing us into the parking lot. No chances here for trouble, hopefully.

Our bags went through w-ray machines as we entered the hotel. The main entry from the parking lot is blocked off by those long low concrete barracades that we see so often on the freeways here in California. Security is very important here, or so it seems.

It seems that we came here at a very interesting time in history. Things are heating up in the Middle east again. Who knew?

Our room is great as is the hotel. The plastic credit card type key didn’t work for some reason and so we had to change rooms.

We had asked for a Queen sized bed and got two double beds. The hotel is full but we traded for one with a single Queen sized bed. We are on vacation after all.

It is midnight and we are finally settled in. The few issues were solved quickly by the hotel staff.

We are about to start our our adventure in the Middle East.

The photos and my daily diary is on Facebook at R.C. Hand. This will be similar but with more history and politics perhaps.