The red mountains grew larger as we turned off the main road and approached Rum Village. Our gracious Bedouin guide and host, Mosalem, greeted us, took us to his home and served us tea while we waited for him to prepare the jeep for our excursion. The entire experience felt like we were his honored guests or even friends joining him as he explored the desert he so loved. More than once he told us that every time he drives around the desert is like the first time he has beheld the beauty of its sand dunes and red mountains. There is no better way to see a destination than to be guided by a native who cherishes it.
Mosalem took us down roads less traveled by many tour guides and gave us a window into how a Bedouin sees and feels about his land. While widely traveled, Mosalem chooses the simple life of the desert where he can explore the land, sleep under the stars and play tricks on foxes (accompanied by an hysterical true story).
He is a man of few words and great peace, which allowed us to take in the beauty and solitude of the environment. He maintains an old jeep that he uses for treks around the valley preferring to work on it with his own hands. “The newer jeeps are all controlled by computers,” he says.
We only spent one day and night in Wadi Rum but its landscape and people captured our hearts and imaginations.
