We're reaching our tour guide tentacles all the way to the Middle East on this episode. We talk with Ramzi, a tour guide from Petra, about the best that Jordan has to offer. And, let's just say he does a pretty good job at selling the Kingdom of Jordan as a travel destination. Ramzi walks us through what to expect and dispels some of the myths that travelers may have about the country. As he puts it, "people should expect to touch the whole past." We'll talk about Petra, but also some lesser known spots like Jerash, the best preserved Roman city outside of Rome. Ramzi also shares some insight on the Dead Sea, Amman and the Red Sea. Plus, as a bonus Cathleen joins us again and talks about a special women's only trip that she's organizing to Jordan. You can go (if you're a lady!), just check out her page.

Jordan is a classically exotic travel destination, but it's also a trending spot this year. Conde Nast Traveler has put Petra on the 18 destinations of 2018 list. Travel and Leisure has Jordan on its list of 50 destinations for 2018. And National Geographic has put the 400-mile long Jordan Trail on its list of Best Trips in 2018.

We also spend a good amount of time talking about desert travel more generally. We spent part of the weekend up at Joshua Tree National Park and we talk a bit about what makes the desert special (or weird).

As always, thanks for listening!