June 16 (Thur) - Journey to Amman

Highlights:

- Marie came to Clapham Junction station to see me off. Had a coffee at Cafe Nero there and talked friendship and settling-in and blogging and and and... It is so lovely to be seen off (and greeted) before (and after) a trip :)
- EasyJet flight from Gatwick to Amman -- I'm curious which Mediterranean islands I spotted out of the window, and love that I saw the Dead Sea from the air! Boy, Jordan is dry and brown; quite a contrast to the green green of New Zealand
- Lisa picked me up at the airport! She's looking great, and has a knack for entertaining conversation :) She's so full of energy, and is so hospitable!
- Great to meet Amer (for real) for the first time (we met glancing-ly at Waneta Road once), and to see Laila and Abdullah again (we were all at the Leininger Reunion at Lake Geneva last summer)
- Feel so welcomed and so well taken care of -- after hellos, Lisa helped me to a delicious dinner plate, and tucked me into the spacious guest bedroom
- Back to the land of hot sunny summer, after a New Zealand winter that was much of a cool damp muchness with the London summer



Chronology: 4am Wake up and unpack from NZ and repack for the Middle East. 7am Cuppa tea with Ian before he leaves for work. 8am Skype with V. 9am Leave 12 Parma Crescent with my 12kg pack in the rain. 9.15am Meet Marie at the Cafe Nero at Clapham Junction station. 10.08am Southwest Trains train to Gatwick Airport, arriving 10.39am. Shuttle to North Terminal. Boots for sunscreen and bugspray; Dixons for 1T portable Seagate hard-drive; WH Smith for Will & Kate commemorative shortbread tin and Jordan Rough Guide. 12.50pm Easyjet flight to Amman; secure starboard window seat near the back. Entertained by conversation in row behind me between an Ammani returning for his wedding, his friend, and a British public school 'boy' bent on airing his knowledge of the geopolitics of the region. Was curious what Mediterranean islands we flew over. Tickled to spot the Israeli coast and the Dead Sea. 8.05pm (?) arrival in Amman, shortly after sunset. Exchanged GBP 20 for JD (Jordanian Dinar) 20 at the Exchange Counter next to the Visa desk, then stood in line for a visa-on-arrival. The (physical, paper) stamps were glued into my passport. I was asked my name, how long I was staying, and where I was staying; painless, all in all. Bag was already off the belt when I emerged from passport control. 8.45pm (?) Caught sight of Lisa waving to me from behind the front row of waiting faces. Talked a blue streak in the car on the way home (about 30min drive?). Amer and Laila & Abdullah got in shortly after I arrived, as Lisa was showing me around the house. Sat in the living room 'heart' of the home and had some apple juice. Lisa warmed up some dinner for me (chicken with rice, roasted mini zucchini, white bean and capsicum salad) and sat with me in the kitchen while I ate. 11.30pm (?) All to bed.